NV bowlers finding footing against conference foes

Nodaway Valley bowling has gotten off to a strong start in 2022, according to head coach Phyllis Sackett.

The Wolverines have had enough boys to bowl but have struggled to have enough girls available to bowl so far in the first few meets of the new year. Sackett anticipates that will straighten out as the calendar wears on.

Nodaway Valley bowled Saturday, Jan. 8 at Lenox, where Sackett said her boys handled lanes that play differently than many other alleys very well.

Damon Wallace led the team in that meet with a 268, Austin Lynde-Peve rolled a 219, Collin Wenstad a 214 and Dakota Hall a 189. The boys were third in the meet that also included Southeast Warren.

“Things at Lenox went really good. I thought the boys handled the lanes better than they might. Sometimes we have a problem down there but they handled the lanes really well,” Sackett said. “Damon bowled really well. The first game was really good and the second game was down a little bit. Their baker rounds were OK considering we were down one and had to take a zero for two frames. It’s hard to do anything when you have to do that.”

In a meet at Mount Ayr Monday, Jan. 10, the boys were led by Wallace’s 355. Wensted had a 269, Lynde-Peve a 218 and Hall a 216. Their baker series score was 1,549. Mount Ayr won the meet with a 2,080.

On the girls’ side, Hana Brown rolled a 201 and Kerigan Brown a 182.

Sackett said that this week’s slate, against three conference opponents, gave her a good look at how her team might stack up when the Pride of Iowa Conference tournaments come later in the season.

“They’ve already bowled on those lanes and know what to expect,” Sackett said. “Hopefully they’ll bowl even a little bit better the next time we go down.”

Nodaway Valley hosted Centerville Tuesday, Jan. 11 and will host Southeast Warren Tuesday, Jan. 18.