Cardinal bowling teams are Little Hawkeye Conference champs

OSKALOOSA — With a 125-pin lead, Newton High’s Cardinal boys knew they had to bowl well in the Baker games to secure the Little Hawkeye Conference championship Friday. Norwalk was looking to grab it away.

No problem for the NHS boys. They put together a 930 total in the Baker games, highlighted by a 198 and a 223 game. Newton posted a final pin total of 2,827 with Norwalk in second at 2,612. Oskaloosa was third at 2,436 and Pella Christian at 2,337.

It was a clean sweep for the Cardinal bowing teams at the LHC meet hosted by Oskaloosa.

Newton’s girls had a little closer situation after the individual games. The Cardinals were ahead of Oskaloosa by 20 pins — 1,647-1,627 — going into the Baker games.

Again, no problem. The Cardinal girls rose to the occasion with a Baker game score of 896 to win by almost 200 pins. Newton claimed the LHC girls’ title with a 2,543 total followed by Oskaloosa at 2,353, Norwalk at 2,092 and Pella Christian at 1,711.

“Both boys and girls teams are bowling really well,” said Brett Jacobs, Newton head coach. “They are right where I want to see our scores, as we wrap up the season and go on to bowl substate on Tuesday at Plaza Lanes. We face off against Norwalk, Des Moines North and Des Moines Hoover.”

Senior members of each Newton led the way for the Cardinals.

Payton Cox and Alex Bare each bowled a 200-plus game to open up the tournament. Cox finished with a 456 on games of 257 and 199. Bare rolled a 423 with games of 242 and 181.

Freshman Shaiden Simmons put together a two-game series of 349 (169-180). Junior Shea Carre finished a 341 on games of 181 and 160 and sophomore Reid Miller had a 328 (159-169). Junior Bryan McMahon ha a 245 (110-135).

The boys’ Baker game scores were 198-138, 223, 179-192.

Senior Erica Bailey, senior Melanie Stice and junior Madison Humphrey went 353, 352 and 351 in the individual game series. Bailey had games of 176 and 177 while Stice went 163-189 and Humphrey had a 185-166.

Freshman Alyssa White had a 306 (167-139) and senior Courtney Tabor finished at 285 (132-153). Mariah Gonzales, a junior, ended up a 252 (111-141).

The girls’ Baker game scores were 195-147-186-171-197.

Little Hawkeye Conference announced its 2014-15 All-LHC honors for the season.

Newton’s Cox, Bare, Bailey and Humphrey were unanimous selections to the first team.

Second-team honors went to Carre, Simmons, sophomore Nick VerSteeg of the NHS boys’ team and Gonzales and Stice of the Cardinal girls’ squad. Newton’s Ali Cox, a freshman, earned honorable mention.

Newton’s teams prepare for Tuesday’s Class 2A substate bowling tournament at Plaza Lanes in Des Moines.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com