Comet bowlers have talent to spare

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Often, a strong youth program will help a high school program grow.

Apparently, the opposite is taking effect at Comet Bowl.

“Now we have a team on every lane and five bowlers to a team,” Charles City senior Macy Ross said of the Charles City Youth Bowling League that holds play every Saturday morning.

“We never had that many bowlers before,” Ross said.

A product of the said league, Ross is likely the part of the reason for its growth. The Class 1A girls individual state champion her sophomore year, Ross placed third as an individual at last year’s High School Bowling State Tournament while helping the Comet girls take home the third-place trophy.

The previous year, Charles City also received a third-place trophy, but after self-reporting a scoring error gave it to the rightful owner.

The success of Ross and her teammates, as well as Charles City starting a high school program four years ago, has undoubtedly helped spur interest in the sport amongst local youth.

“This gives more kids a chance to represent their school in a sport,” said Charles City bowling coach Doug Bohlen, who with Comet Bowl owners Mark Barry and Peggy Sweet, and former Charles City standout athlete Tad Barry, who now coaches in the school system, spearheaded the movement to start a high school program.

Both Comet boys and girls teams began practice last week. They will open the season on Nov. 21 against Columbus Catholic at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo.

“We’ve got a lot of talented freshmen coming up who might push some of our seniors,” Bohlen said. “It could be a scramble of who fills the varsity spots.

“But I think for Macy, being a state champion, her spot may be safe.”

Senior Kaleb Ross may also be in good shape on the boys side. Whenever the left-hander gets locked, he stays locked as he rolled several two-game 500-plus series last season and led the team with a 215 average.

Hunter Brockney, another returning senior for the Comet boys, nearly averaged 200 last season while utilizing his big-bending, right-handed cranked up first ball.

“We also have sophomores like Nathan Schultz, Noah Reams and Cade Schmidt who bowled well for us last year as freshmen,” Bohlen said.

On the girls side, in addition to Ross the Comets return senior Kate Sickman, who was a state medalist last year; and seniors Falyn Knecht and Baili Girkin, who both averaged around 170 last season.

They also have Ross’s younger sister Maddie Ross, who was a 165 bowler last season.

Then there’s the third Ross sister, freshman Brianna, who Bohlen sees will provoke a substantial pinfall for the Comets for the next four years.

“She’s a lot like Macy, but she listens better,” Bohlen said with Macy standing close by.

As coaches, Bohlen and his staff have the authority to correct problems or make suggestions to aid their bowlers. But unsolicited advice from fellow bowlers tends to go over like caramel on the approach.

“I don’t give advice unless someone asks me,” Ross said. “I try to keep everyone’s spirits up, and talk among my teammates about what’s going on out on the lanes.

“But sometimes you can tell that you need to leave someone alone when they’re struggling … let them figure it out by themselves.”