Cardinals roll past Eagles on Senior Day

Newton High’s bowling teams sent their seniors out with a double sweep of Pella Christian on Senior Day Saturday.

The Cardinal girls went 9-0 with a 2,257-1,893 victory over the Eagle girls at Cardinal Lanes. Newton’s boys are 7-2 in duals after defeating Pella Christian, 2,551-2,066.

“Through nine meets our girls’ match score average is 2,252 and our boys’ match score in 2,560,” Newton head coach Brett Jacobs said.

Jacobs and assistant coach Seth Banwell recognized four of the five seniors before the meet began. Madison Humphrey and Mariah Gonzales have led the girls this season while Shea Carre is one of the top bowlers for the Cardinal boys.

Humphrey and Carre have bowled for NHS for four years and Gonzales for three years.

Luiz Carlos, a foreign exchange student, joined the boys’ team in the middle of the season. Bryan McMahon is the other senior on the boys team, but was not present Saturday.

Newton’s boys opened the competition with Pella Christian with four strikes in the first frame. They had three in row in the fifth and eighth frames. Junior Reid Miller bowled a 247 game featuring eight strikes.

Junior Sam Supino and Miller had back-to-back strikes in frames 3-4-5 of the second individual games for Newton. Supino rolled a 204 with five strikes as the Cardinals held a 1,703-1,363 lead going into the Baker Games with the Eagles.

Miller had a 423 series to lead the boys and Supino had a 338. Carre bowled a 182 game to start added a 148 for a 330 series. Sophomore Shaiden Simmons had a 308 (166-142) and sophomore Reece Thurmond had a 304 (149-155). Freshman Cutter Benac finished with a 256 (113-143).

“We didn’t bowl as good as we have been, but we had a decent meet to win today,” Carre said.

Newton’s boys Baker Games scores were 165, 139, 186, 155 and 203 for a 848 total. They had three straight strikes in game three and Miller finished the Baker Games with three strikes in game five.

“It was a really different feeling today,” Carre said. “Any other year saying it’s our last home meet, I was able to think we have home meets next year. I don’t have that next year anymore. This one meant a little more.”

Humphrey had a tough first individual game (156) on Senior Day, but came out with a strike to begin her second game. Humphrey put up a 200 on her way to a team-high 356 series. Sophomore Kaytie Hughes had three strikes in her first game for a 155 and finished with a 291.

Junior Lizzy Coyle had the second-best series for the Newton girls with a 293 (150-143). Junior Alexis Etter recorded a 267 (143-124) and sophomore Alyssa White had a 262 (101-161). Freshman Alicia Miller finished with a 189 (93-96).

The Cardinal girls were up 1,469-1,204 against the Eagles going into the Baker Games. Newton had three strikes in a row during the first Baker Game. The Baker Games scores for Newton were 191, 132, 176, 131 and 158 for a 788 total.

Saturday’s meet was bittersweet for Gonzales, who has had to watch her team bowl without her for the past a couple meet. She was ruled ineligible until February. Gonzales will be back for the Little Hawkeye Conference tournament at Norwalk on Feb. 13 and district on Feb. 16.

“I still come to support my team. I take my responsibility as a senior leader seriously and want to be here for my teammates,” Gonzales said after the meet. “Coach Banwell brought me up (to the team area) and made me feel I was still part of the team, which has made this a bit easier.”

Gonzales said her senior season had been going fantastic and she’s looking forward getting back in the lineup.

“Most of the time there haven’t been a lot to seniors on the team and to have two this year is great. To share this with Madison is tremendous. We’re looking forward to have a strong finish to this season,” Gonzales said.

Humphrey said Newton’s girls are a young team, but she knew they could come together for a strong season.

“It has been a meter of us seniors taking charge and using our leadership. We’ve improved so much as a team since the start the of season,” Humphrey said. “For me as a senior, it’s been great to just represent Newton the past four years. It really hasn’t set in yet it’s almost over.”

Carlos bowled on a co-ed junior varsity team for Newton Saturday, finishing with a 259 (125-134). Newton’s boys won a junior varsity dual with Pella Christian, 1,982-1,523.

McMahon was ruled ineligible for competition, Jacobs said.

Boys' JV — 1,982: Austin Johansen 317 (169-149), Tayler Hernandez 258 (131-127), Michael Hodnett 257 (111-146), Zion Dickey 254 (109-145), Devon Young 229 (127-102); Baker Games Scores: 151, 155, 153, 130, 98 — 667.

Co-ed JV — 1,962: Kayla Sopher 358 (199-159), Brady Eberline 298 (148-150), Carlos 259 (125-134), Taylor Johnson 243 (102-143), Hayley Sinclair 199 (100-99); Baker Games Scores: 103, 142, 103, 132, 123 —603.

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