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Bison bowler relishes a holiday 'miracle' at home meet
McCOOK, Neb. — It’s official: XXX no longer means keeping a dramatic production away from school-age viewers when it features...
Happy Bison athletes on McCook High’s first official bowling teams!
“I thought it was a miracle from God,” senior Leni Henderson proclaimed about XXX which signified a bowling “turkey” — three consecutive strikes.
Henderson would probably only be more surprised if a real turkey appears under the family Christmas tree next week.
Thanks, mom and dad, that’s a really strange new pet.
Let’s eat!
She really was “eating” when Tuesday’s first three throws were strike-strike-and STREEike!! for an 87 to start this dual against visiting Ogallala.
“Last week, I did real bad. It was a lack of a good ball and just a bad day...I was bowling like 80s and 90s,” she admitted. “I think my highest score ever was like 156...so to start with three strikes is pretty crazy.”
Actually, her game became consistently sane.
As the scoreboard photo above shows, Leni pulled either strike or spare until that final 10th frame.
Her final of 204 was not only a historic high for McCook’s brand-new team, it also helped the Bison defeat those visiting Indians.
Coach Jana Sides provided more details about McCook’s first home dual at TJ’s Family Fun Center:
“Girls’ varsity won. High team game 696,” Sides reported. “Senior Izzy Clause bowled a double-double — two sets of two strikes in a row — or a 177 game and a two-game series of 331.
Leni Henderson bowled a turkey (3-in-a-row) and a double for a personal record score of 204 and a two-game series of 321.”
Meanwhile the McCook High boys were rolling to a team score above 1,000 while winning their historic first home dual.
Nothing could top Bison leader Kolton Koetter, who started with his own “turkey” before slipping in one “lowly” spare.
Lowly only since K.K. quickly recovered to roll another eight straight strikes and finish at 277!
Yes, that again deserved a Bison bowling exclamation point.
Coach Sides again provided more details about the boys’ victory:
“Boys’ Varsity won 19.5 - 1.5. Layton Winters and Jalen Collicott both had 4-Baggers.
Kolton Koetter had a Turkey, a 6-Bagger, and an 8-Bagger.
He bowled 11 strikes in a single game for a new school record high game of 277 and a two-game series of 525. Team game score was 1005.
“I know I say that we set records every meet– it is our first year and we continue to get better– but THIS record is impressive,” Sides emphasized. “It will be incredibly hard to beat!”
Details about the McCook-Ogallala non-varsity bowling:
“Ogallala did not bring a JV team, so McCook split their teams to have an exhibition scrimmage and a chance to show off for the home town crowd,” Sides explained. “Mark Wolfe bowled a 4-Bagger on his way to a 152 game and a 291 two-game series.
Kreighton Barger and Isaiah Powers each bowled a Double.
Liam Powers bowled a PR 149 game. Beckett Heskett got a triple-double (3 sets of 2-strikes in a row) for a 178 game and a 317 series.
Klaire McCorkle picked up an almost-impossible split and bowled another PR. Nathan Barger bowled a Double-double AND a Turkey for a 165 game.
Kevin Wolfe posted a game where he picked up 7 spares for an almost-clean game.”
“This group of athletes is amazing,” coach Sides concluded. “They have incredible talent, and are dedicated to improving even more. They are young, but they are MIGHTY!”
The Bison bowlers will keep rolling in practice but aren’t scheduled for another competition until Thursday, Jan. 9, when Arapahoe will visit for another dual.
McCook competes at the Lexington Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 11 as the season continues through districts on Feb. 3. Southern Valley will also visit for a Jan. 30 dual in McCook.