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Comet bowlers sink Sailors in season-opener

Press photo by John Burbridge Comet senior Hunter Brockney, shown here bowling at last year’s State Tournament, shot a career-high two-game 490 series to lead Charles City on Tuesday.
Press photo by John Burbridge
Comet senior Hunter Brockney, shown here bowling at last year’s State Tournament, shot a career-high two-game 490 series to lead Charles City on Tuesday.
By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

WATERLOO — Most people periodically take their cars in for an oil change

Hunter Brockney took his ball in for an oil extraction.

“His ball was at a pro shop to get resurfaced and to have all the absorbed oil removed from its shell,” Charles City bowling coach Doug Bohlen said. “While it was at the shop, he threw his dad’s ball but the thumb hole didn’t quite fit and he got a blister.”

Brockney, a senior on the Comet boys team, got his ball back in time for Charles City’s season-opener Tuesday against Columbus Catholic at the Sailors’ home port — Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo.

And for the record, it’s running … or rather rolling pretty well. With games of 247 and 243, the right-handed cranker Brockney recorded a high school career-high two-game series of 490.

But despite Brockney’s ball  performing like a well un-oiled machine, the Comets went into the Baker Game round 105 pins down from the Sailors’ total.

“I often tell our bowlers to watch their opponents … see what line they’re playing,” Bohlen said. “That’s where they bowl their home meets, so you might be able to pick up something up from them.”

It was during the Baker round where the Comets “found it” while combining efforts to bowl a 232 in the first game. Charles City continued to do well in the subsequent games, but were still down 42 pins going into the final Baker Game.

“You’ve got to trust the process, and that’s what our boys did,” Bohlen said about his team rolling a 240 in the final game and winning the meet by 20 pins — 2861-2841.

“That was a knock-down, drag it out win,” Bohlen said. “Other than Hunter, our boys struggled in the individual games as we didn’t have any big scores …

Senior Kaleb Ross, who led the Comets with a 215 average last year, had an off night with a 358 series. Noah Reams shot a 352 two-game series for Charles City.

“But they worked together to pull out an exciting win,” Bohlen said. “The crowd was really getting into it. That was fun, and I’m really proud of our boys.”

The Comet girls also won, but their victory wasn’t quite as dramatic as they soundly beat the Sailors 2,570-2,215.

Junior Maddie Ross led the Comets with a 408 individual series; older sister and 2016 state individual champion Macy Ross shot a 402.

Senior Katie Sickman, who was a state individual medalist last season, had a 327 series.

“Whenever you have two girls shoot 400 series, you can’t complain,” Bohlen said. “Some of our girls struggle on synthetic lanes, so that was a good overall score for us.

“My hope is by the end of the season we’ll be considering that a low score.”

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