Another title for Carroll’s Johansen; Buhler girls win team trophy
Front and center, Bishop Carroll sophomore Hollyann Johansen held up the poster signifying her second Class 5-1A state title and smiled as the camera flashes exploded in front of her.
If she had it her way, Johansen would blend in somewhere in the second row, just another face in the crowd.
But state champions can’t escape the attention. Especially Johansen, who as a sophomore became the first two-time state champion, boy or girl, in either class. The sophomore took her place in history on Friday at Northock Lanes.
“I’m starting to get used to it, but it’s still not my favorite thing ever,” Johansen said of the attention.
Ever since Johansen started bowling in high school, she has been thrust into the spotlight. As a freshman, she won City League, Regionals and the state meet.
The standard was set. This year people actually speculated what was wrong when she didn’t win league or regionals. Johansen settled the debate Friday, rolling a 692 series to best Sumner Academy’s Kaitlyn Carter by one pin.
“I saw her get frustrated a couple of times, but she never doubted herself,” Carroll coach Jim Nance said. “It just shows you what kind of bowler she is. A lot of people get down on themselves and question their ability, but Hollyann knows what type of bowler she is. In the biggest stage, she performs her best.”
But when that stage was set in the team race, which turned into a showdown between Buhler and Carroll in the same lanes, the Crusaders were at their best. Buhler turned in a 902 third game to erase a 14-pin deficit to win the team championship. Buhler was led by Casey Bailey’s 644 series for fifth and Kirsten Allan, who placed ninth at 617.
“We didn’t give the game away,” Nance said. “Buhler took it from us.”
Buhler coach Skip Wilson was almost brought to tears watching his girls surge in the final game. Saying the Crusaders’ season has been interesting would be to sell it short.
“You can’t script this kind of stuff,” Wilson said. “We had no bowling alley because Countryside Lanes closes down. We had to get KSHSAA to agree to let us try out in November because we didn’t have a home. Then we had to convince Starlite Lanes in McPherson to let us bowl two days a week.”
A year ago, the Crusaders went through the same situation. Trailing entering the third game, they rallied and thought they had done enough only to fall eight pins short.
“I called the girls together before the third game and told them what happened last year can’t happen again,” Wilson said. “I can’t see you guys lose by eight pins again. They all looked at me and they all said, together, ‘No way.’”
Then the strikes came. One after another, and Carroll admitted it could feel Buhler grab the momentum. This time, the Crusaders would not be denied.
“We got a little mad out there,” Buhler senior Shayla Roath said. “We didn’t want to lose like we did last year, so we pumped ourselves up and went out there and did our best.”
Class 5-1A Girls
At Northrock Lanes
Team results—1. Buhler (Casey Bailey 644, Kirsten Allan 617, Joely Bartel 606, Destiny Bruce 560) 2,502; 2. Bishop Carroll (Hollyann Johansen 692, Kaitlin Johnson 619, Anna Bohr 550, Rachell Rotramel 533); 3. Shawnee Heights (Jessica Thompson 589, Kristin Renyer 580, Jennifer Pheigaru 580, Michelle Breitkreutz 553) 2,382; 4. McPherson (Crystal Nutter 665, Jasmine Wann 562, Mayce Nightingale 533, Cassie Golden 533) 2,295; 5. Topeka Seaman 2,187; 6. KC Sumner 2,163; 7. Lansing 2,069; 8. Mulvane 1,964 (Kayley Miller 537, Kara Wilkes 517, Missy Rayl 464, Larissa Ester 437).
I ndividual results—1. Hollyann Johansen, Carroll, 275-220-197—692; 2. Carter, Sumner, 226-248-217—691; 3. Hejny, Great Bend, 213-210-248—671; 4. Nutter, McPherson, 224-182-259—665; 5. Bailey, Buhler, 209-220-226—639; 6. Ramirez, Turner, 193-220-226—639; 7. Sorrells, Maize South, 224-180-233—637; 8. Johnson, Carroll, 177-216-226—619; 9. Allan, Buhler, 209-174-234—617; 10. Watson, Augusta, 223-214-178—615; 11. Angello, Lansing, 219-201-193—613; 12. Bartel, Buhler, 187-237-182—606; 13. Hackler, Seaman, 213-224-163—600; 14. Meitzner, Kapaun, 166-190-235—591; 15. Thompson, Shawnee Heights, 237-135-217—589; 16. Tavano, Lansing, 215-146-220—581; 17. Pheigaru, Shawnee Heights, 212-188-180—580; 18. Renyer, Shawnee Heights, 204-193-183—580; 19. Barber, Topeka West, 225-189-164—578; 20. Senn, Newton, 159-193-214—566.