Chiefs bowlers get out- 'conditioned' in 3-1 loss

PASCO — All sports tend toward having a home team gaining a special advantage when playing on their home field or court.

In bowling, Pasco High School has home-lane advantage and they manipulated it to the tune of a 3-1 win over the Moses Lake Chiefs on Tuesday.

The loss drops Moses Lake to 6-3 in the Big Nine where they remain in second place.

“We were in a tough condition because the lanes were like going from a nice sunny day to a blizzard,” Chiefs coach Billy Brice said. “The average bowlers at their facility won’t average a 200 due to the oil pattern in the synthetics which makes you have to be a lot more accurate because the ball can be made to hook or slide.”

Despite Pasco having such an edge, Moses Lake came out bowling right with their hosts before dropping a narrow 779-765 result in the first regular game of the night.

“The girls were not acclimated to playing in that type of condition,” Billy Brice said. “It was great to see us compete but we still weren’t up to par. “I still think we should have pulled off the victory.”

Shanice Brice led the Chiefs with a 224 in the first game.

The next game saw the hosts up their lead, taking a 856-748 decision in the second regular game.

“They were in the home advantage groove and that paid off,” Billy Brice said.

Shanice Brice bowled a 212 while Bianca Martinez scored 177 in her varsity action, prompting her coach to comment, “she stepped up there and did a super job,” Billy Brice said.

The Chiefs got back on track in the first baker game to take a 150-126 decision.

“That was a nice turn of events,” coach Brice said. “But with such a difference in pins in game number two we would have liked to have split.”

Such a result fell short as Pasco took control in the second baker game to pull away 178-127 and clinch the win.

“Pasco bowls very well in that condition and took advantage of it,” Billy Brice said. “Our girls just didn’t have it and it was a very stressful match.”

With four matches left in the regular season, Moses Lake will aim for a best case scenario of still winning the league.

Currently Kennewick leads with an 8-1 record.

“We will need some help in order to catch them,” Billy Brice said.

The winner of the Big Nine hosts the regional tournament involving the top four teams in the league.

One more win clinches a post-season spot for Moses Lake which controls its own destiny.

Now as they enter the stretch run, the Chiefs continue to tinker with a lineup beset with the loss of three starters ruled out for the season due to the violation of team rules.

Yet, Billy Brice cited the play of Angela Bravo, Crystal Balderas, and Ashlann Starkweather, who have stepped up to buffer the effects from the loss of those three starters.

“They were thrown into the mix and have stepped up,” Billy Brice said. “They pretty much need to now take it to another level. Our practices are going well and I feel good that the girls will rebound and be ready for our next match.”