Wichita Northwest, Bishop Carroll win individual bowling titles in Class 5-1A
Thursday was their last shot together, and they cashed in.
Wichita Northwest senior Gabriel Alvarez finally captured his first state bowling title with a 744-pin series, and his long-time bowling partner, sophomore Brandon Bonta, was a spot behind him at 711 pins in Class 5-1A at Northrock Lanes in Wichita.
The Grizzly pair has become one of the best duos in Kansas high school bowling. Last year, Bonta finished second, and Alvarez took third as they helped Northwest to its fourth team title in school history.
Alvarez and Bonta said finishing first and second was special.
“It’s pretty cool being able to bowl with him on a team,” Alvarez said. “We’ve done a lot of doubles meets, but this is different to be able to do it for the school.”
Alvarez bowled a pair of outstanding events over the past two weeks. The Northwest senior won the Grizzlies’ regional meet at Eisenhower last Friday and followed it with a title he has chased since freshman year.
As a freshman, Alvarez took sixth in Class 6A. A year later, he didn’t even qualify for state. And last year, he was among the favorites to win it but couldn’t get over the hump.
Now he passes the program to Bonta, who corrected a tough regional meet.
Bonta, one of the more promising bowlers in the Wichita area, finished eighth at Northwest’s regional. He bowled a 605-pin series that included a 172-pin game.
Bonta said it took time for him to learn the oil patterns on the state lanes Thursday, but once he did in the third game, he took off.
“(Alvarez) hit a 287 in the second game, and I got lined up in the third and hit a 278,” he said. “It’s all about getting matched up in this sport and figuring out the best ways to make the ball through the pins.”
One to watch
For the second straight year, a freshman has won an individual bowling title.
Bishop Carroll’s Kaylee Back took home the girls’ Class 5-1A title with a 662-pin series, more than 50 pins ahead of the state runner-up.
“I just locked in yesterday at practice and found my line,” she said. “I had my whole team back behind me, supporting me. I just threw the ball.”
Back’s performance was outstanding given her regional finish. She took 24th at the Golden Eagles’ regional at Eisenhower. She was fourth on her own team.
Her state performance started slow, too. She bowled a 162 in her first game, the lowest first-game score of the top six finishers. But she picked up in the final two, including a 256-pin second game.
Back wasn’t part of the state championship team last year but helped the Eagles to a fifth-place finish this year. The next highest finisher on her team came 34th.
Campus freshman Piper Reams took first in Class 6A last year and said it took her by surprise. Back said the same thing.
“I was not expecting this,” she said. “I had the goal, but I didn’t know it was going to happen. I knew I wanted to win it at least one of my four years, but I didn’t know it was going to happen my freshman year.”
Results for Class 5-1A
Girls - Individual
1. Kaylee Back - Bishop Carroll, 662
2. Abigayle Berner - KC Piper, 611
3. Addyson Schiffelbein - Mulvane, 578
4. Jaiden Montandon - Buhler, 562 (202)
5. Brianna Evans - Topeka Seaman, 562 (195)
6. Victoria Alvarez - Wichita Northwest, 558
7. Lauren Lust - Salina South, 551
8. Kaitlyn Evans - Topeka Seaman, 547
9. Madison Liby - Shawnee Heights, 545
10. Jayden Barr - Andover Central, 542
11. Abigail Kennedy - Wichita Northwest, 539
12. Kinsey Miller - Emporia, 535
13. Kailee O’Connor - Salina Central, 534
14. Alyssa Herl - Buhler, 532
15. Paige Wagner - Great Bend, 529
16. Nicole Miele - Maur Hill, 522
17. Kaelin Tabor - Circle, 520
18. McKinley Cross - Buhler, 514
19. McKenzie Womack - Wichita Northwest, 512
20. Mary Chambers - Buhler, 507
Boys - Individual
1. Gabriel Alvarez - Wichita Northwest, 744
2. Brandon Bonta - Wichita Northwest, 711
3. Grayson Graham - Maize, 651
4. Sean Cauthron - De Soto, 647
5. Caleb James - Andover Central, 635
6. Peyton Montgomery - Eisenhower, 612
7. Noah Belt - Topeka Seaman, 605
8. Jordan Black - Great Bend, 594
9. Koby Hoar - Topeka Seaman, 588
10. Forrest Parker - El Dorado, 579
11. Christopher Marcus - Wichita Heights, 570
12. Dallas Bishop - Goddard, 567
13. Mackenzie ProteroeTarrent - Wichita Heights, 566
14. Alexander Wright - De Soto, 561
15. Taylor Miller - McPherson, 559
16. Griffin Peterson - Salina South, 558
17. Sam Calderon - Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 554
18. Kaleb Odums - Bishop Miege, 553
19. Cody Mzhickteno - Topeka Seaman, 550
20. Bradley Gawith - Salina Central, 550
This story was originally published February 28, 2019 at 7:33 PM.