Comet bowlers runners-up at Baker Invite

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

WATERLOO — Technology has taken over sport officiating.

We’ve seen it in football, basketball and now baseball where every bang-bang call is reviewed and the proposal for an electric-eye strike zone is being taken more seriously.

Bowling has always been well ahead of the game(s). Even before the heyday of late PBA Hall of Famer Earl Anthony, most bowling establishments had already employed laser-sensor systems to detect whenever a bowler’s slide foot crosses the foul line.

In the final round of the District Baker Team Invitational Saturday at Cadillac Lanes, Charles City senior Brady Girkin tripped up the foul-line buzzer on his first ball while trying to add pinfall to a spare during the Comets’ second game against the upstart Oelwein Huskies.

It was a tough break for Girkin, who leads the team with a 203.3 average, as well for the Comets as they were trying to claw back into the second game after Oelwein — which already won the first game (209-194) in the best-of-two series — took a two-mark lead through four frames.

The Huskies went on to win, 182-150.

“We made a couple of mistakes, but other than that, we bowled pretty well,” Charles City coach Doug Bohlen said. “We averaged about what we normally average (195 in 18 Baker games) at an away alley.

“Oelwein, just like they did last year, is coming on late in the season. And if we want to get to state, we’re going to have to go through them.”

Charles City, Oelwein as well Forest City — which the Comets defeated in the quarterfinals — North Fayette Valley, North Iowa and Tripoli will do battle today at the Super Bowl in Forest City in Class 1A District 4 “Sub-State” Tournament.

The State Tournament will be Feb. 22 in Des Moines.

After 10 Baker games, Charles City earned the No. 3 seed in the 10-team field with an overall pinfall of 1,919.

Against Forest City, Drew Mitchell needed a double and at least a three count in the 10th, 11th and 12th frames of the first game. He got a double and an eight count as the Comets won, 180-175.

Forest City responded with a four-bagger propelled second game to win, 211-172, and force a third, which Mitchell ended with a turkey as the Comets advanced, 235-148.

Against Vinton in the semifinals, Charles City won the first game 209-180. Vinton strung six strikes to start the second game and hung on to win, 222-214.

In the third, the Comets rolled their highest score of the invite and advanced, 246-214.

With a 10-game pinfall of 1,530, Charles City’s girls team also earned a No. 3 seed, but were eliminated by Tripoli in the quarterfinals.

Tripoli’s girls team advanced to the final, where it lost to Vinton.