Chiefs bowlers claim district title; on to state

KENNEWICK - Despite dropping a bowl off with the Wenatchee Panthers, the Moses Lake Chiefs bowling team found a way when it mattered to come up with their biggest performance to date.

Yesterday at the Spare Time Lanes in Kennewick, the Chiefs finally got the upper hand in between the gutters as they captured the 4A District 5/6 Bowling Title, scoring 3,468 points to the Panthers' 3,379.

Wenatchee won the teams' last two meetings and also won the first one of the season in Moses Lake before having to forfeit the decision due to using an ineligible bowler.

Both teams advance to the Class 4A state finals Feb. 4-5 at the Narrows Plaza Bowl in University Place.

Moses Lake recorded regular game scores of 774, 813, 766 and then registered baker game scores of 131, 142, 172, 169, 163, 180, and 158, for their final total.

After the three regular games, the Chiefs had a score of 2,353 to Wenatchee's 2,287 and then added 23 more pins to the margin of victory over the course of the seven baker games.

Shanice Brice had a three-regular-games high total of 539 for the Chiefs while Brittany Simpson continued her late season surge, finishing with a 532 score.

Andrea Moreno scored a 434 and Bianca Martinez ended up with a 428 as the other two bowlers to compete in all three regular games.

Bowling in one game were Ashlann Starkweather (148, game three), Brittany Ledbetter (142, game one), and Crystal Balderas (130, game two).

Wenatchee had rallied to within 29 pins with two baker games to play before the Chiefs outscored them 338-278 over the course of those last go-rounds to secure the district title.

Brice's three-game average of 179.667 was the tournament high while Simpson's 177.3333 mark was the second best of the field.