Lady Viking Bowlers State Runner-Up

By Jim Bischoff on Sunday, February 19th, 2012 |

Lafayette The Huntington North Lady Vikings fell just short of their third state championship Saturday evening at Mike Aulby’s Arrowhead Bowl in Lafayette. The Lady Vikes grabbed the top seed in the televised finals championship match in dramatic fashion in qualifying, but fell to tournament second seed Noblesville 357(195-162) – 278(143-135) in the state championship match.

Eight teams competed for four spots in the finals to compete for the state title. The Lady Vikes started out the day with high expectations and were making their fourth straight state finals appearance. On a very difficult 40 foot sport lane condition, the Lady Vikes started out by rolling 807 their first game to put themselves in third place behind Northrup(843) and Noblesville(810). Homestead was in fourth with 799. Sophomore Alex Rittenhouse led the Lady Vikes the first game with 211 followed by senior Alyssa Prickett with 196. Seniors Ayla Yeiter and Eleni Newsome added 156 and 129. Senior Liz Conley and Sophomore Megan Manes combined for 115.

In game two the Lady Vikes rolled 758 with Sophomore Ashley Clark leading with 163 followed by Yeiter and Newsome each with 158, Prickett with 152 and Rittenhouse and Conley combining for 127. Their two-game total of 1565 dropped them to fourth place only ten pins ahead of Lafayette Harrison(1555) and 61 pins ahead of sixth place Muncie South. The Lady Vikes found themselves behind leader Homestead(1640), Northrup(1637) and Noblesville(1609).

The drama came in five games of Baker when the Lady Vikes, with the most high school bowling tradition in the state, and just hanging on to fourth place, roared back with a state finals high five Baker game total of 935(160-245-181-137-212) and a total qualifying score of 2500. Their Baker performance jumped them from fourth place in qualifying to first and the top seed in the state championship match. After qualifying Noblesville was second with 2484, Northrup third with 2451, and Homestead the fourth and final seed for the finals with 2431. Other teams competing but noth qualifying were 5th Lafayette Harrison(2349), 6th Muncie South(2250), 7th Richmond(2163) and 8th Lebanon(2139).

In the finals Northrup defeated Homestead and Noblesville defeated Northrup to advance to the state championship match against the Lady Vikes. Finishing fifth last year at the state finals, the Lady Vikes also finished state runner-up in 2009 and 2010 and fifth place last year. Evansville Reitz defeated Noblesville for the boys state title.

Four senior Lady Vikings ended their careers Saturday evening with great history. In team Yeiter ended her career with three Indiana High School bowling state team runner-ups(2009, 2010 & 2012), a fifth place state finals(2011), three semi-state team titles(2010, 2011, 2012), four sectional and conference titles and four undefeated conference seasons(2009 through 2012). As an individual she advanced to regional and semi-state twice(2010 & 2012) and state finals this year. Eleni Newsome finished with two state runner-ups(2010 and 2012) and a fifth place finish at state in 2011, two semi-state titles(2011 & 2012), three sectional titles, four conference titles and four undefeated conference seasons(2009 through 2012). Alyssa Prickett and Liz Conley each had a state team runner-up, two semi-state titles, two conference and sectional titles and two undefeated conference seasons(2011 & 2012). Conley also won sectional singles in 2011 and bowled in regional twice(2011-10) while Prickett was 2012 sectional singles champion, qualified for regional twice(2011 & 2012) and semi-state this year.

Comments...

Be the first to post a comment!

Post Your Comment!

Your email address will never be displayed or shared.
Once your comment has been reviewed, it will be published.