April 25, 2024

‘Average’ day yields seventh for Panther girls bowlers

By KALEB CARTER
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Creston senior Jordan Swedlund fist bumps assistant coach Jerry Hartman after bowling a strike late in the Panthers' seventh-place performance at the IGHSAU Class 1A state bowling championships at Plaza Lanes in Des Moines Monday.

DES MOINES — The Creston/Orient-Macksburg girls bowlers team performed at a similar level as it has all season.

It garnered them a seventh-place finish in Class 1A at the state championships at Plaza Lanes in Des Moines Monday.

“It was an average day and I can’t complain,” Creston/O-M coach Ron Pendegraft said. “It was another good day for us. We beat our Hawkeye 10 rival Shenandoah. I just can’t complain.”

The Panthers seemed a bit overwhelmed by the success of competitor Camanche, who they bowled alongside. At the same time, Camanche’s success and big, boisterous crowd brought even more excitement to add to what the Panther fans brought.

“It was fun bowling with Comanche,” Pendegraft said. “It seems like every year we come up here we bowl with the team that finishes either first or second.”

Creston had three bowlers finish with a series above 300. Livi Hartman was the closest among the Panthers to placing with a 368. Kim Orr performed strongly in the second round and some of the Bakers, putting up a 335 series. Jordan Swedlund stepped up with a 310 series.

The Panthers lose three varsity seniors in Hartman, Alex Miller and Swedlund.

Emotions poured over after the Baker rounds finished up, mostly at the realization that time was up for the senior bowlers.

Losing experienced bowlers who he has instructed always weighs on Pendegraft.

“We’re going to miss those guys,” Pendegraft said. “Livi and Alex have been a big part of the team. Jordan never really got to bowl varsity a whole lot until this year. I was really glad to see her do well and finish the way she did being third out of our six kids. They’re the ones that always kept us up and motivated. It’s going to be tough to miss them.”

In a year where there was one main goal to begin the season — return to state — the Panthers did just that and hang their hats on a seventh place finish in Class 1A.

Team Results

1. Louisa-Muscatine 2,995; 2. Camanche 2,885; 3. Charles City 2,837; 4. LeMars 2,629; 5. West Delaware 2,550; 6. Vinton-Shellsburg 2,518; 7. Creston 2,225; 8. Shenandoah 2,023.

Individual results — Livi Hartman 178, 190 - 368; Kim Orr 167, 168 - 335; Jordan Swedlund 139, 171 - 310; Casey Batten 139, 107 - 244; Alex Miller 147, 82 229; Laura Weis 102, 121 - 223.

Baker scores — 191, 106, 154, 137, 151 — 739.