Playing the role of guinea pig seems to have suited the North Scott and Pleasant Valley bowling teams as they kicked off the season on Monday, Nov. 25, at Big River Lanes.
With COVID-19 stipulations in place, and in front of a North Scott parents-only crowd, the Lancer boys rolled to a 2,834-2,519 victory, while the Pleasant Valley girls prevailed in a 2,415-1,987 matchup.
While the outcome was important, the fact that the two teams were even able to compete took center stage.
“Our kids’ safety was number one,” said Lancer coach Marie Tharp, “as well as that of the coaches and spectators. The meet was the first scheduled meet of the season, so we were the schools to set the example for having a safe season.
“The PV coach and myself had lengthy conversations on the best way to hold a meet, while still following school and state protocols, for the safety of our kids. What we came up with we believed worked very well.”
The procedure seemed to work flawlessly. Each team was assigned a pair of lanes, meaning six bowlers instead of 12. Players were assigned a seat behind their lanes, which kept them from moving around.
Bowling balls were separated by teams, having only one team’s equipment on a pair of lanes, and when teams switched lanes, bowlers grabbed their own equipment.
“The students handled this new format with grace,” said Tharp. “They respected the new protocols, and were eager to comply so they could have a safe season.
“Only the home school was allowed spectators, two tickets per student, and masks were mandated for everyone. We realize this will be a challenging season, but the coaches feel we have set up a format that will allow the students to have a season, and for it to be safe for everyone.”
When it came time to actually perform, it was a good night for the North Scott boys. With the Adkisson brothers, senior Max and sophomore Lex, leading the way, the Lancers appeared in midseason form.
Max rolled an impressive 458 series, with a high game of 247, while Lex was right behind with a 456, thanks in part to a 245 game. Sophomore Morgan Welch rolled a 398, with a high game of 216.
Other Lancer scores included senior Landon Rupp (183-181—364), sophomore Mason Herrington (193-167—360), and senior Dylan Elam (165-1787—343).
The Lancers averaged 159.6 in their five bakers games.
The short-handed Lancer girls, with only six bowlers on the roster and five in action, were led by seniors Briley Larson (160-153—313) and Kelly Caskey (143-165—308).
Rounding out the scoring were senior Faith Beadle (148-115—263), junior Katy Jecks (151-103—254) and junior Kenzie Wilson (92-96—188).