Bowling eighth in League tournament

Michael Simmons, Staff Writer

The bowling team was faced with a sports-conditioned lane very different from what they have practiced on contributing to an overall eighth place at the Centennial League Varsity tournament on Wednesday at Topeka West.

The boys team scored 1,824 points: 455 from junior Nathaniel Chaput, 498 from sophomore Michael Moran, 381 from freshman Brandon Bragg, 464 from sophomore Avery Groover and 349 from sophomore Damian Swarthrout. The girls team scored 1,796 points: 452 from sophomore Alex Newell, 420 from sophomore Mary Benjamin, 478 from junior Riley Taylor, 425 from junior Emily Willi and 324 from sophomore Khristine Thompson.  

“Eighth was not bad. We went into the tournament and they bowled average, and to be on that condition it was very good. I was very pleased with them,” head coach Robert Regan said. “I really didn’t expect anything else, but more importantly they’re putting in a lot of effort and trying to get better and to come together as a team.”

The Manhattan High team’s scores were dragged down because they were inexperienced with the sports-conditioned lanes. Sports conditioned lanes is different from a house conditioned lane. With sports conditioned there is less oil in the middle of the lane, making it more difficult for the bowlers to hit an accurate shot.  Despite the difficult conditions, and the lack of experience with such conditions, the team was able to keep their spirits up throughout the tournament.   

“I think for the talent level that they are at, they bowled really well for a sport condition, which it’s significantly harder to do a stereotypical house shot on sports condition,” Regan said. “They had good spirits about it, didn’t get down, I was very impressed with their attitudes.”

The team is seeing a lot of improvement with their attitudes and their overall mental part of the game. The improvement that they are seeing with the mental part of the game is starting to reflect in the technique and physical part of the game.  

“We’re seeing improvement on the consistency of the way they bowl, like rolling the ball correctly hitting their targets, and doing things the right way and now we can build from that,” Regan said.    

The team is facing Junction City and Emporia at Junction City on Friday.  

“I think their confidence level has increased and that will be the main factor in the next tournament,” Regan said, “because we’re back to a house shot which they are used to and they have practiced on. I’m anxious to see how they do at Junction City.”