"So Special to Bowl With This Group": Decorah Wins State Title

If no one funds local news, your community is just rumors. Help Decorah News bring facts home. WATERLOO, Iowa — According to senior bowler Marri Feuerhelm, "This was a fun senior year." And yes, winning is fun, and the Decorah girls bowling team did a lot of winning this year. In fact, it won all of its dual matches along with four of the five tournaments it competed in, including the top prize: the state championship. Yes, you read that correctly: the Decorah girls bowling team is a state championship team. Last week at Cadillac Lanes, the Decorah girls rolled 15 Baker matches and ended up seeded second going into bracket play. The top four Baker teams make the championship bracket. The other qualifying teams were Le Mars, Clinton and Lewis Central. In the first best-of-five series against Le Mars, Decorah squeaked out a 3-2 victory, which set it up to face No. 1 seed Clinton in the championship match. The girls won that series 3-1, which earned them the championship trophy. "It was so special to bowl with this group of girls, and especially my senior teammates," said Feuerhelm. "I'm so grateful to win with these girls." Those girls include seniors Rylee Averhoff, Karlie Einck and Jasera Tweten; juniors Hayley Baker and Kayley Baker; sophomores Harlie Larson and Taylor Sloan-Dahl; and freshmen Haylee Dahl and Ashley Dawley. Feuerhelm's competition, however, didn't end after the team championship. The very next day, she faced tough competition in the individual state rounds, where she entered competition as the seventh seed. She rolled her way past the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds to face the top-ranked bowler from Clinton. Feuerhelm finished with an impressive runner-up medal to cap off the two-day tournament. "I'm so proud of our team. We finally did it." said Feuerhelm. The bowlers performed at a high level all season, and their hard work paid off in big ways: state champions. Indeed, something to be proud of. Don't miss a beat! Subscribe for free and receive the stories, insights, and events that keep your community thriving.