Comet boy bowlers burned in Baker round against Cougars, CC girls improve to 2-0

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — In most sports, double-digit leads can evaporate like spit into a campfire.

But in bowling, triple-digit leads are not even safe … especially if you don’t pick up your spares.

Things were rolling along somewhat smoothly in the individual round for the Charles City Comets boys bowling team while hosting a varsity doubleheader against Sumner-Fredericksburg, Friday at Comet Bowl.

Comet sophomore Sullivan Gerleman shot a career-high 473 two-game series which included a 249 in the first game; freshman Joey Robel — who had flirted with a perfect game during Charles City’s season-opener the week before — stayed hot with a meet-high 252 in his first game before settling for a 393 series; returning state-qualifying senior Keaton Ross had a 395 two-game total; and with senior Shayne Groesbeck (349) and sophomore Bryce Elsbury (343) rounding out CC’s individual total (1,953), the Comets were 59 pins ahead of the Cougars going into the Baker Rotation round.

There, Charles City increased its lead to 106 pins after combining efforts for games of 213 and 189 in the first two Baker games.

But then the Cougars got locked and started striking in succession for a 248 third game followed by a pair of 211s in the fourth and fifth games.

Meanwhile, the Comets fell into a funk … leaving splits and difficult spare combinations, and even missing a few easier one-pin spares … as their final three Baker games of 157, 162 and 178 was the opening the striking-back Cougars needed to pull out a 2,916 to 2,852 victory.

Carlos Sanchez’s 403 two-game series led the S-F boys.

Though the Comet boys suffered their first loss of the season, Charles City’s girls maintained their undefeated status with a one-sided 2,552 to 1,802 victory over S-F girls.

Comet senior and returning state-medalist Claire Girkin paced all girls with a 412 two-game series that included a 238 first game.

Comet junior and returning state-medalist Isabell Crawford had a 364 series that included a 203 game; freshman Kinleigh Bahe had a 329 series; junior Payton Hadley shot a 314; and Miyah Stevenson rounded out the individual round for Charles City with a 249 series.

Charles City will be back in action this Friday (Dec. 8) when it travels to Lilac Lanes in West Union to take on North Fayette Valley.