Strike After Strike: Decorah Girls Bowling Heads to State with Regional Win

Your financial contribution empowers watchdog reporting that protects and informs us all. DECORAH — Inside Kingpin Entertainment Center on a bitterly cold Monday afternoon, parents and spectators wedged between arcade games and stood on step-ladders while vying for the best view. Together, they watched on as the Decorah Girls Bowling Team rolled through the competition in the team rounds, winning by more than 300 points. The regional teams in attendance were Central Dewitt, Clinton, Decorah, Marion, Waterloo East, Waverly Shell-Rock, Western Dubuque and Xavier. For Decorah, it was a dominant and compelling team win, as the girls kept "Truckin' all the way," a chant they cheered to one another after consecutive strikes in the fifteen baker rounds—and they did a lot of cheering. Bowling became a sanctioned team sport at Decorah High School in 2016, and since then, led by the passion and excitement of Coaches Keith and Michael Bruening, the keglers have ascended the ranks of team and individual bowling in the region and the state. The team's combined roster totals around sixty bowlers. Decorah's Athletic Director Adam Riley credits the coaches. "They've created a very welcoming and inclusive environment. They're passionate about bowling and it shows. It rubs off on the student-athletes." Indeed it does show. Throughout the competition, coaches paced behind the team, watching with anticipation each release of the ball, each follow-through, each smack of the pins. With every strike and spare, the students and coaches alike were there to congratulate, fist-bump and high-five with their teammates. With every open frame, they were there to encourage and uplift. However, there weren't a lot of open frames in the fifteen baker rounds, with a third of the team's matches finishing over 200 pins. Their last game of the session ended with a whopping 258. By comparison, Clinton and Western Dubuque were the only other teams to crack 200, each surpassing the mark only once in the team rounds. In the individual rounds, the top eight move on to State. Decorah junior Karlie Einck had an impressive first place finish, with a total of 623 pins. Her teammate and fellow junior Marri Feuerhelm finished in fifth with a score of 594. Clinton had three girls qualify, while Marion, Waverly Shell-Rock, and Western Dubuque are each sending one bowler on to State. The State Meet for both boys and girls will be next Monday and Tuesday, February 24 and 25, at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo. The full team score and individual score breakdowns can be found attached to this article. Unlock a world of knowledge! Sign up for free DecorahNews.com newsletters and receive local news, local events and everything that is happening in and around Decorah.