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Fort Dodge bowlers doubling up at state

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Fort Dodge boys bowling team state qualifiers are, front row (left to right): Seth Hanson, Jared Jacobson, Tre Preston, Don Ervin. Back: Rod Riessen, Adam Moore, Ethan Graves, Tristan Earnest.

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla State qualifiers for the Fort Dodge girls bowling team are (left to right): coach Niccole Begalle, Allison Paulson, Megan Patrick, Lauren Hade, Lexi Hemann, Bayleigh Olsen and Lean Sanck.ES MOINES — Don Ervin has many steadfast beliefs about bowling and why certain programs are successful.

Ervin, the veteran head coach for Fort Dodge, will get to test one of those out at Plaza Lanes Tuesday when both the Dodger boys and girls compete in the Class 2A state bowling tournament.

Action is scheduled to begin at 10:20 a.m. following the Parade of Bowlers beginning at 10 a.m.

The FDSH girls will be on Lane 3, while the boys are on Lane 5. Between them will be Ottumwa, which also qualified both squads.

“It’s a real nice set-up,” said Ervin, who coached the Dodger boys to a state team title two years ago. “They’ll get to cheer each other on and really work on it together.

“There is just something about bowling in this state. The top teams come from towns like Fort Dodge.”

The Dodger girls scored the highest total at districts in Class 2A, bowling a combined 1,888. They were led by junior Lauren Hade and senior Bayleigh Olsen, who posted the No. 1 and 2 qualifying scores as well.

Hade had a 426 series with games of 196 and 230, while Olsen had a 405 (214-191).

“The girls just seem to get better and better as the season goes,” Ervin said. “They come alive at the very end, and hopefully they can do it again (at state).

“With them, we have some really big shooters — which we also have with the boys. If they can get on track and get going, watch out.”

Leah Sanck had a 363 at districts, followed by Megan Patrick (348), Allison Paulson (346) and Lexi Hemann (337). Patrick finished 13th at state a year ago.

“Niccole (Ervin-Begalle) does such a fantastic job with the girls,” Ervin said. “Without her, there is no way we’d be doing this. She’s one of the top bowlers in Fort Dodge, and a heck of a coach as well.

“Then, we were able to add Rod Riessen as an assistant. He’s helped me out so much. When (Matt) Elsbecker called me and asked if I’d like Rod to join our staff, I think it took me a week for my feet to come back down to the ground.”

Waterloo East, the defending state champion, was second out of districts with a 1,818, while Waverly-Shell Rock, Pleasant Valley, Keokuk, Urbandale, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson and Ottumwa also qualified.

Leah Frost of Waterloo East was the individual champion a year ago, and returns after firing a 500 (290-210).

Leading the way for the Dodger boys will be returning third-place finisher Seth Hanson. The Top-4 individual placewinners from a season ago are all back.

Hanson had the fifth-best score coming out of districts, with Jacob Fulton of Cedar Rapids Xavier sitting atop the field thanks to his 512.

Keokuk was the top team qualifier, with Lewis Central, Western Dubuque, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson, Pleasant Valley, Ottumwa and defending state champion Urbandale rounding out the field.

Tre Preston (383), Ethan Graves (351), Adam Moore (326), Tristan Earnest (310) and Jared Jacobson (281) all helped the Dodgers earn another state berth.

Hanson, Graves, Jacobson and Earnest were all on the squad that finished seventh. Hanson was also a member of the state championship team.

“We’ve been working on some stuff with the boys,” Ervin said. “Since Marshalltown, we’ve just been missing spares. But I think once we get down to Plaza Lanes, we’ll be good.”

Teams and individual qualifiers will bowl two 10-pin games, with those scores being used to determine the individual champion and placewinners. Teams that qualified will then enter into the Baker games, with final scores being combined to crown the state champion.

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