Girls Photo (left to right): Assistant Coach Nicki Williams, BJ Williams, Emma Patterson, Shanna Santini, Chloe McCance, Rileigh McCollum, Lola Paraud, Faith Sharp, Head Coach Fred Denison, Jr.
Boys Photo: Kneeling (left to right): Cayden Bowren and Quincy Beard. Standing (left to right): Quentin Martinez, Lucas Drummond, Royce Brucher, Braxton Waggoner, Cal Ton, Head Coach Fred Denison, Jr., Adam Denison, Breydyn Wilson, Austin Waggoner, Tyler Jones, Blayne Warden, Assistant Coach Wendell Tucker, Ty Bullington, and Ethan Koch.
The Southside Southerners bowling teams each took home the state championship after the Class 4A-3A State Bowling Tournament at Cabot’s AllFam Bowl on Friday, Feb. 10.
The tournament format consisted of 3 rounds of 6-person singles games and 4 Bakers-style team games. Total pinfall determined the placing.
Boys Results: Top 5 listed below
Champion: Southside: 4005 pins
Runner-Up: Gentry: 3989 pins
3rd: Mayflower: 3738 pins
4th: Elkins: 3606 pins
5th: Harrisburg: 3183 pins
Girls Results: Top 5 listed below
Champion: Southside: 3106 pins
Runner-Up: Gentry: 3055 pins
3rd: Harrisburg: 2721 pins
4th: Flippin: 2719 pins
5th: Westside: 2708 pins
All-State Players: Based on the top 12 bowlers in each division (12 boys and 12 girls) from their pinfall during the 3 games of singles play.
For Southside boys, Ty Bullington finished 5th overall with a three-game series of 626 pins, including a high game of 256. Austin Waggoner finished 12th overall with a three-game series of 576, including a high game of 232. Just missing the all-state team in a tie for 13th place was Cayden Bowren and Tyler Jones, with each rolling a three-game series of 559. Breydyn Wilson finished inside the top 20 in 19th place with a three-game series of 539.
For Southside girls, Chloe McCance won the bronze medal by finishing 3rd overall with a three-game series of 479, including a high game of 190. BJ Williams finished 4th overall with a three-game series of 473, with a high game of 179. Just missing the all-state team was Emma Patterson in 14th place with 425 series, and Shanna Santini finished 24th with a 404 series, including a personal best game of 193.
“Obviously, I am super proud of my kids,” said Denison. “Winning a state title isn’t easy, and both teams really earned it today. A lot of kids shot their best scores of the season, and it took every single pin to secure these wins. Every kid contributed, whether they bowled or encouraged their teammates, and it was truly a special thing to watch. I can’t say that it wasn’t stressful as the Gentry teams were just as good as we were, and neither team ever held a large lead. We were just able to make a few more spares and strikes than them to secure these state championships today. All of us are excited and thrilled to have won, and it wouldn’t have happened without all the hard work these kids put in on their own time by practicing or participating in league play. We play a fairly rigorous regular season schedule, so I believe that helped us to not be overwhelmed by bowling against other great teams today. Also, I have two terrific volunteer assistant coaches in Wendell Tucker and Nicki Williams, whom the kids love and respect. They helped give these kids advice and support throughout the season (as well as today) to help put them in a position to make them Southerner bowling state champions.
“Personally, this has been one of the best groups I’ve ever been associated with during my 30 years at Southside, and words will never be enough to express everything these kids and coaches have meant to me this year. I love them all and I’m thankful for everything they’ve done for this program and for myself. I told them they were champions before we bowled today, and these wins just validated that statement. They are now a part of Southside history. As a former administrator used to say, it is a great day to be a Southerner. Go Big Blue!”
Next match: Southside at the first-ever Overall State Bowling Championship on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at Hijinx Lanes in Jonesboro. Only teams who finished as state champions or state runners-up or individuals who finished in the top three at their respective state tournaments are invited to participate. Bowling begins at 11 a.m.
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