McCook girls, boys both roll to big wins in home finales

McCook senior Izzy Clause (above left) stepped up to lead a strong Bison girls’ performance during their home finale against Southern Valley on Thursday.

R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook’s first varsity bowling season delivered a truly grand finale with the Bison girls and boys both winning on Thursday against the Southern Valley Eagles.

Coach Jana Sides provided these details about the final competition before districts next week.

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“Boys won vs Southern Valley 21-0. Girls varsity won 18-3. This was the last team in the district we hadn’t met yet.

Last night was “Senior Night”-- the last home meet for the seniors. It was spectacular!

The lights went out to pitch darkness in the house. The disco/ laser lights came on.

A spotlight focused on the 13 seniors who made a grand entrance down the lanes’ alley walkway as Carter Hartwell introduced each of the 13 by name. (SO MANY SENIORS!)

The theme of the bowling season has been “Bison: Let’s Roll!” The theme of this night was “Seniors: Time to SPLIT”

But the bowlers did anything BUT “split” at the meet which began right after the team rally cry. Zach Hinze bowled a 207. Jalen Collicott rolled a 196. Kolton Koetter bowled a 245 and a 246. The team high game score (5 bowlers) was 963. Nathan Barger and Kreighton Barger both had an impressive varsity debut.

The girls varsity rolled to an impressive win anchored by Izzy Clause who bowled a 132 and a 157 in the last regular season game of her high school career. The 5 girls’ team high score was 589! Peyton Thorpe, Leni Henderson, Jenna Wilkinson, and Fatima Rodriguez all contributed points toward the final 18-3 win, topped with a 136 Baker’s game at the end to punctuate their team strength. That score was the highest team score posted for any of the teams at the meet!

On Girls’ JV, Klaire McCorkle, Kaela Hinze, and Jackie Sattler (who came back after a lengthy illness) all posted good games against Southern Valley JV.

Southern Valley does not have a boys JV team, so the McCook boys created a “Family Feud” competition pitting brothers against brothers and friends for a competitive exhibition match for their parents.

Kyson Barger, Marak Wolfe, Liam Powers, Beckett Heskett, and Corbiin Shaw posted a team game score of 603 the first game, with Sutton LaBrie, Kevin Wolfe, Isaiah Powers, and Reid Loop posting a team high game of 590 to win and tie after the second game. The biggest competition we will have is ourselves. We may not always have competitors in life, but we have our own performances to try for PR’s.

Another proved true tonight as well: “We rise to our level of competition.”