Shenandoah bowling celebrates season that included 6 program records
Jaylan Gray and Matt Holmes were named Shenandoah Bowling’s Most Valuable Players Monday, March 23, at the program’s annual banquet, hosted by the Shenandoah Elks Club and sponsored by the Shenandoah Optimists.
Shenandoah bowling team award winners show off their awards Monday, March 23, at the team's annual banquet. Front row, from left: Jaylan Gray (MVP, Road Warrior and High Series), Nora Martin (Fillie of the Year and Most Improved), Tori Pease (High Game) and Clay Foutch (Road Warrior). Back row, from left: Luke Mather (Most Improved), Matt Holmes (MVP), Teagan Brunk (High Game and High Series) and Ethan Chapman (Mustang of the Year).
Shenandoah bowling head coach Darin Pease said it was quite the season with both the boys and girls earning 7-2 dual records, putting together another great season, their last, in the Hawkeye 10 Conference.
Highlights included a runner-up finish at the Individual State Tournament for Clay Foutch, a regional title and state appearance for Gray to finish her career, a conference tournament title for Holmes and the boys winning Abraham Lincoln’s Baker Bash Tournament for the first time in program history.
Holmes finished his season with two school records, top home meet average at 215.63 and overall meet average at 207. Foutch’s 714 three-game series at the state tournament, which put him into the bracketed portion of the competition, was also a school record.
Gray earned two program records as well, taking down the season road average record at 174.3 and the top three-game series of 592, which won her the regional championship. Gray was also part of the Fillies breaking the record for top baker game with a 233.
Besides MVP, Gray won two other team awards, which were handed out at the end of the evening. They were for high series, with a 409 against Red Oak and Road Warrior, with her school record average on the road.
Nora Martin earned two team awards, Most Improved, rolling a per game average of 26.46 pins better than last year, and the Fillie of the Year. The final award winner for the girls went to Tori Pease, for her high game of 224.
The Fillies also earned the Distinguished Academic Achievement Award from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union for a team GPA of 3.25 or higher. The boys received the Excellence in Academic Achievement Award from the Iowa High School Athletic Association, for a team GPA of 3.0 – 3.24.
Five different Mustangs split the six team awards with only Teagan Brunk taking home two, for High Game at 279 and High Series at 482. Holmes won MVP, Foutch Road Warrior for a 206.52 average and Luke Mather Most Improved, by 38.12 pins.
Ethan Chapman, one of four seniors in the boys program, was named Mustang of the Year.
Besides the traditional team awards, assistant coach Devin Morelock shared some new award winners for the program, awards he brought over from his time bowling collegiately at Iowa Western and Kansas State.
Gray won each of the four awards on the girls side, the Sniper Award, for highest single pin percentage, the Missed Head Pin Award, for the lowest percentage missing the head pin, Spare Shooter, for best percentage converting makeable spares and Cy Young, for the highest Strike Percentage.
On the boys side, Holmes and Brunk shared the Sniper Award, Holmes and Foutch shared the Cy Young Award, Foutch earned the Missed Head Pin and Holmes was the top Spare Shooter.
Shenandoah bowling seniors Monday, March 23, at the program's annual banquet. Front row, from left: Sparrow Hummel, Jaylan Gray and Nora Martin, Back row, from left: Teagan Brunk, Owen Nokes, Jacob Dunkeson and Ethan Chapman.
In all, 18 Shenandoah bowlers earned varsity letters, including seniors Gray, Rachel Hobbie, Sparrow Hummel and Martin for the girls and seniors Brunk, Chapman, Jacob Dunkeson and Owen Nokes for the boys, who all exit the program.
Shenandoah bowling's juniors and one sophomore that was present come together for a photo Monday, March 23, at the annual banquet. Front row, from left: Mikey Waite, Tori Pease, Ali Hansen, Clay Foutch and Landen Conyac. Back row, from left: Matt Holmes, Gaige Rothmeyer, Will Stevenson, Luke Mather and Spencer Ford. Not pictured: Arabella Bradfield and Dairrian Gammell.
Shenandoah bowling's freshmen group Monday, March 23, at the program's annual banquet. Front row, from left: Mary Hummel, Reagan Baker and Olivia Joy. Back row, from left: Levi Major, Dacoda Nokes and Caden Hodge.
