The bowling team is making its long awaited return to the Mount this year after being disbanded following the 2016 season. This time, bowling is an NSAA-sanctioned sport. The bowling team’s head coach is Mr. Dave Cormier. Cormier, a theology teacher and Academic Decathlon coach, is assisted by Aaron Meyer ‘16 and his father Mr. James Meyer.
The bowling team returned to the lanes this winter sports season. Because bowling is now an actual sport with the NSAA, there are official district and state competitions. The first two bowling competitions are in the form of a duel. In a bowling duel, each of 5 starting bowlers bowl two games (10 frames each game) head to head against a bowler from the other team. One point is awarded to the winner of each head to head matchup and then 3 points are awarded to the team that had the most total pinfall. Then, this is repeated again. After the two full games, the team plays a game of Baker Bowl in a 3 game series. In this, each member of the team bowls two complete frames. Baker Bowl is worth an additional 5 points.
The Knights opened up their season against the Dragons of Gretna on Dec. 6 at Bowlero Elkhorn, formerly The Mark. The junior varsity team defeated the Dragons in a blowout 17.5 to 3.5. The Knights were led by Henry Stanek ‘24 and Syler Sennett ‘25. Stanek recorded an average score of 159 across two games and won his head-to-head matchup twice against his opponent. Sennett also went 2-0 in his matchups with a high score of 130. The Knights improved their record to 1-0. The varsity Knights struggled to keep up against the varsity Dragons. Despite the loss, the varsity team did have some superb performances. Aidan Ronk ‘24 and Ayden Earl ‘24 were the top performers averaging 191 across one game and 162.5 across two games respectively. The 18-3 loss against the Dragons dropped the Knights to 0-1 in their season opener.
In the Knights’ second contest of the season against the number 1 team in Class B Boys Bowling, the Skutt Catholic Skyhawks. The Junior Varsity team had a very tough matchup against a very solid Skutt team. Jack McMahon ‘24 was a standout performer winning both head-to-head matchups and earning 2 of the 3 points on the day for the junior varsity team. McMahon improved his average to 166.67 on the season.
After the loss to the junior varsity Skyhawks, the Knights fell to 1-1. The varsity Knights were led by Callaway Deffenbaugh ‘24 in the first game. Deffenbaugh beat Nick Pappas, arguably one of the best high school bowlers in the state, in a head-to-head matchup. Deffenbaugh recorded the sole point for the Knights in the first match of the duel. The varsity Knights bowled much better in the second match. The Knights won total pinfall, earning 3 points. Thaden Wewel ‘24 also went 2-0 in his head to head matchups. The Varsity Knights were not trailing by much going into the first game of Baker Bowl.
The Skyhawks claimed the first game of Baker Bowl, but the Knights did not give up. In the next game of Baker Bowl, the Knights were red hot striking six times consecutively. The six electrifying strikes helped boost the Knights to claim the second game in Baker Bowl.
The third Baker Bowl match was winner take all. The Knights had an opportunity to upset the number one team in the state. The Knights lost the third game, falling to 0-2 on the season.
