Chiefs bowl to 8th-place finish
TACOMA -Their goal was to first get to the state finals at the Narrows Plaza Bowl.
Once the Moses Lake Chiefs bowling team did so it wasn't a bad thing to admit they wanted a little bit more.
However, questionable lane conditions, combined with a strong field would relegate the Chiefs to an eighth-place finish at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) Class 4A state finals this weekend to wrap up a Cinderella season.
Moses Lake finished with a score of 5,904 points as Emerald Ridge claimed the state crown with a resounding mark of 7,253 pins.
Chiefs senior Shanice Brice, who last year took third place in the individual competition, struggled to an 11th place finish this year.
Each Moses Lake bowler shot approximately 20 pins below average per game at the finals due in part to the condition of the bowling at lanes at Narrow.
"We pretty much bombed it and could never get going," Chiefs head coach Billy Brice said. "The shot was tough and we prepared for it, but we couldn't get over it. We were unfortunate to be the last placed team in the tournament but you can't put a professional shot up for 15 to 18-year-old girls. That shot is more for an elite group."
The Chiefs never got going as they recorded a 665 in the first of six regular games.
Brittany Ledbetter ended up with a team-high of 153 and Crystal Balderas ended up with 152 pins knocked down.
Shanice Brice started off with a disappointing 141,
"It was kind of tough on her," Billy Brice said of the lane conditions. "She was right back in it for a medal with a 209 in the fourth but then shot got a 169 and a 146 to get her out of the trophies. That was conducive to the shot."
The other five games on Friday night saw scores of 667 (Balderas, team high 171), 665 (Shanice Brice, 176), 722 (Shanice Brice 209), 690 (Shanice Brice, 169), and 626 (Shanice Brice, 146).
On the following day each team rolled 10 baker games and the Chiefs' struggles continued with a high score of 169.
"We made it and I am proud of the girls for that," Billy Brice said. "They battled like true Chiefs through to the end. It was hard when you are bowling like that all day long, but they hung tough."
According to Billy Brice, he and many other coaches will talk to WIAA officials about improving the lane conditions and the subsequent shot for future state competitions.