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Be the reason your community stays informed—give to local journalism now! WATERLOO, Iowa — Bowling has been a sanctioned sport under the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) since 2006, marking it as the 10th official girls' sport in the state. As a continuation of this legacy, this year's IGHSAU State Bowling Championship took place at Cadillac XBC in Waterloo from February 24-26, 2025. Class 2A Team Competition Decorah's girls bowling team made a strong showing at the state tournament, finishing fourth in the first round of baker games with a score of 881. Clinton edged ahead with 958 points, while LeMars secured second place with 966 points. Keokuk dominated the first round with a score of 992. The competition intensified in the second round of baker games. Decorah made a significant jump, moving up to third place with a final score of 1857. Keokuk maintained its lead with 1934 points, while LeMars took second with 1985. Decorah's consistency and strong team effort allowed them to climb in the standings, securing a top-three finish. LeMars, Keokuk, Decorah, and Clinton later reached the final four as the 2A State Team Tournament headed to bracket play. Decorah remained in third with 2766, Keokuk with 2869 and LeMars with 2931. 2A State Bowling Team Semifinal Results: #1 Le Mars def. #4 Clinton, 3-1 #2 Keokuk def. #3 Decorah, 3-1 Le Mars advanced to face Keokuk for the 2A team title, where Keokuk rallied to successfully defend its Class 2A State Bowling title. This marks the sixth state title for the Chiefs. Individual Championships Class 2A Individual Competition The Class 2A individual tournament moved to bracket play, with several Decorah bowlers advancing. Karlie Einck and Marri Feuerhelm represented Decorah among the top eight bowlers. Einck turned heads at the Class 2A State Bowling Individual Tournament, delivering an unforgettable performance that showcased her skill and determination. Einck entered the competition with high expectations, and she did not disappoint, storming through the preliminary round as the top qualifier with a stunning 693 series (266, 203 and 224). Her teammate, junior Marri Feuerhelm, also made a mark, earning the eighth and final spot in the eight-person bracket play with a 601 series (226, 152 and 223). The first round saw an all-Decorah showdown, as Einck and Feuerhelm faced off in an unfortunate teammate-versus-teammate matchup. Einck, locked in and firing on all cylinders, rolled an incredible 284 to Feuerhelm's 201, advancing to the semifinals. From there, she found herself in a tense battle against North Scott's Lindy Dhuse. In a match that came down to the final frames, Einck fell just short, 200-193, narrowly missing out on a shot at the championship. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Einck was focused as she headed into the third-place match against Clinton's Emily Whitehead. In yet another nail-biter, she bowled a 211 but was edged out by a single pin, settling for a hard-fought fourth-place finish. Feuerhelm, meanwhile, rebounded in her final match to claim seventh place, defeating Jenna Fisher of Le Mars, 201-170. Though the ultimate prize slipped just out of reach, Decorah's bowlers proved they belong among the state's best. Einck's stellar performance cemented her as one of the top competitors in Iowa, while Feuerhelm's resilience demonstrated the team's depth and potential. As the season comes to a close, Decorah can take pride in its achievements and look ahead to an even brighter future on the lanes. First Round Results from Class 2A State Bowling Individual Play: #1 Karlie Einck (Decorah) def. #8 Marri Feuerhelm (Decorah), 284-201 #4 Lindy Dhuse (North Scott) def. Natalee Alberts (Keokuk), 223-204 #7 Jaelynn Ketterer (Keokuk) def. #2 Sophia Rule (Keokuk), 258-194 #3 Emily Whitehead (Clinton) def. #6 Jenna Fisher (Le Mars), 195-173 Class 2A Individual State Bowling Semifinals: Lindy Dhuse (North Scott) def. Karlie Einck (Decorah), 200-193 Jaelynn Ketterer (Keokuk) def. Emily Whitehead (Clinton), 225-198 North Scott's Lindy Dhuse won the championship by flying past 2024 champion Jaelynn Ketterer, 216-176. Final Standings: Third Place: Emily Whitehead (Clinton) def. Karlie Einck (Decorah), 212-211 Fifth Place: Natalee Alberts (Keokuk) def. Sophia Rule (Keokuk), 188-174 Seventh Place: Marri Feuerhelm (Decorah) def. Jenna Fisher (Le Mars), 201-170 Vikings Boys Shine at State, Claim Runner-Up Finish The Decorah boys bowling team also came well prepared for the Class 2A State Tournament, battling their way to a second-place finish. After posting a strong 3,229 total in the 15-game Baker round, the Vikings secured the No. 2 seed for bracket play, just behind Waterloo East (3,254), a team with whom they have seen entertaining back-and-forth gameplay during the regular season. Decorah's path to the finals was anything but easy. Facing Council Bluffs-St. Albert in the semifinals, the Vikings had to fight through a five-game series, ultimately sealing their spot in the championship match with a clutch 200-172 win in the deciding game. Against Lewis Central, Decorah found themselves in an early deficit, dropping the first two games 258-182 and 256-225. The Vikings responded with a 200-171 win in game three and battled to a dramatic 182-182 tie in game four, but it wasn't enough to prevent Lewis Central from claiming the title. 2A State Bowling Team Seeding Waterloo East – 3,254 Decorah – 3,229 Council Bluffs-AL – 3,175 Lewis Central – 3,140 In the semifinals, Decorah faced No. 3 Council Bluffs-St. Albert in a thrilling best-of-five matchup. The Vikings fell behind early with a 161-183 loss but quickly responded with wins of 224-217 and 264-188. St. Albert took the fourth game 257-156, forcing a decisive fifth game, where the Vikings came through under pressure with a 200-172 victory to punch their ticket to the championship round. 2A State Bowling Team Semifinal Results #2 Decorah def. #3 Council Bluffs-St. Albert, 3-2 #4 Lewis Central def. #1 Waterloo East, 3-1In the finals, Decorah battled against No. 4 Lewis Central, who carried their momentum from a semifinal upset over top-seeded Waterloo East. Lewis Central opened with dominant wins of 258-182 and 256-225. The Vikings fought back in game three, winning 200-171, but tied 182-182 in game four, resulting in a 3-1 loss and a second-place finish. 2A State Bowling Team Championship #4 Lewis Central def. #2 Decorah, 3-1 Individually, Decorah's bowlers faced stiff competition. Jordan Sims led the way for the Vikings with a 700 series (193, 270, 237), while Jace Buddenberg rolled a 640 series (195, 203, 242). While their scores were not enough to break into the top finishers, both bowlers played a key role in Decorah's deep postseason run. Their second-place finish marked an improvement from last year, further proving their place as one Iowa's top-tier bowling programs. Stay ahead of the curve! Subscribe to free newsletters for exclusive insights, local trends and analysis delivered straight to your inbox.

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Decorah Makes Strong Showing at State Bowling