—Photo by Troy Hyde, Newton News The Fort Dodge bowling team stands with their state qualifying banner. Pictured left to right are head coach Nick Vinson, James Orres, Zach Reeck, Riley Travis, JR Stubbs, Nathan Beekman, Carson Werning, Trenton Beck and assistant coach Julie Ulrich.

NEWTON — The Fort Dodge bowling team will be back at the state tournament.

The Dodgers earned the Class 2A district championship and senior Zach Reeck was the individual district champion.

Fort Dodge rolled a 2,867, 104 pins better than runner up Newton (2,763).

“The boys represented Fort Dodge well, bringing home the team and individual championship,” said Fort Dodge assistant coach Julie Ulrich. “We’ve been a solid team all year and all six boys get to travel to Waterloo and compete next week for a state title.”

Reeck was the individual champion with a 685. Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson’s Kendal Bell (680) was the runner up.

“Zach Reeck bowled lights out in singles,'” Ulirch said. “He was very focused and dialed in all afternoon. Considering it was his first appearance at districts, if he was nervous, he didn’t show it.

“From the second game into the third he had thrown 13 straight strikes. Zach just started bowling his junior year and had put in endless hours on the lanes improving his game. It definitely paid off.”

Reeck rolled three 200 games, starting with a 205 and 258. He finished his set with 222.

“Zach was ultra-consistent,” said FDSH head coach Nick Vinson. “You would look at him and think that he was feeling the pressure, but the way he was bowling, you would never know.

“In the first game, a kid from Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson was in the lead with a 279, but by the end of game two, Zach was in the lead.”

Trenton Beck was next in line with a 546 and Carson Werning added a 531. Beck checked in with a consistent series of 182, 199 and 165. Werning had a high game of 214.

Riley Travis contributed a 523 with a lead game of 201. Nathan Beekman was next at 522.

During Baker action, the Dodgers had the high game of the day with a 255. They rolled five 200 games in all.

“The lanes were different…we have never bowled on those,” Vinson said. “The scores were down across the board. The balls were just hitting differently.”

Bondurant-Farrar (2,652) was third. Norwalk (2,632) and Urbandale (2,631) rounded out the team standings.

The team state tournament is Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo.

The individual tournament is Wednesday, Feb. 22, at Maple Lanes in Waterloo.

Fort Dodge — Carson Werning 214-145-172–531; Nathan Beekman 206-163-153–522; Trenton Beck 182-199-165–546; Zach Reeck 205-258-222–685; JR Stubbs 141-181-158–480; Riley Travis 140-201-182–523.