Kingpins once again.
The Oak Harbor High School bowling team dominated the field and won its second consecutive title at the 47th Annual Washington State Bowling Proprietors’ Association State High School Varsity Bowling Championships at Kenmore Lanes Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18 and 19.
The win was Oak Harbor’s fifth state title. Oak Harbor also won in 1991 when current coach Jason Youngsman played and twice in the 1970s when Youngsman’s father, John, now an assistant, coached the club.
Not only did Oak Harbor Varsity 1 take the crown, but Oak Harbor Varsity 2 finished atop Division III. The tournament featured 24 teams divided into three divisions based upon season average.
Oak Harbor also dominated the individual awards. Jerin Applegarth led the tournament with a 225 average and earned Most Valuable Player and first-team, all-state honors.
Varsity 1 teammates Brendan McCardle (200), Stephen Hornback (200) and Carlton Johnson (199) made second team.
In Division III, Christian Osorio (188) earned first-team honors and Dylan Slater (181) second-team.
Varsity 1 entered the tournament with the second best average, 938 to Stadium’s 941, but rolled over the competition once the state meet got underway.
In day one, Oak Harbor raced to a commanding lead, scoring 31 points and collecting 5,056 scratch pins. Cascade was a distant second at 20 and 4,512.
Oak Harbor finished with 49 points and 1,004 pins. Cascade faded to fourth while Moses Lake finished second with 43 and 943 and Stadium third at 43 and 909.
Jason Youngsman said, “These kids showed heart, determination, grit and poise. Varsity 1 led from start to finish and displayed more determination because being the hunted is a lot harder then being the hunter.”
While Oak Harbor Varsity 1 led wire-to-wire, Varsity 2 had to rally for its title.
Varsity 2, coached by CJ Johnson and Steve Hornback, sat in fifth place after the first day with 18 points and 3,994 pins; Lakewood held the top spot at 25 and 4,125.
Oak Harbor zipped to the lead Sunday (43.5 and 854) and edged Lakewood (41.5 and 846).
Youngsman said, “I can not even put into words how hard they (Varsity 2) worked. They were the last team to make it into the tournament and they showed how a great program with great kids with a ton of heart can win it.”
Joining Applegarth, McCardle, Johnson and Hornback on Varsity 1 were Tyler Rollyson and Glend Esguerra. Teaming up with Osorio and Slater on Varsity 2 were Ryan Gilman, Jay Angeles, Kekai Tarrant, Powell Tarrant and Patrick Anderson.
McCardle and Johnson were on the Varsity 1 2011 title team, and Rollyson, Applegarth, Esquerra and Slater competed for Varsity 2 last year.
Youngsman said, “Bowling is a cool sport and we look forward to seeing more kids join next year.”
