Newton boys set new school record in win over Knoxville

OSKALOOSA — After posting a score of more than 3,000 pins in the first meet of the season, it was only a matter of time until the Newton boys’ bowling team set a new school record.

That time came Saturday when the Cardinals dominated Knoxville at Statesmen Lanes.

Newton swept the Panthers in the head-to-head battles and the boys set a new school benchmark of 3,192 pins. That was 466 pins better than Knoxville, which finished with a score of 2,726.

“It was pretty exciting to witness and for it to be in Oskaloosa where we hit the last record made it even more memorable,” Newton head bowling coach Christie Hughes said. “We had four of our six varsity bowlers shoot over 400 and the other two shot high 300s. I’ll take that any day.”

On the girls’ side, Newton trailed Knoxville entering the Baker games but rallied for a 2,178 to 2,040 victory.

Three Cardinal boys turned in either career bests for a single game or a series, and a pair of JV bowlers also rolled 200-plus games and nearly two 400 series.

Newton led 2,142 to 1,820 after the two individual games and then pulled further ahead with a 1,050 Baker score. Four of their five Baker games were 231, 201, 236 and 233.

“We have a great group of bowlers this year,” Hughes said. “It’s been so much fun watching them all succeed individually and as a team.”

Sebastian King placed first on the boys’ side with a career-best series of 488. He had a career-best single-game score of 268 and added a 220. His 268 included eight strikes in a row to start the game.

Tamion Adams was third overall with a career-best 466 series. He had single games of 277 and 189.

Owen Guldberg finished fourth with a 411 series that included single games of 197 and 214. Andrew Wiles came in fifth with a pair of 203s and a 406 series.

David Holmes posted a career-best series of 371 that included a career-best 215 and a 156. He was eighth overall.

Austin Kennedy placed ninth with single games of 191 and 175 for a 366 series.

Knoxville’s Troy Binns was the individual runner-up with a 476 series. He had single games of 245 and 231. Brayden Meyers (403) and Tristen Carter (389) were sixth and seventh, respectively.

The top Newton JV boys squad posted a team score of 2,601. Ethan Valtman had a career-best individual score of 235 and a career-best 420 series, while Carter Maki had a career-best 212 and a career-best 399 series. Nathan Hauber’s series was 386.

Valtman’s 420 score would have been fourth in the varsity competition and Maki’s 399 would have placed seventh.

Knoxville led the Newton girls 1,426 to 1,423 after the individual portion of the competition. But the Cardinals posted a Baker score of 755 to rally. The Panthers turned in a 614 Baker score.

Libbie Keith led the Cardinal girls in second with a 361 series. She had single games of 201 and 160.

Genessa Slings was third with a 304 series. She turned a 143 and a 161. Gabbie Humphrey finished fourth overall with a 276 series. Her single games were 163 and 113.

“Libbie and Genessa pulled through like they always do,” Hughes said. “They kept the pace and keep the momentum going.”

Kelly Holmes was next in eighth as she posted single games of 115 and 131 for a 246 series. Maria Baxim took ninth with a 236 series after single games of 130 and 106.

Aeris Archer had single games of 101 and 100 for a 201 series.

Knoxville’s Brigette Renard was the individual winner with a 371 series. She had single games of 172 and 199. Molly Anderson (289) and Charlye Willis (281) were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Marissa Burns led the Newton JV girls with a 240 series. She turned in a personal-best 143 game.

“We still have a lot of work to do, but they are coming together as a whole,” Hughes said.