2017-18 BVHS CLUB BOWLING PREVIEW
Brandon Valley High bowling coach Rich Blue is facing somewhat of a problem as the 2017-18 high school club bowling season gets underway.
Numbers seems to be the issue.
“We had 21 boys and nine girls at tryouts, which was surprising,” said the coach, now in his 10th year with the program. “I am impressed with continued growth of the team. It’s a pleasant surprise and shows the word about our team is spreading in a positive way.”
Lady Lynx
Despite the Lady Lynx has tapered down to eight bowlers this season, Coach Blue said the team’s youth and improvement are the featured assets.
The team’s youth starts with sophomore Kayla Watkins, who is being called on to lead the team and is expected to be a challenger in the league for the high average.
Another member from the underclassmen ranks, freshman Laura Kemner, who was last year’s most improved bowler, looks to improve even more, Blue said.
Seventh-grader Alexis Shea will also look at stepping into a varsity first team role. Lone senior, Elizabeth Braley, and juniors Alice Callahan and KJ Klockman, will compete for the remaining varsity spots with freshmen Mel and Kayla Jacobson.
A pair of Sioux Falls programs - Roosevelt and Lincoln – are the teams to gun for this year, Blue said.
Lynx boys
Coming off a fourth-place finish to end last year’s state tournament run, the Lynx boys are once again poised to make another run at the title behind a very experienced group of leaders. Of the six seniors, four of them have been representing Brandon Valley on the lanes the last four seasons.
Senior Darian Blue returns as the team’s anchor.
“He had a stellar performance at tryouts, knocking down – on average - 100 pins over his teammates,” Coah Blue said.
The younger Blue spent a great deal of time in the off-season improving his game and increasing his knowledge with help from older brother and 2014 BVHS grad, Richard, who is a player/coach at the University of Nebraska.
“Our team is really deep this year. We have 10 boys who will be fighting back and forth behind Darian for the remaining five varsity spots, and they are all really close, that our varsity line up may change every match,” the coach said.
Darian Blue will receive that support from seniors Dustin Kemner (sixth year), Ozzy Erickson (second year), Noah Holm (fourth year) and Carter Henslin (fourth year) to provide the upperclassmen leadership.
Junior Trey Reindl and freshmen Maxwell Kane, Philip Harris and Hunter Meinhart will also be fighting for a shot at the varsity roster.
“Much like the girls’ program, Sioux Falls Roosevelt and Brookings will be the top teams to look out for,” Blue said.
Coach Blue, who is also returning as the president of South Dakota High School Bowling League, has reinstituted the junior varsity state tournament following a five-year absence.
“With the deep roster of boys that we have, we could have multiple JV teams competing with each other for the championship trophy. It’s a very exciting year, as the core group of boys have been around each other for multiple seasons and have been getting together in the off-season to practice together as well,” he said.
Assisting Coach Blue on the sidelines this season are Jeremy Neitzel, now in his seventh year with the program, Jeremy Blue, who is in his second season, and Erik Lien, now in his third year.
Former state champ and BVHS Class of 2016 grad, Lauren Blue, and former state champion from another program, Sami Huber, joining the girls’ coaching ranks. A pair of former Lynx bowlers will also return to help coach and give back to the program that helped them. BVHS Class of 2015 grad and college bowler Denton Bose, and Ricky DeLaCruz, Class of 2017, will also serve as volunteer coaches.
Lynx bowling fans can keep abreast of the season by visiting bvlynxbowling.com, as well as the BV Lynx Bowling Facebook page. Every match will be livestreamed on Facebook, so that anyone who wants to watch, can do so.
2017-18 BVHS CLUB
BOWLING SCHEDULE
Nov. 10 at Brookings
Nov. 17 at MCM in Salem
Dec. 1 host Dell Rapids
Dec. 8 host SF Washington
Jan. 5 at Yankton
Jan. 12 host Harrisburg
Jan.19 host O’Gorman
Jan. 26 host SF Lincoln
Feb. 2 host West Central
Feb. 9 at Canton
Feb. 16 host SF Roosevelt (Senior day)
Feb. 19 Junior Varsity State Tournament*
Feb. 23 Varsity State Tournament, Brookings
*Time and location to be announced
