Panther bowlers celebrate successful season

It was an up and down season for the Creston/O-M bowling teams this year, but the teams bowled their best on the biggest stages of the season when it mattered most.

Panther bowlers, along with their families and coaches, celebrated that at a postseason awards banquet in the Creston High School commons on March 8.

The Panthers ended the season at Plaza Lanes in Des Moines once again, this time bringing home hardware as the girls team finished third in Class 1A, while senior Ashley Knipfer finished third individually. Junior Blake Eddy returned to the state meet as an individual qualifier for the second straight year.

The state appearance kept the streak alive of the Panthers having an individual or a team represent the program at the state meet every year that Creston/O-M has had a bowling program.

Despite not qualifying for state, the boys team showed dramatic improvement throughout the season and gave Clarke a close battle at the State Qualifying Meet for the lone team qualifying position.

“It’s become a characteristic of this program to finish the way we seem to always finish,” head coach Ron Pendegraft said. “Because during the season, things happen. I don’t make a big deal out of requiring kids to be at a meet. We have a lot of kids that do other things. I don’t feel I have the right to restrict them from doing those things.

“If it was a case where our won-loss record was the determining factor in making it to state, it would be different. The regular season is just for us to get to know each other and build the team. That one day for regionals is the day I want everybody there committed and doing their best. Every year they do.”

Knipfer, along with Jenna Hayes and Darin Hatfield were honored as the program’s three seniors.

Knipfer and Hayes were each part of the girls team that qualified for state, while Hatfield qualified for state individually as a junior last year.

“I want to say this to our seniors,” Pendegraft said. “I am very thankful to you for being part of this program. I hope that you have enjoyed your time with us as much as I have. The most important gift of all was the pictures and the note. Those are the memories that will always stay with me. They mean a great deal and I thank you very much for them.”

Also bowling on the third-place Creston/O-M girls team were Madison Hance, Charley Parcher, Alex Miller and Emily Stults.

With four of the six bowlers from that team returning next year, there’s plenty to be excited about for Pendegraft and assistant coach Jerry Hartman.

“We had our seniors we had to say goodbye to,” Pendegraft said. “That’s kind of hard, but we look forward to the people that will be back and the new people we’ll get next year.”

Pendegraft also thanked Hartman, his assistant coach in his second season with the program.

“I can say without a doubt that Jerry is the best person I have ever worked with,” he said. “Not because we get along so well or because we are so similar in how we think, but I have never worked with a coach that treats the kids as he does. He is not only a coach, but a mentor, teacher, someone to tell them what they need to hear, someone to listen to their concerns and most of all, someone they and I can trust and count on to be there to do his best to help when needed.”

Pendegraft reiterated that it was a special end to the season and that he hopes that motivates his bowlers next year.

“It has been a great finish to the year,” he said. “That is all I could have asked for. Now it is time to look forward to next year. I look forward to it and hope those coming back do, also.”

Award winners

High game — Ashley Knipfer, Blake Eddy.

High series — Madison Hance, Blake Eddy.

High total pins — Madison Hance, Blake Eddy.

High average — Madison Hance, Blake Eddy.

Most improved bowler — Alex Miller, Jonathan Seals.

First-team all-district — Madison Hance.

Second-team all-district — Blake Eddy.

Honorable mention all-district — Charley Parcher, Jonathan Seals.

(Letterwinners will be published in a future edition of the Creston News Advertiser.)