Great Bend Post Sports
The reigning Class 5A state champion bowling team will have the opportunity to defend its title. Thursday in Hutchinson, the Great Bend girls finished third to secure the final team qualification for Friday's state tournament in Wichita. The Panther boys finished seventh as a team and just missed out on individual state qualification.
Topeka Seaman finished with 2,800 pins for the girls' team championship. Salina South finished second with 2,770 pins, and Great Bend had 2,744 pins to beat fourth-place Topeka West by 140 pins for the final qualifying spot.
Topeka West's Brenna Rutschman had the lone 600 series on the girls' side at The Alley in Hutchinson. Seaman senior Cheyenne Turkin placed second with a 571 series. Lady Panther senior Kaylin Wahlmeier closed with games of 214 and 199 to finish fifth with a 563, just two pins out of fourth. Sophomore Zoey Mayberry topped out at 191 for a 10th-place finish with a 514 series. Senior Emilee Nelson opened with a 188 and placed 12th with a 509 series. Freshman Brooklynn Mayberry rolled a 193 in her first regional game on the way to a 15th-place finish with a 498 series. Paige Heine rolled a 422, and Rionna Rodriguez finished at 298. The Lady Panthers finished third behind Seaman and Salina South in Baker action, trailing South by just 27 pins.
On the boys' side, junior Quinten Miller was headed for qualification with opening games of 187 and 223. He fell off to 149 in his final game to place 16th with a 559 series. Topeka West's Dason Tidwell took the final individual qualifying spot in 14th with a 565 series.
Seaman won the team competition with 3,239 pins, followed by Shawnee Heights with 3,219 pins, and Hutchinson with 3,186 pins. The Panthers finished at 2,900 pins in seventh.
Panther sophomore Joshua Manning was also one game away from individual qualification. He split games of 188 and 222 with a 137 for a 547 series. Sophomore Daegan Miller was consistent with games of 193, 182, and 172 for his 547 series. The pair finished 20th and 21st, respectively. Brantley Vsetecka finished with a 471, Kayden Detrich rolled a 418, and Keaton Wahlmeier finished at 313.