SILVERDALE — Klahowya’s Briana Kennard stepped up to the line in the 10th frame of the last Baker game with her team just a couple of pins behind.
The senior captain was cool, calm and collected as she rolled a strike. And then she rolled another one for good measure, her team finishing with a score of 186 to lift Klahowya past Olympic to win the Olympic League Tournament championship.
The Eagles finished the seven-game league tournament with 2,859 pins on Jan. 18 at All Star Lanes, 33 more than second place Olympic. The two schools, along with third place Bremerton, will represent Kitsap County at the West Central District III Tournament in Tacoma on Jan. 27.
“I’m very excited, and so are the girls,” Kennard said following her team’s victory. “And we hope to do way better when we get to districts.”
Samantha Blocher was the top individual bowler for the Eagles, rolling a three-game total of 510, which was good enough for third place. Kennard finished fifth with 497, but Klahowya was pushed over the top by its supporting cast — sophomore Hannah Catt, junior Emma Parker and freshman Jacklynne Stroup, who finished ninth, 10th and 13th respectively in the first three games, after which the Eagles were ahead and carried that momentum over to the Bakers.
Bremerton’s Hannah Sutton captured the individual league title with a total of 588, a 196 average, buoyed by a stellar performance in her third game, in which she rolled a 234.
Sutton trailed Olympic’s Samantha Stump by 15 pins heading into the final game after Stump bowled a 200 in game two. Sutton opened with a 193 in game one, but had dropped off to 161 in the second.
“I just stayed positive and told myself I could do it,” Sutton said. “I just pulled through.”
In game three, Sutton rebounded mightily. The Knights’ senior threw seven strikes, including a pair of turkeys. It was the kind of performance we should get used to, Bremerton head coach Dean Wagner said. He believes Sutton is a definite contender for a state championship this year.
“Mentally, she’s stronger than she was last year, she’s been there now in that situation now,” Wagner said. “Last year was her first year at the state tournament and now she knows what to expect. I think she’s got a great shot at a state title.”
Olympic’s second place finished was powered by Stump, who rolled a three-game total of 539, and junior Emile Steele and sophomore Heather Huskinson, who both took home top ten finishes with scores of 482 and 452 respectively.
Final team results: Klahowya 2859; Olympic 2826; Bremerton 2590; North Mason 2378; Sequim 1885.
Top individual bowlers: Hannah Sutton, Bremerton, 588; Samantha Stump, Olympic, 539; Samantha Blocher, Klahowya, 510; Aubriana Wight, North Mason, 509; Briana Kennard, Klahowya, 497; Emilee Steele, Olympic, 482; Jennalyn Castro, Bremerton, 459; Heather Huskinson, Olympic, 452; Hannah Catt, Klahowya, 448; Emma Parker, Klahowya, 430; Kailey Miller, North Mason, 412; Shen Stewart, Bremerton, 358; Lizzie Feir, North Mason, 351; Jacklynne Stroup, Klahowya, 351; Caitlyn Taylor, North Mason, 351; Quinn Danielson, Sequim, 350; Meaghan Malone, Bremerton, 349.
— Mark Krulish is a reporter for Kitsap News Group. He can be reached at mkrulish@soundpublishing.com.
Bremerton’s Hannah Sutton won the individual league championship with a three-game average of 196, including a high of 234 in the final game. (Mark Krulish/Kitsap News Group)
