Thursday's Western Athletic Conference bowling action was close - at least by the numbers. The Dodge City girls outshot Great Bend 2,195 to 2,168, but the Lady Panthers dominated the Bakers side of the competition to win the match 10-3. The Panther boys were outscored 2,321 pins to 2,249, falling 9-4 overall.
Dodge City's Taylor Lenz shot a 202 and 200 to open her day, finishing with a series-high 593. After a slow start, Sahara Rziha finished strong at 187 and 215 for a 554 series in second place. Emilee Nelson also finished strong with a 202 final game to place fifth overall with a 534 series. Kaylin Wahlmeier finished just two pins behind her, opening with a 210 but finishing at 532 for sixth. Aliyah Fryberger placed seventh with a 512, Zoey Mayberry shot a 506 for eighth, and Paige Heine finished 11th with a 376. Dodge City's Jaden Rabe had the high-game at 214.
In boys' action, Dodge City's Ethan Pogue went off in his final two games for a 213 and 263 to grab high-game and high-series with a 645. Caleb McNett had the big day for Great Bend with games of 198, 185, and 225 for second place with a 608 series.
Dylan Ferguson and Jalen Daniels were locked in a tight race for fifth and sixth, respectively. Ferguson trailed Daniels by 40 pins after one game but rolled a 211 in game two to finish with a 539. Daniels opened with a 207 but finished just one pin behind Ferguson with a 538. Jordan Manning missed a 200 by a single pin in his final game to place seventh with a 522. Kamron Stude placed eighth with a 507, and Kolby Burnham shot a 465 for 10th.
The Panther bowlers get another crack at Garden City Tuesday afternoon on the road.