Comets bowl best round in program history in first meet

COMET BOWLING: BOYS’ VARSITY: CHARLES CITY 3,267, VINTON-SHELLSBURG 3,171 | GIRLS’ VARSITY: VINTON-SHELLSBURG 2,545, CHARLES CITY 2,514,

Comets bowl best round in program history in first meet

Girls’ varsity averages 217 per round, ‘best yet to come’

A team won’t usually bet it will have its best performance in program history in the first game, set or match of a new season. That was not the case at the Comet Bowl on Tuesday when the Comets kicked off their season against Vinton-Shellsburg.

The Comets did their best to pick up right where they left off at the end of the 2014-15 season — a third place finish at the state meet, right behind second-place Vinton-Shellsburg.

They had no trouble doing just that, bowling a school best 3,267 points in the win against Vinton-Shellsburg. Head coach Doug Bohlen didn’t say it was so much revenge on Tuesday as it was another opportunity to best one of the top programs in the state.

Senior Tyler Brockney bowled a 197, 393 for an individual score Tuesday. He said it was astonishing to him that he and his bakers team could pull of a record-setting performance in just the first meet of the year.

“Honestly, I’m at a loss for words right now,” Brockney said. “I won’t lie, that might be one of the highest scores bowled throughout the state this year. It’s pretty amazing.”

There’s still a lot of time left in the season, but confidence is running high with the boys’ varsity team after a successful first meet.

After coming up short of a state championship last season, Brockney said they won’t stand for any resistance this year.

“Nothing less than a state title this year is what the goal is,” Brockney said. “We all feel pretty confident that we’re the best baker team in the state right now.”

For the girls’ varsity team, the season also got off to a successful start.

A slim, 31-point loss provided a key learning experience for the Comets on Tuesday.

Maybe one of the brightest spots of the afternoon was Macy Ross’ 277 she bowled in the first game of the afternoon.

“It was a thrill,” Ross said. “I didn’t think it was real, honestly. I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s a lot of strikes in a row.”

Ross said the very best way she was able to stay mentally focused was by getting out of her own way. Sometimes, Ross said, she thinks too much about an approach and will mentally psych herself out. But in that 277 round, Ross stayed in the zone from the first frame to the last.

Ross said the first meet can sometimes be the hardest meet of the season because bowlers are still shaking off the cobwebs and trying to get back into a sound rhythm.

“Once we get going we’ll be good,” Ross said. “Working on our baker games and keeping our energy up when the other team’s energy is up too (is where they can improve). I’m happy. I know there’s room for improvement, but I’m happy with how we started and I know how we can improve throughout.”

A hope for a state title is well within the reach for the Charles City bowling teams and Tuesday, the Comets put the right foot forward. Brockney said it couldn’t have been a better start to the season.

“It was great; the team chemistry was awesome,” Brockney said. “Just bowling with these guys, every day of the week is just awesome. I can’t be any prouder of this team right now.

The next match is Dec. 4 at home against North Iowa.

By Stephen Koenigsfeld sports@charlescitypress.com