Newton girls down Clarke, boys lose despite season-best score

OSCEOLA — The Newton girls bowling team continued its winning ways Monday. And the Cardinal boys rolled the best team score in Newton head bowling coach Christie Hughes’ coaching career.

Unfortunately, Newton split its varsity matchup with host Clarke. The girls downed the Indians 2,426 to 2,134 and the boys lost 3,005 to 2,957.

“It’s exciting to see the girls continue to dominate on the lanes,” Hughes said. “The boys rolled a great series. I’m very proud of their efforts.”

Led by Genessa Slings and Gabbie Humphrey, the Newton girls improved to 5-0. The Cardinals led 1,625 after the individual round and then outscored the Indians 801-739 in the Baker games.

Jordan Killmer set a new school record with a 515 series in the boys’ competition. Clarke needed a season-best score to down the Cardinals, but the Indians have now gone past 3,000 pins three times this winter.

Slings and Humphrey both bowled a 343 series and finished tied for first atop the individual standings.

Slings rolled single games of 174 and 169 and Humphrey registered a 167 and a career-best 176.

Libbie Keith was fourth with a 332 series. She rolled single games of 137 and 195. Beka Weithers finished fifth with a 326 series after single games of 157 and 169.

Bailey Hansen and Olivia Pickerell came in seventh and eighth, respectively. Hansen turned in a 281 series with single games of 119 and 162 and Pickerell’s 278 series came with single games of 111 and a career-best 167.

The Cardinals used Slings, Humphrey, Keith, Weithers and Hansen for the Baker games and the best score they turned in was 178.

Clarke’s Bridgette Henry came in third with a 336 series. The Indians dropped to 3-2 on the season.

The Newton boys trailed 2,031 to 1,984 after the individual round and Clarke (2-1) had a 974-973 advantage in the Baker games.

The Cardinals (4-1) used Killmer, Logan Bown, Tamion Adams, Sebastian King and Austin Kennedy for the Baker games and their five scores were 185, 181, 229, 191 and 187.

Killmer was the individual winner after posting a season-best 515 series. He had single games of 267 and 248. The 515 series is the best by any male bowler since bowling became a sanctioned sport at Newton.

Bown (390), Adams (368), King (361) and Kennedy (350) finished sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively.

Bown had single-game scores of 212 and 178 and Adams registered single games of 170 and 198.

King had a consistent two single games with a 180 and a 181, while Kennedy bowled single games of 169 and 181.

Andrew Wiles was the final Newton varsity bowler and he turned in a 320 series after single games of 144 and 176.

“I’m proud of the work both teams are putting in,” Hughes said. “They continue to improve with each match.”

Clarke (2-1) rolled Baker games of 201, 182, 174, 216 and 201. Austin Gonseth was second with a season-best 439 series.

Shay Mathews (424), Tayton Dudney (season-best 421) and Ashton Giza (399) were third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

Notes: Clarke used a different setup than Newton is used to. The Cardinals bowled on lanes 1 and 4, while Clarke was on 5 and 8. “The two teams bowled on totally different lanes for the entire match, which was not expected,” Hughes said.