Valdez leads Moses Lake duo at state bowling

UNIVERSITY PLACE - The Moses Lake Chiefs didn't make it to the 4A state bowling championships as a team, but they weren't without representation.

Junior Virginia Valdez and freshman Amanda Strezlczyk qualified for the 65-competitor individual title at Narrows Plaza Bowl. Valdez walked away with a sixth-place medal, while Strezlczyk - making her first appearance on the state's biggest stage - finished 23rd.

Valdez finished with 1,094 total pins in the six-game set. Cascade's Breanne Mattson was the individual winner, finishing at 1,185.

Valdez's high score came in her second game, when she rolled a 208. Her other rounds were 200, 183, 180, 148 and 175.

"Other than that 148 game she bowled great," Chiefs head coach Billy Brice said. "A few bad breaks, or she probably would've been up there in the top three."

Strezlczyk was also very consistent, rolling a high game of 189 in round three. Her other rounds were 157, 158, 163, 172 and 156 for a total of 995.

"For her first time there, she had a great experience and a great showing," Brice said.

Wilson High School of Tacoma earned the 4A team title with 5,061 pins. Pasco, which beat out Moses Lake for one of the Central Washington League's two spots at state, took third at 4,893.