Chiefs get bowled over by Panthers

WENATCHEE - Moses Lake took to the road Tuesday for the final bowling match of the regular season, looking to earn a tie with Wenatchee for league supremacy. But the Chiefs were dealt a sounding defeat and finished third in the Big Nine standings.

Moses Lake (3-3) ended with the same record as Eisenhower, but lost the tie-breaker with a lower pin total.

"We ran into a buzz-saw," coach Billy Bryce said. "Wenatchee bowled some of the highest scores I've seen in the past five years or so."

The Chiefs were brimming with confidence heading into the showdown, winning their last seven matches. But Moses Lake picked the wrong time to slump as the team lost the first game by 170 pins.

"They beat us 883-713," Bryce said. "We played pretty even the first three frames, but they got on a roll and we missed some spares and the girls felt a bit overwhelmed."

Freshman Kim Moulder was high roller for Moses Lake with 164. Ashleigh Hash finished with a 155.

"I gave the girls a pep talk before the second game ... told them to put the first game behind us because we we're still in it," Bryce said. "But Wenatchee was on fire and rolled a 948 to our 764 and we were pretty much out of it after that."

Moses Lake lost the first Baker game 163-137, but came back to win the second 197-153 to avoid the shutout.

"The good news is we are still going to district, which is back in Wenatchee Tuesday," Bryce said. "But it's win or go home as only one team moves on to state."

Wenatchee is the odds on favorite to advance, but nothing is set in stone, Bryce said.

"Anything can happen in the playoffs," he said. "So we'll get back to the basics the rest of the week and get in some good practice time. There is no quit in the Chiefs.'

The district match gets underway a 1 p.m. with three regular games and seven Baker games. Two girls with the highest scores from the three teams that do not move on will advance to the individual competition at the state tournament.