Rolling Thunder; Comet strikes more resounding than ever

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

The sound of a pocketed strike ball is so distinguishable that someone out of sight in the washroom can know instantly that all 10 pins are in the pit.

The sound of a Comet bowler throwing a strike is even more distinquishable that someone outside in the parking lot, or across the street for the matter, would be alerted.

“We can be a little loud,” Charles City bowling coach Doug Bohlen said. “I mean when we get a strike, there are a lot high-fives and excitement, and it gets contagious.”

Bohlen said his bowlers really get the thunder rolling when they’re bowling “Baker” games.

“Everyone gets involved,” Bohlen said of the format where five-men (or women) team members alternatively shoot frames at a time for a single-game score.

“When you have three strikes in a row, and then your teammate comes up and makes it four,” Bohlen said, “yeah, it can get pretty loud in here.”

This is only the second year Charles City High School has had a bowling program. It has been noisy right from the start.

Last year, then sophomore Drew Mitchell won the Class 1A individual state title and the girls placed runner-up as a team.

This season, both Comet boys and girls teams are among the top scoring teams in the state in all classes.

At the recent Forest City District Bowling Invitational, sophomore Macy Ross — who is leading Comet girls with a 187 average — won her second-straight title. Hunter Koebrick, representing the Comet boys, was runner-up.

Koebrick’s average is in the 200’s. Senior Brady Girkin, according to Quik Stats, is the high man for the Comets with a 205 average.

Mitchell and Kaleb Ross are both around 200 for the season.

Charles City varsity boys — also consisting of Hunter Brockney, Tyler Brockney and Aaron — finished with an 8-1 regular-season record and a team average around 200. The girls varsity — also consisting of Mija Cotton, Cora Crooks, Baili Girkin, Falyn Knecht, Arayh Nelson, Madison Ross, Sadie Ruzicka, Kate Sickman and Devan Solomon — also finished at 8-1 with a team average of 164.

“They’re a great bunch of kids and they work hard,” Bohlen said, “though at first they were a little resistant to weight training.”

With Charles City physical education teacher Steve Stallsmith, the Comet bowlers weight train regularly in 35- to 40-minute sessions.

“Bowling is more strenuous than people think, especially if you’re rolling as many games as the pros during a given week,” Bohlen said. “Weight lifting not only helps you get stronger, but it helps with your balance.

“In bowling, like in any sport, you need balance.”

A league bowler himself, Bohlen once came to Comet Bowl for a late afternoon practice session and saw that the house was packed for a high school triangular meet .

“They were small schools from around the area, and they met here because it was the ideal meeting spot for all three,” Bohlen said. “It was standing room only, and I got to thinking if those three small schools could have bowling programs, why not Charles City?”

Accompanied with Comet Bowl co-owner Peggy Sweet and Tad Barry — son of co-owner Mark Barry — Bohlen regularly attended Charles City School B

oard meetings to petition for a bowling program.

“Of course, money is always a factor, but bowling is not a very expensive sport,” Bohlen said. “The kids who are serious enough to want to bowl for their school already have most of their equipment. And Mark and Peggy were willing to allow us to bowl here for free.

“According to state high school rules, they do have to pay the coach a little even though I’m willing to do this for free.”

Not only is Comet Bowl hospitable for the Comets, it has a friendly shot according to Bohlen, whose name just so happened to be listed as one of the recent week’s top scorers amid the highly competitive Thursday Night “Hawkeye” League.

“But it’s not as easy as some places where you can miss wide and the ball will come back, or pull it inside and the oil will keep it in the pocket,” Bohlen said. “Then there are some places where if you miss your mark by a board, you’ll be off 10 or 15 by the time it reaches the pins.

“That’s why I stress hitting your mark accurately all the time.”

Accurate spare shooting can help, too.

“There are five starting points for everyone one-pin spare you’ll leave,” Bohlen said. “That’s one area our bowlers have really improved — spare shooting.”

They’re just not as loud as strikes.