Standout WV bowler signs WALKER VALLEY senior standout bowler Hayden Word signed to to further his bowling career at the University of Pikeville this past weekend. Word hopes to help lead a talented Mustang team to the state tournament this season.
Posted Wednesday, November 1, 2017 9:55 am By PATRICK MacCOON Hayden Word, the fifth-ranked senior bowler in the state for Walker Valley’s undefeated and sixth-ranked men’s program, is excited his career at the next level will benefit him as a student-athlete. With a couple of 300s under his belt and a 290 already in his final prep season, the future is bright for the ‘lane clearer’ who signed with the University of Pikeville this past weekend. “UPike is located in an area similar to Cleveland,” Word said. “It has a beautiful campus located in the foothills of the Appalachians. They have a renowned program in Osteopathic medicine and their successful history in collegiate bowling is hard to turn away from.” The reigning individual District 5 champion went on to finish 30th overall at the TSSAA State Tournament last season. Word’s interest in the sport first began when his father said he would buy him some bowling shoes as a freshman. Now, the experienced leader for the Mustangs (6-0) hopes to help key one of the best seasons in school history. “My goals this season revolve around the team aspect of the sport,” Word said. “I would like for our men’s team to make the state tournament. That hasn’t happened for us as a group since I have been here and would really be awesome.” Word averaged a 212.83 pin fall per game (736 high-game) last season and hopes to be around 230 per 10-frames this season. While sometimes the pins can aggravate bowlers rocking back and forth without falling, the year-round bowler has practiced every situation a bowler can encounter. “The key to being a consistent bowler is consistent practice and trying all different shots,” Word said. “Bowling is always a rush for me. It’s never just the same thing. There are challenges hidden in the lanes that you have to rise above and succeed whether it be in a tournament, match or practice.” While participating in the Hammer Survivor Tournament after placing 273 out of 1,419 bowlers at the Junior Gold Nationals in Cleveland, Ohio this past summer, Word landed a perfect score of 300 with 12 consecutive strikes. He has accomplished the exclusive feat a total of three times since he began bowling. Word also competed in the U.S. High School Bowling National Championship this past summer, where he finished 165th out of 300. “None of my accomplishments would have been possible without the support of my family, teammates and coaches who helped me along the way,” Word said. “Leisure Time pro shop manager Aaron White and David McGowan have helped me make adjustments in my approach to the game and my swing. “ “My current and past high school coaches John Smeltzer and Dean Anderson have also played a huge role in my bowling career.” With hopes to be bowling yet again in Smyrna this January and goals to win several trophies with Walker Valley along the way, Word is ready to make a strong finish before he rolls at the NAIA level in the Mid-South Conference for the Bears. He also has plans to compete in events with the Professional Bowlers Association down the road. “I will compete in some PBA events in the near future, while maintaining amateur status,” Word said. “However, with my college career and pursuit of a medical degree ahead, I don’t plan to go on the PBA tour until my schooling is complete. I am excited about all that lies ahead, and am extremely blessed.”
WV bowlers sweep Posted Tuesday, October 24, 2017 10:25 am Walker Valley remained undefeated in bowling action this season as they traveled to Evensville and swept against a tough Rhea County opponent. Led by an impressive showing from Jonathon Womble, the Mustangs were able to land a 15-12 victory over the Golden Eagles Monday afternoon. Womble finished with a series-high of 691 over three games, which helped provide a 3,134-3,004 total pin fall advantage. He was WV’s lone bowler to bowl over 200 on the day. The state’s fifth-ranked bowler in Hayden Word rolled a 186 and 182. Ethan Bates rolled a 187 in game two, while Archie Bowers and Drew Lowe had strong finishes with a 192 and 189, respectively, in the third game to help seal the victory. Meanwhile, the Lady Mustangs narrowly defeated the Lady Golden Eagles thanks to head-to-head points in a 14-10 victory. Rhea County won total pin fall 2,526-2,510, but came up short as Tayla Graham, Claire Townsend, Hannah Raper and Maddie Davis won all three of their head-to-head games. Senior standout Michaela Brown led all for WV with a high score of 184 in game two. Walker Valley will return to action with a home meet against Soddy-Daisy this Friday at Leisure Time Bowling Alley.
Haro, White star Posted Saturday, October 21, 2017 9:56 pm By PATRICK MacCOON A rivalry showdown took to Leisure Time Bowling Alley earlier this week when Walker Valley and Bradley Central took to the lanes. On the girls side a showdown between two of the state’s top bowlers was quite the show between the Lady Mustangs’ Natily Haro and the Bearettes’ Leah White. White came in the first game of the match on fire with a career-high 266 pin fall, which helped Bradley hold a 4-4 tie with the state’s seventh ranked girls team. Haro did not disappoint as she spun a season-high 278 in her third game to finish with the highest series of the day at 696 over three games. Walker Valley won the girls showdown 17-10 and by a total pin fall of 2,913-2,779. The Mustangs also won the boys showdown in dominant fashion 22-5 as they knocked down 3,308 pins compared to 2,880 for the Bears. Trent Jones led the way with a high-series of 624, which included a season-best 236 in the second game. He was followed by teammates Jacob Brown (611; 223 high-game) and Jonathon Womble (562; 197 high-game). Ethan Bates rolled a 193 in game three for Walker Valley, who was without the state's fifth-ranked bowler in senior Hayden Word who was out of town. Bradley Central’s highest game was in the third by Colin Cartwright at 190. Aiden Carr, Dallas Taynor and Devin Farmer all bowled over 180 in the first game, while Peyton Kent rolled a 182 in the second game. Other standouts at the match were Bearette senior Angel Anderson (201 first game), Makayla Stewart (189 third game) along with Lady Mustang Maddie Davis (198 third game). BC's Hannah Winters, who began bowling at the end of August, rolled a season-high 169 in her second game. Walker Valley will return to action with a road trip to face Rhea County Monday, while Bradley will return to action with a road meet against Chattanooga Central Tuesday.
Brown, Womble lead WV Posted Thursday, October 12, 2017 10:13 am BY PATRICK MacCOON Staff Reports The Walker Valley boys bowling team continued its strong start to the season with a 24-3 defeat of McCallie earlier this week. The Mustangs were red hot in the lanes as they led the total pinfall count, 3,539-2,577. Freshman standout Jacob Brown was excellent as he bowled a high series of 678 with game scores of 238, 223 and 217. He is ranked sixth among freshmen in the state and third in the district. Senior Jonathon Womble also led the way, rolling a 637 (174, 223, 235). With a trip to the state tournament under his belt, Womble is ranked 24th in the state. Fifth-ranked senior Hayden Word finished with a 590 (189, 202, 197). Also making for a superb final pinfall total was Jacob Jarnigan 581 (170,186, 225-career high) and Drew Lowe 555 (171, 160, 224). Archie Bowers bowled a 148 in game one, while Ethan Bates rolled strong with a 170 and 180 in games two and three.
WV bowlers take on McCallie Posted Tuesday, October 10, 2017 10:26 am Staff Reports The Walker Valley High School boys bowling team will return to action today as it hosts McCallie at Leisure Time Bowling Alley at 3:30 p.m. In the season opener against a previously unbeaten McMinn County, the Mustangs were led by Hayden Word to a 3,163-2,936 total pin fall victory. Word, who is the fifth ranked bowler in the state, rolled a high game of 258 and led all with 662 pin takedowns in three series. Jonathon Womble bowled a 208 in the first game, while he removed himself due to injury, and Archie Bowers and Ethan Bates filled in. Freshman Mustang Jacob Brown bowled a 587 series, which included a 211 in game 2 of his prep debut. The Lady Mustangs also won their season opener by a pin fall advantage of 2,341-2,073. Michaela Brown led with a high series of 481 and had a high game of 170. Walker Valley's girls will return to action with the boys when they take on Bradley Central next Thursday.
Local rollers fare well at USBC Jr. nationals
Posted Wednesday, July 26, 2017 10:38 am From Staff Reports
CLEVELAND, OHIO — While nearly 600 miles from their home bowling alleys, six local bowlers traveled to the Rock-N-Roll capital of the world for the USBC Junior Gold Nationals this past week. In the men’s 20-and-under division a former Walker Valley standout and a Class of 2018 graduate put forth strong showings in a field consisting of the top youth bowlers in the nation. With 1,419 competitors in their group, the elder Briton Helton placed 252nd, while current Mustang senior Hayden Word finished 273rd overall. Helton, a 2016 WVHS graduate, finished with a 2,970 pin count for a 185.63 average over 16 games. Word came in close behind with a 2,962 pin count and a 185.13 average per game. Word also bowled in the Hammer Survivor Tournament after the conclusion of the Junior Gold event. He finished fifth of 59 bowlers from Tennessee and fourth among Georgia bowlers. For the first time against competition, the standout Mustang bowler rolled a perfect 300 game, which helped him finish with a 215.8 average over a five-game series. Twice before Word had rolled a perfect total, which consists of 12 consecutive strikes, in practice. Walker Valley junior and Miss Tennessee Bowler of the Year runner up Natily Haro also competed well in the women’s 20-and-under division. Haro finished with a 2,849 pin count (178 per game) to earn 235th place out of 840 bowlers. She also competed in the Bowling.com events through the week and finished 113 of 159 in singles for all scratch bowlers. Walker Valley’s brother-sister combo of Jacob and Michaela Brown also rolled at the Junior Gold event. Jacob finished 308th in the boys’ 15-and-under division, which consisted of 602 bowlers. The upcoming Mustang freshman averaged a pin fall of 162.94 per game. Michaela averaged 128.5 per game to finish 832nd of 840 bowlers in the women’s 20-and-under division. Bradley Central’s first female bowler to ever make the state tournament, Leah White, also made the trip to Ohio for the national bowling competition. Her 151.63 game average landed her 755th place of 840 bowlers in the women’s 20-and-under division.
Word bowls with country’s best
Posted Tuesday, June 27, 2017 12:32 pm STAFF REPORTS
Rising senior standout bowler Hayden Word rolled with the best of the best at the U.S. High School Bowling National Championship in Smyrna over the weekend. As the only representative from Southeast Tennessee, Word finished 165th out of the top 300 bowlers in the country. The Walker Valley High School product fell 11 pins short of the survivor round cut. His pinfalls by frames were: 169, 192, 182 and 185. Word finished 30th overall at the TSSAA state tournament this past January. His previous high game of 185 at the Smyrna bowling center was topped at the national championship. “It was an honor and an amazing experience to compete against 300 of the best bowlers in the country,” Word said. “My favorite part was being able to make some new friends from around the nation.” His 728 four-game series also beat his state mark at the Smyrna Bowling Center by 33 pins, a total that would have advanced him to the state semifinals. The national championship was held Sunday, and the front doors had to be locked because the building reached max capacity. With a feel for how he fares against the best bowlers in the country, Word will now prepare to bowl in the weeklong Junior Gold National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio, held from July 15-22. He is currently being recruited to bowl in college by Campbellsville University (Ky.), the University of Pikeville (Ky.), Martin Methodist College, and Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind). “I plan to spend lots of time in the bowling center working on improving my game before September,” Word said. “I will be competing at the Junior Gold National Championships with more than 2,000 bowlers in my division,” he said. “I hope to represent Tennessee well.”
Check Into Cash Player of the Week 1-27 Hayden Word
Date: January 27, 2017 Publication: Cleveland Daily Banner (TN)
Congratulations to Walker Valley's Hayden Word for being named the Check Into Cash Player of the Week. Word finished in 30th place overall at the state bowling tournament last week in Smyrna. The junior averaged a pin fall of 202.31 per game.
Haro finishes 12th, Bowler of Year runner-up
WALKER VALLEY BOWLER Natily Haro finished 12th in the state and was named Miss Tennessee Bowler of the Year. Banner photo, PATRICK MacCOON
Posted Friday, January 20, 2017 11:48 am By PATRICK MacCOON Banner Sports Writer
The state tournament can be daunting for a competitor under the bright lights of the Smyrna Bowling Center, no matter how many years of experience they have.
With 52 lanes, 160 bowlers and easily over a thousand fans in attendance, Walker Valley standout sophomore Natily Haro was able to remain poised on the biggest stage, and prove why she is one of the best in the state Thursday afternoon.
Bowling beyond her years, Haro rolled the third-highest game among a tough girls’ field with a 243 in the semifinals round of 24. She also finished 12th overall for the second straight season and was recognized as one of two runner-ups for Miss Tennessee Bowler of the Year later in the evening. “For her to be nominated for the award as a sophomore is a tremendous honor,” Walker Valley head coach Dean Anderson said. “She has earned it with her hard work ethic and she is a quality young lady. She deserves the right to be considered in the upper echelon of the state's bowlers and we are extremely proud of her.” Three-time state champion Ashley Channell from Hardin County took home Miss Tennessee Bowler of the Year honors for Division-I girls. Faith Welch was the other runner-up, also for Hardin County. Haro advanced past the quarterfinals with a 21st place finish to qualify for the top 24 cut with a 172.3 game average. She improved nine places later in the afternoon, in large part thanks to an exceptional performance in her second game of the semifinals. “I told her she was 100 pins out of the lead and she was not out of it,” said Mustangs assistant coach John Smeltzer. “I told her if she could relax and make it an enjoyable experience for herself, she could tear the lanes up.” After rolling a 164 in her first game of the semis, the calm Lady Mustang bowler executed her shots and hit her marks to land eight strikes in her best career game at the state individual tournament. “To finish as a runner-up for Miss Tennessee Bowler of the Year is an amazing thing to accomplish,” said Haro, whose high game was 288 this season and averaged a 202.28 pin fall per game. “It was a lot of fun being up here today. I just tried to stay calm the whole time, and it worked out.” Haro finished with a total pin fall of 1,406 in eight games, just 72 pins away from a top six finish. With two more years left of prep competition for the state's 10th ranked bowler, who was predicted by tennesseeprepbowling.com to be a strong contender for a top six finish, Haro will soon gun for even bigger and better things. Walker Valley’s girls’ program has seen great success throughout the years, with 22 individual appearances at the state tournament since 2010. Samantha Pope’s sixth place finish in 2011 is the program’s best mark. “I am going to work hard and try and win the state tournament one year. Possibly even Miss Tennessee Bowler of the Year,” Haro added. “There are no breaks in bowling for me. I am still going to get out there and bowl every week, even though our high school season is over.” With one of the top returning bowlers in the state for next season, as Haro will be the eighth-highest returning placer from the state tournament, the Mustangs’ 11th-year head coach has much to look forward to. “For her to bowl a 243 on the toughest stage she has been at all season shows she is capable of achieving greatness,” Anderson said. “She loves the art of bowling and works on her craft daily. She brings so much excitement for our team and we are expecting great things for the future.” Word, Womble place at state Walker Valley juniors Hayden Word and Jon Womble did not advance to the round of 24, but left with their heads held high from their first individual state appearances. Word finished just 20 pins shy of advancing to the semifinals, and took 30th overall. He finished strong with a third game of 185 and fourth game of 180 to finish with a 695 four-game series. “Coming here and placing 30th is a big deal for me,” Word said. “It is not exactly where I wanted to finish, but I think I came up here and bowled pretty well against some of the best bowlers in the state. "Next season, I want to average a 230 and beat Briton Helton’s record of 226 for our program. I just have to keep working hard and I can do even better up here next year.” Womble’s highest game was 170 in the second and finished with an average of 152.3 for 63rd place. He averaged a 198.31 during the regular season. “Jon came to me while he was bowling and said, ‘I am using this as a growing experience. I know what I need to go home and practice on for next year.’" Smeltzer said. "That is big for him to realize, and we expect him to come back even stronger next season.” McMinn County's Zach Price finished 12th overall with an average of 186.4 and total pin fall of 1,491 through eight games.
Local bowlers roll for gold at state tournament
HAYDEN WORD and three other local bowlers will take their shots at the TSSAA Division I State Bowling Individual Championship today. Word hopes to break a school record. Banner file photo
Posted Thursday, January 19, 2017 11:02 am By PATRICK MacCOON Banner Sports Writer
After weeks of preparation, four local bowlers will look to strike it big at the TSSAA Division I State Bowling Individual Championship, which began this morning at the Smyrna Bowling Center. Among a field of 82 top bowlers from around the state, Walker Valley will put forth its top bowlers in juniors Hayden Word and Jon Womble for the boys’ side, and sophomore Natily Haro for the girls.
Junior Leah White becomes the first bowler from Bradley Central to advance to the state tournament since the 2011-12 season and is the first girl in program history to ever accomplish the feat. “I am very proud and excited for Leah White to go to state,” said BC first-year head coach Chelsea Helton. “She has worked hard all year and really dedicated her time and effort in order to make it to this point. Even more so over the past couple of weeks she has been working hard. I can’t wait to see her hard work pay off.” The strong bowling tradition continues for the ’Stangs, as the program has had 28 individual state participants (6 boys, 22 girls) since 2010. After the opening round of the event, the field will be narrowed to 24 bowlers for the semifinals, which will start at 4 this afternoon for all competitors. The top six finalists will square off for the state title at 9:30 Friday morning. “The key for Jon, Hayden and Natily is they will have to shoot well over all four games,” WVHS head coach Dean Anderson. “Everyone bowls on the same oil pattern, but [the question] is, ‘Can you adjust and adapt to roll consistently over four games?’ The winners that go in the top 24 and top six are the ones who adapt, relax and stay focused.” State Bowler Bios Walker Valley Hayden Word, junior: The No. 16-ranked junior bowler in the state enters his first TSSAA tournament with high hopes, as he should after averaging 212.31 per game this season and rolling a 267 high game in the District 5 tournament two weeks ago. “I want to go out there and bowl like I know how to bowl,” Word said. “Hopefully I can crack the top 24 and also advance to the final six. By the time I graduate, I want to beat the school records. Tanner Kincaid finished seventh last year, so I want to beat his record.” Word’s highest game this season was a 274 and his highest series (three games) was a 736. He led all in the District 5 tournament with a 216.3 game average. Jon Womble, junior: After making it to the state tournament last season as a team with Walker Valley, Womble looks to make the most of his first individual state appearance as well. “I am excited to be bowling with the big dogs,” commented Womble. “This year is a learning experience for me. I want to place, but next year I know I want to be first in the state.” Womble’s season average is 197.08, and he rolled a 225 in the district tournament. Natily Haro, sophomore: The No. 10-ranked girls’ bowler in the state looks to improve her 17th overall finish at the state tournament as a freshman last season. Haro is even considered by tennesseeprepbowling.com to be one of five challengers for a top six finish in the state tournament. “I am more accurate this year because my coaches have worked with me, and I have slowed down my throw,” Haro said. “I want to show that I improved since last year. I am ready for whatever comes my way.” Haro recorded seven straight strikes in a region tournament match and her highest game over her career is 288. The standout world-traveling bowler averaged 202.8 this season and led all rollers with a 216.3 average in the district tournament.
Bradley Central Leah White, junior: The first bowler from her school to make it to state since Cody Rymer, Gavin and Hayden Bishop in the 2011-12 season, White is excited for the unique opportunity. “I am really nervous, but I hope it is going to be fun and I bowl well,” White said. “I will need to concentrate really hard and think about my hand and where I let go of the ball. I hope to roll a 190 average. I am really excited I get to do this for our program.” White cracked the top four in District 5 with a 173 game average. With a 173.41 average this season, her high series was a 657 and her highest game was a 257. Follow Banner Sports for complete tournament results from the state tournament.
Lady Mustangs wrap up strong season in substate
WALKER VALLEY coach John Smeltzer, center, talks to his bowlers during a TSSAA Sectional match against Region 4 champion Blackman Saturday afternoon in Smyrna. The Region 3 runner-up Lady Mustangs lose only one bowler in senior Skylar Earls for next season. Banner photo, PATRICK MacCOON
Posted Saturday, January 14, 2017 10:49 pm By PATRICK MacCOON Banner Sports Writer
SMYRNA — The Walker Valley girls’ bowling team finished a strong season with a trip to the Smyrna Bowling Center for a TSSAA Sectional battle Saturday afternoon. Despite a 23-4 loss to Region 4 champion Blackman, who was led by Puerto Rico National Team member Sarah Sanes high series of 679, the Lady Mustangs were pleased to advance one step away from the state tournament. “Just getting here is an accomplishment,” Lady Mustang coach John Smeltzer said. “We had to outplay seven teams in our district just to make it happen.
“They came into a tough atmosphere and Michaela Brown bowled a 199 for our highest game despite an injury she had to wrap up. We have a young team and we will show them we can host substate next year.” Blackman led in total pinfall 3,154-2,516 to advance to the state tournament. Brown led Region 3 runner-up Walker Valley with a high series of 490, while sophomore Miss Tennessee Bowler of the Year finalist Natily Haro finished with a 477. Claire Townsend finished with a series of 435. Lone Lady Mustang senior Skylar Earls finished a strong career with a pinfall of 419 in three games. Not only will she have a signed pin from all of her teammates and coaches to cherish, but many lasting memories to go along with her career high game of 245.
“This has been a great season and I made some really great friends the last three years,” Earls said. “I couldn’t ask for a better team. They are a blessing. I didn’t even try out my freshman year because I didn’t want to do it. A friend and my coaches convinced me to bowl. I would not have done it any other way.” Having seen many outstanding bowlers come through the Walker Valley program, which has one state championship on the girls’ side, Earls has left a strong impression on Walker Valley head coach Dean Anderson. “It is just another one of our strong bowlers going out,” Anderson said after telling Earls how proud he was of her. “She has come a really long way from her sophomore year. She really practiced a lot and has developed into a strong bowler.” While Walker Valley’s season is over, three individuals from its team still have more games to roll at the state tournament at the Smyrna Bowling Center starting Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Based on their season averages, Haro (202.28) along with juniors Hayden Word (212.83) and Jon Womble (197.08) are all expected to have strong showings and have a chance to bowl to the finals on Saturday. Haro is ranked fourth in the state and Word is 13th. “I really think they all have a chance to crack the final six,” Anderson said. “The key is they have to bowl very consistent in four games instead of three because they bowl an extra game at state. We are excited to see them compete at the highest stage and they are going to make us proud as well.” As for the Lady Mustangs, another strong team looks to return next season to the lanes. “Next season really bodes well for us because we only lose Skylar and are bringing everyone back and are adding a few good newcomers as well,” said Anderon. “State is definitely a possibility.”
Check Into Cash Player of the Week 1-13 Natily Haro
Posted Friday, January 13, 2017 11:38 am
Congratulations to Walker Valley's Natily Haro for being named the Check Into Cash Player of the Week. Haro was named a top three finalist for Miss Tn Bowler of the Year and will look to lead the Lady Mustangs in a sub-state game against Blackman this Saturday in Smyrna. She ranks fifth amongst all girls in the state with an average game score of 202.28. The sophomore bowler will make her second individual appearance at the state tournament in Smyrna Feb. 19-21.
Haro finalist for Miss Tn. Bowler of the Year
Posted Thursday, January 12, 2017 10:56 am By PATRICK MacCOON Banner Sports Writer
For the second year in a row the Walker Valley bowling program has a member of its team up for one of the top honors in the sport. After an outstanding regular season and in the midst of an impressive postseason, Natily Haro was selected as one of three finalists for the Miss Tennessee Bowler of the Year. The sophomore, who placed 12th individually at the state tournament last season, ranks fifth in the state with an average game pinfall of 202.28. Haro averaged an impressive 221.3 in the region finals against Rhea County and will look to help the Lady Mustangs win a substate meeting with Blackman this Saturday at 2 p.m. (1 p.m. CST) in Smyrna. “I am so excited for such an outstanding young lady,” Walker Valley head coach Dean Anderson said. “She has worked so very hard to be in such an elite group of bowlers. It is a great testament to the bowling program that Coach (John) Smeltzer and I have worked to develop at Walker Valley.” Former Mustang standout Briton Helton was a runner-up last season for the honor with a 226 game average. Haro will make her second trip to the state tournament in Smyrna Feb. 19-21. She is ranked fourth in the state by tennesseeprepbowling.com.
SOPHOMORE STANDOUT Natily Haro bowls during the Region 3 finals for Walker Valley against Rhea County at Leisure Time Bowling on Monday afternoon. Haro was named to the all-region team along with three teammates, and is ranked the state’s fourth-best bowler by tennesseeprepbowling.com.
Banner photo, PATRICK MacCOON
Lady Mustangs advance to bowling substate action
Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2017 11:05 am By PATRICK MacCOON Banner Sports Writer
Walker Valley gave undefeated and No. 4 in the state Rhea County all it could handle on the lanes, but fell just shy by a total pin fall of 3,136-3,078 in the Region 3 girls’ championship game at Leisure Time Bowling Monday afternoon. Despite a 21-6 loss the Lady Mustangs (17-7) were able to accomplish one goal for the season, and still have one more shot at another, as they will take on Blackman in a substate match Saturday in Smyrna at noon (11 CST). “We stressed from the start of our season the goal was to bowl over 3,000 at the end of the season,” said coach John Smeltzer. “Another goal from the start was to get to state and make a showing there, and we still have a chance. All six of our bowlers stepped up today and we have to shoot 3,000-plus from here on out to continue to climb, because it’s about to be even tougher.” Walker Valley finished with four named to the all-region team: Natily Haro, Michaela Brown, Hannah Raper and Skylar Earls. Haro finished second overall in the tournament with a game average of 201.5. “Natily is one of the top bowlers in the state, so we expect her to be up there,” Smeltzer said of the fourth-ranked bowler in Tennessee who finished 12th overall at the state tournament last season. “It was awesome to see Hannah, Michaela and Skylar up there as well. I’m proud of all of them. They have all come a long way. Even Brianne Pritchett bowled phenomenal today and Claire Townsend has probably been our most improved bowler this season.” In a 15-9 victory over Soddy-Daisy in the region semifinals, Raper finished with a high game of 186 to help Walker Valley win total the pinfall count 2,893-2,792. The win came against a talented Lady Trojan team, who had split the regular season matchup with the Lady Mustangs. Haro flashed her dominant form soon after in the region finals. The sophomore bowler, who will be making her second individual trip to the state tournament (Feb. 19-21 in Smyrna), rolled seven straight strikes to finish with a 223 in the first game against the Lady Eagles.
With an even better all-around performance and picking up important spares in the second game, Haro finished with her highest score of the day at 227. She finished with a 214 in the final game to average a 221.3 in a hard-fought region final. Brown impressed with a game average of 183 and a high game of 191 in the second game against Rhea County. Raper averaged a 171.7 and Earls averaged a 170.7 as the team’s lone senior. Prichett rolled her highest game of the day with a 172 in the final game. Townsend’s high game was a 157 in the second game. “They stayed up against Rhea County and you could see it on their faces that they believed they could win,” Walker Valley head coach Dean Anderson said. “They took on their Goliath, which was their personal best and the pins at the end of the lane. They were throwing their stones and did well, and we still get to move another step forward. Next time out we just need to pick up those important spares.” Walker Valley only lost the first and second game to Rhea County in total pinfall by 10. With a strong finish against one of the state’s last few undefeated teams in Rhea County, the Lady Mustangs are excited about their substate game and a chance at advancing to the program’s third ever state tournament. “We are having a great year and we are going to have a great showing Saturday as well,” Anderson said. “We only lose a senior captain in Skylar, and have everybody coming back with a few others coming our way, too. Plus, Natily could very well one day be a state champion if she keeps working hard. We hope to be in this spot next year, except winning the region tournament.” From looking back to where his team began the season in September, Smeltzer is pleased and still hungry for more this season as they will return to the practice later this week in preparation for substate. “At the start of the season if you told me we were going to substate I would have been surprised,” Smeltzer said. “I knew they could do it, but from seeing from where we were then until now is a major difference. We split the season with Soddy-Daisy and they have good bowlers. We gave Rhea County probably its toughest test of the season as well. We are excited to keep bowling.”
HAYDEN WORD led all bowlers in the District 5 tournament with an average game pinfall of 216.3. The junior bowler for Walker Valley will be one of four local players advancing to the state tournament in Smyrna, Jan.19-21.
BANNER PHOTO, PATRICK MACCOON
Lady Mustangs advance to region; 4 locals earn state tourney berths
Posted Friday, January 6, 2017 11:44 am By PATRICK MacCOON Banner Sports Writer
Even before district champions were determined in the District 5 bowling tournament, several remarkable accomplishments were already set in stone for Walker Valley and Bradley Central. When the TSSAA Division-I Bowling Championships are held in Smyrna from Jan. 19-21 there will be four local bowlers participating. With season averages among the top four in the entire district and bowling in over two-thirds of their team schedule, the Bears will send Leah White to state while a Mustang trio of Hayden Word, Jon Womble and Natily Haro also will compete among the state’s elite. White is the first Bradley Central bowler to ever advance to the state tournament, after a season average of 173. The honor is a special one her team takes great pride in. “Having a bowler make it to state is important to our program, because I think a lot of the time we don’t give bowling enough credit as a real sport,” BCHS head coach Chelsea Helton said. “To see there’s more outside of regular competition and to have Leah advance to state means a lot. Her dad being an assistant coach makes it even more enjoyable. She put the time in and she still has another chance to show off what she can do.” While Walker Valley was unable to land a “four-peat” in the district tournament, as Rhea County swept both the boys and girls bracket, Word led all with a 216.3 average game score. He and Womble, who averaged 198.32 in the regular season, each will make their first state tournament trip while it will be Haro’s second. “Hayden, Natily and Jon stand a good a chance as the other bowlers in the third week of this month,” WVHS head coach Dean Anderson said. “It’s really tremendous to be a part of a program with such a rich tradition. Our girls have won a state title, a state runner-up for the boys, numerous region championships and to have these three go to state is phenomenal.” Bachman Academy’s Sergio Padilla Jr. was honored with an all-district selection. The state trio for WV was named to the team as well with Skylar Earls and Trent Jones. Bradley had five as well with White, Kealey Collins, Mikayla Stewart, Trevor Kennedy and Colin Cartwright. While Rhea County took home both the boys’ and girls’ district championships, Walker Valley’s girls finished as runner-up and benefited greatly from the rolls of Haro and senior leader Earls. Haro led all girls in the tournament with an average game of 216.3 while Earls was also impressive, finishing fourth at 170.55. Both bowlers’ highest scores of the day came in game two during an opening round win over Chattanooga Central, as Haro had a pinfall of 259 and Earls had 212. The Lady Mustangs will take on top seed Soddy-Daisy in the region tournament at Leisure Time Bowling Monday at 10 a.m. “I am just so proud of both our teams,” Anderson said. “I was extremely excited for Skylar Earls. She helped lead the team today as a captain and she bowled well. We are looking forward to a great showing next week in the region competition here at Leisure Time. The girls did fabulous.” Word led the boys’ side with a 267 high game to help the Mustangs defeat East Hamilton in the first round. Archie Bowers rolled the second-highest game of the day for Walker Valley with a season-high 232 against Rhea County. Womble also had an impressive 225 high game. “This is a big day for me and Jon,” Word said. “I’ve been working for this ever since I started bowling three years ago. I only really started bowling because my dad told me he would buy me some bowling shoes. I have been in here almost every day since then working my butt off to make state. I am proud of myself for getting to where I am at.” Womble looks forward to the days to come as he and two teammates prepare for the state tourney. “This is my first individual trip to state and I am really excited about it,” Womble said. “It will be nice to compete with the big dogs and the top bowlers in the state. I loved the experiences from making it with our entire team before.” Despite bowling on separate sides of the lanes, the Walker Valley trio looks forward to its upcoming days preparing to make its program proud at state. Haro will also try to help Walker Valley make a memorable run in the region tourney this coming week.
“Our coaches have helped me a lot to get where I am as well as the coaches in Chattanooga that have helped me,” said Haro, whose season average was 202.28. “We will all support each other and we will work hard to prepare for the state tournament and we want to win a region championship as well.” While the state tournament advancement for Walker Valley’s trio was not a major surprise, Bradley Central is thankful to land a program’s first.
“It was a big surprise to me because I wasn’t expecting it at all,” White said. “I have been working really hard to get to this point. It will be memorable to share this experience with my dad and be the first girl to advance to state for our bowling team.”
Mustangs roll to win over Chatt. Central on Lanes Posted Thursday, December 15, 2016 11:19 am From STAFF REPORTS The Walker Valley bowlers picked up a pair of victories against Chattanooga Central at Leisure Time Bowling on Wednesday afternoon. Hayden Word rolled a pair of 200-games and was dominant in his final frames, as he picked up a high-game of 257 out of a possible 300 in the third game. Word finished with a high series of 613. The Mustangs defeated Chattanooga Central 21-6 with a pin fall advantage of 3,184-2,795. Archie Bowers and Drew Lowe had impressive 195 games. In a 25-2 victory for the Lady Mustangs, Natily Haro finished on a strong note with a 226 high game in her third and final go. She posted a high series of 566. Also helping Walker Valley’s girls outduel their opponent 2,739-1,581 were Michaela Brown with a 196 in game two and Skylar Earls with a 187 in game three.
Mustang Bowlers sweep Chattanooga Christian Posted Friday, December 2, 2016 10:51 am Special to the Banner Walker Valley swept a high school bowling match against Chattanooga Christian School Tuesday. According to head coach Dean Anderson, “the Mustangs continue to work hard this season to continue growing both academically and within our sport.” “In our match against the Chargers, the (WV) boys defeated their opponent by a score of 26-1, with a pin total of 2,997 to 1,953. The Mustangs (11-4) were led by junior captain Jon Womble with a 679 series, including games of 234, 226 and 219. Captain Hayden Word helped out with a 507 series, while Trent Jones posted a 505 series. Coach Anderson said, “the Lady Mustangs continue to improve during the season by defeating the Lady Chargers by a score of 21-6 (with a) 2,346 to 2,047 (pin fall total).” The Lady Mustangs (9-5) were led by sophomore Natily Haro’s 575 series and a 222 high game, followed by senior Skylar Earls with a 437 series and junior Michaela Brown with a 400 series. “I am proud of the hard work and determination the Mustangs continue to show this season,” Anderson said. “We are excited about the remaining matches and looking forward to postseason play.”
Word leads Mustang win Posted Friday, November 18, 2016 11:23 am Hayden Word averaged a pin fall of 207.6 per game as Walker Valley defeated Bachman Academy 27-0 on the bowling lanes at Leisure Time Bowling Center Thursday afternoon.
The Mustangs had a whopping pin fall of 1,005 in game 1, led by Word’s high game of 226. Word and Jon Womble each bowled 217’s, while Womble added a 207 and Trent Jones had a 191.
In defeating Bachman Academy 2,891-1,543 in total pin fall, Word led all with 623 pins knocked over, followed by Womble with 598 and Jones finishing with 345 in just two games. Sergio Padilla led Bachman Academy with a 280 pin fall through the three games. Walker Valley will return to action against East Hamilton at Pin Strikes bowling alley, Monday at 4 p.m
WV Mustang bowlers split close matches Posted Friday, November 11, 2016 11:06 am HIXSON — The Walker Valley bowling teams traveled to Hixson on Thursday, for a pair District 5 matches against the Soddy-Daisy rollers. The teams split the matches with the Lady Mustangs claiming an 18-9 victory, while the Trojans took 16-11 win over the WV boys.
After splitting the first round at three matches apiece, the Walker valley girls edge ahead, taking the two pin-fall bonus points by just 13 pins. A 5-1 edge in the second heads-up battles and a 246-pin advantage gave the visitors some breathing room before the squads once again divided the final round evenly, with Soddy taking the bonus points by 11 pins. Natily Haro led the way for the Lady Mustangs, rolling a 563 series, including a 217 high game. She also had the second highest game with a 182. Michaela Brown helped out with victors with a 494 three-game total, including scores of 176 and 171. Skylar Earls was right there with her, posting a 490 tally with games of 171 and 168. Claire Townsend had a 169 game. Walker Valley claimed the overall pin fall bonus with a 2,695 to 2,447 edge. The boys match was extremely tight as the teams split all three rounds with a trio of heads-up wins apiece. The difference came in the pin fall bonus points as Walker Valley claimed the opening round by 28 pins, while the hosts took the second round by 18. With the six games divided evenly in the final round, the Trojans claimed victory with a 93-pin total difference for the bonus points, plus won the match bonus by a 2,993-2,910 difference. Hayden Word topped the Mustang effort with a 621 high series, including the day’s top game score with a 257. He also rolled a 192 and a 172, winning two of his three games. Jon Womble helped out the WV tally with a 560 series, including scores of 218 and 183 to notched a pair of team points. Trent Jones rolled a 196 and a 180 on his way to a 509 total, while Drew Lowe had a 192 game and a 462 series. The Walker Valley teams will travel across the river again Tuesday with a trip to Dayton’s Crystal Lanes to take on Rhea County.
Lady ’Stangs trample Bruisers Posted Friday, November 4, 2016 10:33 am From Staff Reports HIXSON — After winning all eight available points in the opening set, Walker Valley coasted to a blowout victory over Girls Preparatory School at the Spare Time Lanes in Hixson on Thursday afternoon.
Posting a 500-plus pin fall advantage, the Lady Mustangs trampled the Bruisers 23.5-3.5. The final pin count tally read 2,647-2,145. Natily Haro led the Walker Valley effort with a 624 series, including a high game of 236. She also rolled a 208 and 180 games to pick up a trio of team points.
Skylar Earls pitched in with a 388 series, including a 167 high game, while Michaela Brown helped out with a 482 three-game tally, including scores of 171 and 170. Both Walker Valley teams will return to the Leisure Time Bowling Center Monday for an intracounty match against Bradley Central.
Mustangs roll past Baylor Posted Wednesday, November 2, 2016 11:06 am From Staff Reports Walker Valley rolled past Baylor twice Tuesday at the Leisure Time Bowling Center. The Mustang squads galloped past the Red Raiders 25-2 in the girls match, plus claimed a 21-6 victory in the boys battle. The “Fillies” will travel to Hixson for a match against Girls Preparatory School Thursday before both Walker Valley squads take on county-rival Bradley Central on Monday. The Walker Valley girls swept all of the matches in the first and second sets Tuesday, plus four of the five heads-up matches in the final game to secure the 2,687-1,868 victory. Michaela Brown led the Lady Mustangs with a 539 high series, that included the match’s high game with a 223. She also rolled a 180. Natily Haro was close behind her teammate with a 534 three-game total, rolling a 193 for her top score. Her other two games were a 178 and a 163. Claire Townsend posted a 174 score while rolling a 448 series, Skylar Earls was consistent with three scores (151, 150, 139) within a dozen points of each other while posting a 440 tally. In the boys’ match, the Mustangs out rolled the Raiders by a 3,070-2,805 pin fall tally. Jon Womble led the victors with a 625 high series, including games of 217, 216 and 192. Mustang Hayden Word posted the high game with a 226, plus rolled a 191 and a 184 for a 601 series. Trent Jones garnered a 199 and a 177 on his way to a 503 tally, while Jared Gruver posted a 180 in his 472 series.
Walker Valley bowers split with McMinn Posted Friday, October 28, 2016 10:48 am From Staff Reports ATHENS — The trip to McMinn County proved to have a mixed outcome for the Walker Valley bowling teams.
The Lady Mustangs were able to defeat the Lady Cherokees by a score of 19-8 and total pinfall victory of 2,344-2,034, but their male counterparts ultimately fell to the Tribe by 23-4 and a total pinfall of 3,123-2,520. In the girls’ match, Natily Haro had the high series for Walker Valley with a 572, and her high game was a 227 in game three.
McMinn County opened things up with a 737-651 pinfall lead after game one, but the Lady Mustangs turned things around in the second game. After rolling an 801 to the Tribe’s 650 in game two, Walker Valley had taken a 1,452-1,387 pinfall lead. They closed the match out by knocking over 892 more pins, while McMinn managed only 647. Hannah Raper bowled a 401 series, with Skylar Earls rolling a 398 series. Michaela Brown finished with a 359 series, Brianne Pritchett had a 312 total, and Claire Townsend bowled a 302 series. Thursday was the second win in a row for the Lady Mustangs, who also defeated Girls Preparatory School at Leisure Time on Wednesday. Walker Valley posted a score of 20-7 and won by a total pinfall of 2,715-2,294. Haro posted a 673 series and had a high game of 233 in the second game. Earls bowled a 506 series, while Brown finished with a 445 series. Bowling a 381 series was Townsend, with Prichett rolling a 375 and Raper finished with a 335 series. The Walker Valley boys suffered a tough loss at the hands of bowling foe McMinn County, which finished 604 pins ahead of its guests. The high series for the Mustangs was Hayden Word’s 563, and Word also had the high game for his team with a score of 213 in game three. Trent Jones bowled a 453 series. Jonathan Womble rolled a 340 in the first two games, while Miguel Gomez and Jared Gruver bowled a 254 and 253 respectively in those games. Drew Lowe had a two game total of 221. Ethan Bates and Archie Bowers rolled a 117 and 99 respectively in the third game, with Jacob Cronan taking over for Womble in the that game to finish with a 135. Both the Mustangs and Lady Mustangs have an overall record of 6-2 now. Bowling picks up for Walker Valley again on Tuesday, when the Mustangs host Baylor at 4 p.m. Bradley Central will be in action as well, as they make the trip up to Signal Mountain at 3:30 p.m.
Walker Valley bowling squad overwhelms East Hamilton
Posted Wednesday, October 26, 2016 11:27 am By SARALYN NORKUS Banner Sports WriterWalker Valley had a successful day on the lanes Tuesday, with both the boys and the girls teams’ defeating East Hamilton. The Mustangs dealt the Hurricanes a 22-5 loss, picking up the total pinfall victory 3,276-2,868. Walker Valley jumped out to a 1,098-973 lead over East Hamilton after game one, and then made it a 2,230-1,925 after game two. The Mustangs added 1,046 more pins to their total in the game, while the Hurricanes picked up 943 more. Hayden Word had the high series for Walker Valley with a 677 and had a high game of 243 in game three. Jon Womble rolled a 624 series, which was capped off by a 226 in game three. Trent Jones bowled a 556 series and Drew Lowe had a 490 series. Jared Gruver rolled a 488 series, while Miguel Gomez bowled 327 for the first two games. Preston Bass came in for the third game and bowled a 99. The Lady Mustang bowlers posted a 20.5-6.5, 2,935-2,494 total pinfall win over the Lady Hurricanes. Walker Valley started out with a 922-842 pinfall lead after game one, which became a 2,003-1,711 lead following game two. The Lady Mustangs picked up 932 additional pins in game three to their opponents 783. Natily Haro rolled the high series with a 623 and pitched a high game of 246 in game two. Lone senior Skylar Earls followed with a 563 series, which included a 231 in the second game. Finishing with a 475 series was Claire Townsend, while Michaela Brown rolled a 446 series. Hannah Raper bowled a 437 series and Brianne Prichett finished with a 391 series. Almost a month into their season, the Mustangs have a record of 6-1 overall and are 2-1 in the district, while the Lady Mustangs are 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the district. The Walker Valley girls will bowl at Leisure Time today against GPS at 4 p.m. Both the Walker Valley boys and the girls will be in tough District 5 competition with McMinn County on Thursday at Classic Lanes in Athens. Bradley Central’s boys bowling team hosts Baylor today at 3:30 p.m., while both the boys and girls will be in action Thursday when Chattanooga Central comes to Leisure Time at 3:30 p.m
Rhea bowls through Walker Valley in district match
Photo by GEORGE NORKUS Posted Friday, October 21, 2016 11:54 am BY SARALYN NORKUS Banner Sports Writer
Walker Valley was dealt a tough loss on the lanes by Rhea County on Thursday evening. The Lady Mustangs fell to the Lady Eagles 16-11 in a close match and by a total pinfall of 2,984-2,896. Rhea was able to start off on the right foot, taking a 1,033-933 lead after game one. While Walker Valley had a pinfall victory of 957-949 in game two, it wasn’t enough to catch their rival, who had a 1,982-1,890 lead. The Herd rolled 1,006 to Rhea’s 1,002 in game three. Natily Haro had the high game and high series for Walker Valley, rolling a 632 series and finishing out her night with a 237 in the third game. Michaela Brown rolled a 502 series and Skylar Earls finished with a 493 series. Bowling a 448 series were Claire Townsend, Hannah Raper had a 430 series and Brianne Prichett bowled a 391 series. The Mustangs did not do as well as their female counterparts on Thursday, falling to Rhea County 19.5-7.5 and by a pinfall of 3,568-3,197. The Eagles soared to a 1,214-943 lead following game one. Walker Valley took game two 1,248-1,190, but was still trailing Rhea by a total pinfall of 2,404-2,191. Game three went to the visitors, who won by a pinfall of 1,164-1,008. Jon Womble had the high game and high series for Walker Valley, bowling a 611 series that featured a 249 in the second game. Drew Lowe bowled a 592 series and Hayden Word rolled a 584. Trent Jones finished with a 541 series, Jared Gruver had a 463 series and Miguel Gomez bowled a 414 series. The loss was a tough one for the Mustangs, who on Wednesday had soundly defeated Signal Mountain 24-3 and by a total pinfall of 3,168-2,263. Word had the high series for Walker Valley, finishing with a 627 and also had the high game, bowling a 244 in game three. Womble rolled a 618 series. Bowling in the first two games, both Trent Jones and Drew Lowe rolled 342, with Dakota Garriott and Jared Gruver finishing with a 318 and 317 respectively. Coming in for the third game was Preston Bess, who had a 163, Miquel Gomez had a 159, Ernest Suniga rolled a 155 and Jacob Cronan finished with a 127. As of Oct. 16, the Mustangs are ranked 15th in the state, with the Lady Mustangs being ranked 13th. Haro was ranked seventh individually as of Sept. 24. Walker Valley hosts East Hamilton at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
Bears, Mustangs pick up big wins on the lanes
Posted Saturday, October 8, 2016 10:33 pm From Staff Reports Both Bradley Central and Walker Valley’s boys bowling teams were victorious in their latest meets. The Bears rolled past Signal Mountain 25-2, and by a total pinfall of 2,680-1,800. “Everyone stepped up and did an awesome job,” Bradley coach Chelsea Helton declared. “All of my bowlers have been working hard and this win was a great display of their hard work and dedication.” Logan Anderson led the Bears with a 569 series, that included a 255 in game three, which was the high game of the day. Rollins Austin bowled a 476 series. Trevor Kennedy had a two game total of 370, which included a pinfall of 216 in the first game. Devin Farmer rolled a 308 in two games, Collin Cartwright had a two game total of 254 and Dallas Taynor finished with a two game total of 205. Darius O’Brien bowled a 150 in game three, while Peyton Kent had a 132 in the first game. On the other side of the bowling alley, the Mustangs faced their toughest challenge to date in a 20-7, 3,261-3053 pinfall win over Soddy-Daisy. Hayden Word had the high series with 654, which included a 232 in game one. Jon Womble bowled a 592 series. Trent Jones finished with a 572 series and Drew Lowe followed closely with a 570 series. Jared Gruver rolled a 451 series, while Archie Bowers bowled a 350 in two games. Ethan Bates bowled a 153 in the final game. After the first game, Walker Valley had a pinfall lead of 1,151-1,015 lead over the Trojans. Following the second game, that lead had become 2,281-2,081. In game three, the Mustangs edged out the Trojans 980-972 to hang on to the win. The Lady Mustangs were dealt their first loss of the season by the Lady Trojans in a 20-7, 2,739-2,475 meet. Natily Haro had Walker Valley’s high series of 588, which included a 215 in game three. Michaela Brown rolled a 417 series, while Skylar Earls finished with a 393 series. Claire Townsend bowled a 389 series and Alyssa Hooper rolled a 306.
Local bowling teams keep on rolling along
Posted Wednesday, October 5, 2016 11:20 am By SARALYN NORKUS Banner Sports Writer Tuesday was a busy day for both Walker Valley and Bradley Central’s bowling teams. Leisure Time was a packed house, with Walker Valley hosting Hixson and Bradley hosting East Hamilton. Walker Valley’s boys and girls both improved their record to 3-0 after soundly defeating Hixson. The Mustangs won 23-4 and by a total pinfall of 3,025-2,166, while the Lady Mustangs posted a 25-2 match point win and had a pinfall of 2,496 to Hixson’s 1,294. “Our boys and girls both won and I’m proud of them and for the most part, because they did really well,” Walker Valley coach Dean Anderson said. “There is still room for improvement, but it’s early on so we’re excited about the possibilities for the season. We have a younger team, but we’ve got a lot of strong bowlers.” Hayden Word had the high series for the Mustangs with a 685, which included a 233 in the first game and 255 in the second. Jared Gruver, who is a freshman bowler, bowled a 559 series and Jon Womble had a 545 series. Trent Jones bowled a 501 series and Drew Lowe posted a 282 in two games. Archie Bowers rolled a 135 in game two, Preston Bess had a 131 in the third game, Dakota Garriott had a 102 in the first game and Ernest Suniga had 88 in the third game. For the Lady Mustangs, Natily Haro once again scorched the lanes and finished with a 652 series. Haro bowled a 200 in game one, 227 in game two and finished with a 225 in game three. Hannah Raper bowled a 376, with Mackenzie Bishop subbing in during the third game. Michaela Brown bowled a 329 after the first two games and lone senior Skyler Earls put up a pinfall of 309 from the second and third games. Brie Pritchett rolled a 278 series, Claire Townsend had 209 from two games and Alyssa Hooper subbed in during game two. Hooper rolled a 109 in the third game, with Maggie Maples getting 88 in that game as well. “I think they are about where I expected them to be. My guys are better than anticipated, but I knew the talent was there. The girls are about where Coach Smeltzer and I thought they should be,” Anderson commented. Walker Valley has two more matches this week, hosting East Ridge today at 4 p.m. and Soddy-Daisy on Thursday at 4 p.m. Both the Bradley Central boys and girls team dropped their matches against East Hamilton, but they didn’t go down without a fight. The Hurricanes defeated the Bears 16-11 in match points and by a total pinfall of 2,896-2,696. “Our guys were down 2-6 in the first and came back to tie it up 8-8 after the second game. We needed overall pins to win out the rest of the match, but wound up losing by 100 pins. The key is spares and making sure that we clean up every frame as we go along,” Bradley coach Chelsea Helton said. In the girls match, the Bearettes were defeated 22-5 and by a total pinfall of 2,550-2,261. “The girls had a rough start, but improved each game,” Helton added. “They gave us their best effort, and that’s what I’m asking for.” Both Bradley bowling squads are now 0-2. Trevor Kennedy led the Bears with a 549 series and averaged 183, while Logan Anderson rolled a 495 series. Rollins Austin bowled a 453 series that included a 200 in game two, and Luke Lee finished with a 424 series. Peyton Kent bowled a 275 in the first two games, with Collin Cartwright picking up 218 in those games as well. “All of my new guys are doing very well,” Helton said. Bradley defeated East Hamilton in the second game by a pinfall of 958-931. For the Bearettes, Leah White bowled a 516 series, which included a 200 in game three. Kealey Collins rolled a 461 series and Makayla Stewart finished with a 443 series. Abbie Beck bowled a 204 and Taylor Craft had a 172 in the first two games. Bowling in the second game was Angel Anderson, who had 106. Sarah Stinnett, Mariah Kirkpatrick and Angelica Alonso all bowled in game three with respective scores of 114, 97 and 73. Bradley returns to the lanes on Thursday when it hosts Signal Mountain. “We have to work on spares and adjust some minor things to extend our life throughout the matches,” the Bradley coach said.
Walker Valley outbowls Hixson Posted Friday, September 30, 2016 11:27 am From Staff Reports HIXSON — Walker Valley’s bowling teams improved to 2-0 Thursday evening with impressive wins over Hixson. The Mustangs dominated the Wildcats, winning by a total pinfall of 3,118-2,259 and picked up 23 match points to their hosts’ four. The Lady Mustangs won 19-8 and by a total pinfall of 2,478-2,149 For the boys, Jon Womble finished with a high series of 671, which included rolling a 244 in the first game. Hayden Word followed closely with a 661 series and had a 235 in the third game. Drew Lowe bowled a 475 series and Trent Jones finished with a 462 series. After the first game, the Walker Valley boys had taken a 1,011-654 pinfall lead over Hixson. That lead turned into a 2,062-1,466 after the second game For the girls, Natily Haro once again led the way with a 586 series. Haro’s high game of the night was a 215 in game two. Michaela Brown bowled a 469 series and Skylar Earls finished with a 421 series. The Lady Mustangs started out rather close with the Lady Wildcats, taking a 861-750 pinfall lead after the first game. Game two transformed that into a 1,763-1,441 lead. Their final game of the series proved to be the closest of the night, with Walker Valley edging out a 715-708 pinfall win over Hixson. On Tuesday, Walker Valley and Hixson will meet again, this time at Leisure Time with a 4 p.m. start time.
Walker Valley opens bowling season with win over Bradley
Posted Wednesday, September 28, 2016 10:40 am By SARALYN NORKUS Banner Sports Writer Tuesday marked the start of the 2016-17 bowling season. Getting things started off with a bang, Walker Valley and Bradley Central went head-to-head in the season and district opener. Both the Walker Valley boys and girls came away victorious, with the Mustangs defeating the Bears 21-2 and by a total pinfall of 3,018-2,602. The Lady Mustangs overcame the Bearettes with a 21-6 win and total pinfall of 2,608-2,303. “We started their season with a district win over Bradley — It was an exciting match,” Walker Valley coach Dean Anderson declared. “Coach Smeltzer and I are excited about this season, the potential and excitement of the bowlers, and their drive to excel in the sport.” Opening with a win was just one of the pluses for the Walker Valley coach. Taking over as head coach for the Bradley Central bowling team is a former bowler of Anderson’s, Chelsea Helton. “As a coach, it is a great feeling to have one of your former bowlers continue on in the sport, and then later on begin her coaching career. I am proud of coach Chelsea Helton for taking the reigns at our crosstown rival this year,” Anderson commented. The new Bradley coach was proud of her team’s performance, especially since the Bear and Bearette bowlers are a bit on the young side. “I’m pretty proud of them. We’re a young team, so most of my bowlers have only been bowling for five weeks,” Helton began. “A lot of them stepped up and did what they were asked, which was picking up spares and doing the best they can do. I think we have a lot of potential and a lot to work on, but my kids have the heart and desire to learn, and want to be there.” Jon Womble and Hayden Word led the Mustangs with a 556 and 554 series, respectively. Womble had a pinfall of 205 in the second game, while Word bowled a 200 in the third game. Trent Jones bowled a 546 series and Drew Lowe followed with a 533 series. Jared Gruver finished with a 468 series. Bowling in single games were Archie Bowers with a 134, Dakota Garriott with a 118 and Ethan Bates with a 109. “I am proud of the boys team in their victory, several Mustangs stepped up and rolled great matches. Jon Womble (556 series) and Hayden Word (554 series) Trent Jones (546 series) and followed closely by Drew Lowe (533 series). Jared Gruver, a freshman, stepped up in his first ever outing and finished with a 468 series,” Anderson said. For the Bears, Trevor Kennedy led the team with a 509 series, with a high game of 173 in the first match. Logan Anderson and Rollins Austin bowled a 466 and 464 series respectively, while Devin Farmer finished with a 399. Collin Cartwright bowled a 352 series Bowling a two-game total of 276 was Peyton Kent, while Darius O’Brien bowled a 136 in the third game. In the girls competition, Natily Haro led the way for the Lady Mustangs with a 611 series. Haro bowled a 234 in the third game and a 210 in the first game. Michaela Brown rolled a 498 series, while Skylar Earls bowled a 443 series. Claire Townsend bowled a 379 series, Hannah Raper finished with a 372 series and Brianne Prichett finished with a total of 305. “The Lady Mustangs had a strong outing with a young team showing tremendous potential,” Anderson said. “The ladies were led by Natily Haro who rolled a 611 series, having a high game of 234, followed by Michaela Brown (498 series) and Skylar Earls (443 series).” For the Bearettes, Kealey Collins led her team with a 508 series, with her high pinfall being a 173 in the first game. Leah White rolled a 458 series and Makayla Stewart bowled a 437 series. Angel Anderson finished with a 422 series. Abbie Beck bowled a 173 in two games and Mariah Kirkpatrick had a 95 in game one. Halee Kazy bowled an 81 in the second game and Angelica Alonso had a 61 in the third game.
FEATURED BOWLER - Hayden Word 2016-17 Year in School: Junior School: Walker Valley High School Bowls: Right Handed High Game: 299 High Series: 736 High League Avg: 198 High High School Avg: 193 Current Go To Ball: Storm Byte Favorite Bowling Ball Company: Storm Favorite Bowler: Jason Belmonte Other Sports? Baseball, Ultimate Frisbee & Golf Hobbies? Bouldering, Guitar, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Overlanding/Off-Roading Other Extracurriculars? HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America), Walker Valley Chamber Choir, Volunteer at Fun With Friends Colleges Looking At: Johns Hopkins, Wichita State, Ohio State, Bellarmine, Tennessee Wesleyan and other bowling colleges Do You Have A Career You Want To Go For? Anesthesiology/Neurosurgery Academic Achievements: 2014-15, 2015-16 Circle of Champions (3.5+ GPA in 3 or more honors/AP courses) Freshman, Sophomore Honor Roll, HOSA State Finalist
Top Bowling Match: My favorite bowling match? This is a hard question for me to answer, I have so many memories on these lanes in the past 2 years. I would have to say that my favorite match would be Walker Valley’s sub-state match last season against Columbia Central. We started off very weakly, even in our house, we had only 2 points out of a possible 9 after the first game, and after the second we were down by so much it was mathematically impossible for us to come back and win, statistically out of reach. So, Coach Anderson made a deal with the whole team, “If you have one open frame, you will be subbed out,” he did this so the majority of the team could go in to bowl in our last match of the season, or the last ever for some. One of the Seniors would be the first to go in and I, being a Sophomore would be the second. When I went in I inherited a 19 with an open 2nd frame, I managed to close out the rest of the game and score a 190, or thereabouts. Not my best game by a long shot, but one of my hardest ones to end, for this would be the last high school match I would bowl with 7 of my best friends, and not only did I win one of the only points in the match, the entire Columbia team made their way towards me to shake my hand, so I won their respect as well, and that means more to me than any amount of perfect games, 800 series, or Dutch 200's I could ever throw. So, was this my best match? No, but it is probably the most memorable I will ever have. Bowling Experience: I purchased my first reactive ball in September of 2014 , and that’s where everything changed. I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into this sport. Hours a day inside the bowling alley. Hopping from tournament to tournament every weekend, sometimes 2 or more at a time. I would bowl 100 to 150 games per week, tearing my hands to shreds, bowling until my arm would fall off. I love the sport more than any person I know and don’t plan on that changing. This sport is more than a game, it is a lifestyle, and I know that is cliche but it is the truth. If you plan on being any good at it you have to pump some serious hours into it. It is hard to just pick up once a week and carry an average higher than 180. So ever since, I bought my 13lb Roto Grip Shout, it has been nonstop for me: through sickness, anger, and even injury (I seriously injured my UCL playing baseball, and whilst in a cast I learned to bowl left handed). So my bowling experience has been nothing but seriousness from the start, it is hard to pick out one specific time of my bowling career and put in a paragraph, because it is nonstop for me. Choir Trip To London: I perform in Walker Valley’s Chamber Choir and was able to travel to London this year for the London New Year’s Day parade. I was chosen to represent the school as one of the two interviewed for the school by BBC for the schools intro. We were the ONLY choir invited and performed “God Save the Queen” at the parade’s close. I performed 3 solos throughout the parade route. How did you get involved with HOSA? I have targeted Pre-Med as major in the 6th grade and have been tailoring by studies for that purpose. It seemed only natural that I join the club and become involved. Since joining I was named Sentinel Officer and was nominated for State Vice President as a representative for my region. I did not win the election, however it was an honor to be nominated by my sponsors. I also established relationship with Team 5 Medical foundation to assists with preventative care and clinic creation for Developing Nations around the globe. What did you need to do with HOSA to become a state finalist? I gave a speech about whether or not Government should control diet. Without getting into the politics, it outlined how the government is proposing to dictate what Americans may or may not be able to consume far beyond just schools.