Red Oak’s bowling teams advance for another state opportunity in Des Moines
RED OAK—The Red Oak bowling teams will get another opportunity to win a state title when they compete at the State Bowling meet this Thursday at the Plaza Lanes in Des Moines.
Both teams won their state qualifier meets, which took place at Red Oak Lanes Thursday.
The girls had to come from nearly 200 pins down after the first series, to win the qualifying meet with a score of 2,290.
“It was great, I was nervous at first, but everybody pulled together in the Bakers,” Senior Kristi Yardas said.
Red Oak found itself in third place behind Lewis Central and Nodaway Valley after the first series, with a score of 767.
The girls were able to cut the Lewis Central lead in half during the second series as they were down by less than 100 pins heading into the Baker games, where they would complete their comeback.
Yardas said the team had a pep talk and the focus was on staying undefeated and proving that they belonged at the state bowling meet.
“Luckily, all of our pep talks are just fun and we’re laughing,” Yardas said.
The girls team all stood and cheered each other on for all five games.
“I think standing up really helps us. We should have done that in our individuals,” Yardas said.
Tigers Head Coach Darrell Berry said the cheering is the girls’ type of game.
“This is a team that builds off each other and they need each other,” Berry said.
By the end of the second Baker game, Lewis Central’s lead over Red Oak was by 47 pins. The Tigers overtook the lead by the end of the third game. However, it became a three-team race as Red Oak, Lewis Central and Nodaway Valley were all separated by 56 pins.
The girls cushioned their lead in the fourth and fifth game and went on to win. Jayden Hilding was the top bowler for the girls team as she finished with a 333 series. Brittany Plambeck was the only other girls bowler to get a 300 series, recording a 308.
Maranda Myers missed out on a 300 series as she bowled a 293. Yardas had a 285 series, while Shelby Storesund and Kaitlin Walston had a 276 and 246, respectively.
The boys qualified with a score of 3,113, finishing nearly 500 pins ahead of runner-up Lewis Central. Taylor Mellott was the regional champion for the meet by finishing with a 459 series.
“The guys seem like they come together whenever they need to,” Berry said.
Mellott wasn’t alone as Hayden Berry (456) and Brian Wade (449), weren’t far behind the senior.
Other finishers for the boys team include David Terry, who had a 381, Casey Dykes, who had a 326 and Corey Marsden, who had a 317 series.
The boys will be facing teams like Western Dubuque-Epworth, Louisa-Muscatine, Hoover-Des Moines, Clarke, Fairfield, West Delaware, Oelwein and Camanche.
The qualifiers on the girls end include Denison-Schleswig, Clarke, Newton, Cedar Rapids-Xavier, Mount Pleasant, Keokuk, Oelwein and West Delaware.
The state meet begins at 1 p.m. with the Parade of Bowlers. First toss will take place at 1:20 p.m. Plaza Lanes is located at 2701 Douglas Ave. in Des Moines.