On a chilly fall morning, the Seymour Owls bowling teams got on the bus ready to bowl in the season opener at Columbus Bowling Center.
The South Eastern Indiana Conference high school bowling season officially got underway. Varsity and JV bowling teams representing Austin, Columbus North, Columbus East, Madison, Scottsburg/Grace Christian Academy/Crothersville, South Ripley Switzerland County and Seymour were in full force as 120 bowlers got ready to bowl.
Returning bowlers greeted each other and caught up. Many of them had not seen each other since the season finale last year. New bowlers sat with their families and tried to settle the butterflies before the matches began. It was one of the largest fields of competitors for the conference in recent memory.
They bowled two games each for a match. For each game, they bowled against the bowler across from them on the score sheet in the same position. They received one point if they beat the bowler in the same position. But it is also a team event, where the total pin fall is used to determine the winner of the five-point bonus for total pin fall. The goal is to win as many points as possible out of the 20 points possible.
There were 10 points possible for each game. With every split and every missed pin, you see the flustered expression on their faces. But with every strike, every spare made the frustration momentarily go away.
The Seymour Owls boys varsity bowled against Scottsburg in Match 1 and Switzerland County in Match 2. Seymour won 18 of 20 in March 1 and 20 of 20 in Match 2 for a total 38 of 40 overall.
The boys have 39 bowlers in the varsity division. Seymour has eight bowlers in this division.
Wyatt McKinney was in first place with a 214 average.
Joey Larison was in fourth place with a 200 average with a high 224 game.
Other bowlers — Dillan Cooper 13th (high 204 game), Enrique Morales 14th, Alex Sturgill 15th, Cohl Moore 17th, Chase Burke 21st and Gary Lee 29th.
The Seymour Owls girls varsity bowled against Madison in Match 1 and Switzerland County in Match 2. Seymour girls won 20 of 20 in Match 1 and 15 of 20 in Match 2 for a total of 35 of 40 overall.
The girls have 24 bowlers in the varsity division. Seymour has seven bowlers in this division.
Kaylee Patton was in third place with a 168 average (with a high 187 game)
Other bowlers — Erika Corya sixth, Kylee Cooper ninth, Hailey Burke 10th, Mallorie Misamore 15th, Haley Anderson 16th and Serenity Lacey 18th.
The JV teams are made up of bowlers from middle schools and new bowlers to the team. Seymour has two JV in this division.
Leading the Owls’ JV teams is eighth-grader Oliver Lanam. He was third overall with a 191 average and a high game of 226.
On Oct. 22 at Scottsburg Lanes, the Seymour boys varsity will be bowling against Columbus East and North. The Seymour girls varsity will be bowling against Austin and bowl a bye match.
On Oct. 29 at Scottsburg Lanes, the JV No. 1 team will be bowling against South Ripley No. 1 and No. 2, while JV No. 2 team will bowl against Madison and Scottsburg.
If anyone would like more information about the program or would like to support the bowlers, contact Eduard Sides at [email protected].