—Photo by Matthew Putney Aryssa Lumsden

WATERLOO — What started as an incredible comeback and cheers of excitement, quickly turned into tears and disappointment for the Fort Dodge girls bowling team on Tuesday.

The Dodgers, who reached the final eight of the Class 2A state bowling tournament as the two seed, had just rallied from a 2-1 deficit in a best of five series to beat Denison-Schleswig and advance to the final four.

Just as head coach Nick Vinson was turning in Fort Dodge’s scores, he was informed that the Dodgers were disqualified from the tournament for a rules violation.

“It’s a rule in the book that they send out that states no cell phones or electronic devices in the competition area,” Vinson said. “We broke a rule and a rule is a rule.”

Enthusiasm quickly turned into heartbreak as the girls were informed of the decision.

“Obviously they were upset and shed some tears after they battled back,” Vinson said. “I had to go tell the girls, who just spent all of their energy to fight back, that we were done. After the immediate emotions of fighting their tails off, pouring all of their energy into winning, their season was over.

“It was one of the hardest things that I’ve had to deal with, not only in coaching, but in my life.”

The Dodgers’ season doesn’t end as seniors Lexi Hanson and Alexis Kenney, along with sophomore Gabby Flores, will compete in the individual tournament on Wednesday.

“We didn’t talk about it until after dinner,” Vinson said. “Once we went to dinner, we put it behind us. (Wednesday) is a different tournament.

“Everyone gets to bowl another match in their career. The good thing for our two seniors, Lexi Hanson and Alexis Kenney is they get to bowl again and all of the other girls come back next season. Wednesday is a new day and we have to move on.

“There is a lesson to learn from this, I’m not sure what it is, but it happened for a reason and we have to stay positive.”

According to Iowa Girls High School Athletic Association Assistant Director Jason Eslinger, the manual states: No electronic use (cell phone, iPod, mp3 player etc) is permitted in competition areas during warm up or competition.

Failure to follow this rule will result in disqualification of the bowler and a zero for the game.

After finishing second in the seeding round, the Dodgers took the first game from Denison-Schleswig, 203-169. The Monarchs won the next two 210-202 and 183-151, setting the Dodgers up for two-must win games.

Fort Dodge clipped the Monarchs 180-174. In the final do-or-die situation, the Dodgers dominated Denison-Schleswig 193-161 to apparently advance to the Final Four.

In the seeding, the Dodgers shot a 2,843 to advance as the second seed behind Keokuk (2,899).

LeMars (2,801) was third, followed by Western Dubuque (2,656), Clinton (2,616), Lewis Central (2,596), Denison (2,566) and Newton (2,457).

Newton, Western Dubuque, Lewis Central and Denison were in the Final Four. Newton faced Lewis Central in the championship match with Lewis Central winning the Class 2A state title.

The girls and boys individual competition will be held Wednesday at Maple Lanes with action beginning at 9 a.m.