Marshalltown girls’ bowling coach Dustin Peterson has been looking forward to this season since the last one ended.
The Bobcats return five bowlers from last year’s varsity lineup that placed fourth in the Iowa Alliance Conference’s North Division tournament, and Peterson is eager to see how much ground his squad can make up this time around.
Marshalltown’s five leading scorers all return in hopes of moving up the chart when the time comes for the conference and state-qualifying meet.
The latter was when Peterson started pointing toward this season.
“Our junior class, especially Sydney (May), has really stepped up this year taking a leadership role with this team,” Peterson said after the Bobcats placed sixth at the state-qualifying meet they hosted on Feb. 12. “With her and Devin [Peterson], the two of them don’t just lead by example but through encouragement and just trying to build up the team. I’m looking forward to what comes next.”
Coach Peterson’s lineup looks to consist of up to four seniors — Kenedy Lammert, Delaney Legg, Sydney May and Devin Peterson — as well as returning juniors Camillya Thomas and Ariana Villagomez. Bailey Damman will work her way onto the varsity roster to start the season as well.
Peterson (fourth) and Thomas (ninth) both earned individual all-conference honors last year.
“We’re returning five from last year’s team and I would really like to win the North,” coach Peterson said. “That’s our focus right now. And just shooting a better average. I have no doubt in my mind that each girl can improve by 20 pins this year.
“I’d like to see us improve our Bakers average too. I think last year we averaged about 125 and I’d love to see that up to 150, 160; that would be great. A lot of that’s just concentration and working hard. Bakers is hard to practice for because sometimes it’s more about the feeling and the energy and it’s really hard to practice that when you’re not in a meet.”
May was the team’s scoring leader last season with a 142.5 pins-per-game average, just barely ahead of Peterson (139.3). Thomas (129.55), Villagomez (126.05) and Lammert (119) round out the returning bunch. Sophomores Aubrey Webber and Ray Massa are also on the squad.
The schedule kicks off for the Bobcats with Tuesday’s road meet against Waterloo East at Cadillac XBC.
MHS BOWLING
Tuesday, Nov. 26 at Waterloo East, 3 p.m. Cadillac Lanes
Tuesday, Dec. 3 FORT DODGE, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 10 at Ottumwa, 3 p.m. Champion Bowl
Tuesday, Dec. 17 AMES, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 7 at Mason City, 3 p.m. Comet Bowl
Saturday, Jan. 11 at Louisa-Muscatine Invite, 1 p.m. Rose Bowl, Muscatine
Tuesday, Jan. 14 DES MOINES LINCOLN, 3 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 18 at Ottumwa Bakers Tournament, 1 p.m. Champion Bowl
Thursday, Jan. 23 DES MOINES NORTH, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 4 at Des Moines East, 3 p.m. Bowlerama Lanes
Thursday, Feb. 6 WEST DES MOINES VALLEY, 3 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 10 (B) at Iowa Alliance Conference, 10 a.m. Bowlerama Lanes, Des Moines
Tuesday, Feb. 11 (G) at Iowa Alliance Conference, 10 a.m. Bowlerama Lanes, Des Moines
Monday, Feb. 17 (G) State Qualifying, TBD
Tuesday, Feb. 18 (B) State Qualifying, TBD
Tuesday, Feb. 25 Boys State Team, Girls State Team Cadillac Lanes, Waterloo
Wednesday, Feb. 26 State Individual Tournament Cadillac Lanes, Waterloo