Great Bend’s dynamic bowling duo grabs WAC honors

During the 2020 Western Athletic Conference bowling season, one in which sees each of the four competing schools match up on a home-and-home schedule, Paige Wagner and Bryce Moore did their level best to bring league titles to the Panther program.

Great Bend has consistently had one of the state powerhouse programs in Class 5-1A, battling each year with 6A power Garden City. It was no different this season as the two schools battled for team supremacy.

While the Panthers’ girls and boys teams finished runner-up to the Buffaloes in the team title battle, it was Wagner and Moore who dominated the individual battle for all-league honors and eventually easily garnering Bowler of the Year honors in their respective divisions.

Wagner finished well ahead of runner-up Camryn Lenz of Dodge City, averaging 197.14 for her 21 games in league matches while Lenz averaged 190.00. Team champion Garden City garnered the third through sixth spots on the All-WAC team – led by Holly Bridges and followed by Angelina Leeper, Karly Larson and Emilee Giger.

Honorable mention honors were taken by Lexi Fox of Great Bend, Britney Cruz and Lily Leeper of Garden City, Sara Ramarez of Dodge City, Aliyah Fryberger of Great Bend and Kasie Threatt of Great Bend. 

For Wagner, the season provided her with a sense of fulfillment as she also led her Lady Panthers to a Class 5A regional title in Emporia to advance to the March 6 state tournament in Wichita.

“I think I’ve done well this season,” Wagner said of her having earned a medal at each tournament this season. “I’ve been working on quite a few things and just wanting to improve.”

Wagner, a sophomore, improved from her third-place WAC finish a year ago by upping her season average from 189 to 197.

“You’ve got to have confidence and it’s important to have fun,” Wagner said. “You just have to learn how to do your own thing. But the main thing is to have a lot of confidence. I’ve struggled with being nervous in the past, but it’s getting better.”

Her season best 3-game Tenpin series has been a 649 with an individual game high of 255.

“Being WAC Bowler of the Year means a lot because there’s a lot of good bowlers in the league,” Wagner said. “I was very excited when I realized I had won.”

If Wagner’s triumph on the girls side was impressive, then Moore’s domination of the boys division was perhaps otherworldly.

The Panther standout averaged a staggering 221.89 during 18 games of the regular season and then followed with a 610 series at the WAC Championship to finish with a 219.24 average over 21 games. It was a distant second for Garden City’s Kaden Whitehurst, who averaged 201.05 for his 21 games.

“It felt great to get the WAC Bowler of the Year,” said Moore, who also won the award as a sophomore with a 216 season average. “I think I enjoyed the bowling more this year and was able to step it up overall. I’ve been more consistent with my series and my attitude has been better, too.”

Moore, a junior, said confidence was the No. 1 factor in his success.

“You can’t bowl if you get down on yourself,” he said. “You have to stay composed, and if you’re having an off day you just have to find a way to cheer on your teammates.”

Moore said he had improved his ability to pick up easy spares (7 or 10-pins) and that also has helped the team.

“I think when you get your game going, you get fired up and usually bowl better,” Moore said. 

His season best series was a 781 and a single-game high of 286 came close to rolling a perfect 300.

“I think WAC prepares you a lot for regionals and state with all the good bowlers we have to compete with,” Moore said. “There’s a lot of good bowlers, especially those in Garden City.”

Garden City owned third, fourth and sixth positions in the league individual race with Moore’s teammate, Evan Shell, placing fifth. The Buffs were represented on the All-WAC team by Caleb Carr, Ty Weilert and Dionicio Resendiz. 

Honorable mention honors went to Logan Esquibel of Dodge City, Corbin Stanley of Great Bend, Jayce Farr and Justin Erwin of Garden City, Dalton Murphy of Great Bend and Josh King of Liberal.

Garden City’s Kip Nichols was voted Coach of the Year for both the girls and boys divisions.

Nichols, whose teams have been among the top in Class 6A for the past several seasons, said winning the WAC is the first step toward three main goals each season.

“First, we want to win the WAC to help the school in our Champions Cup competition,” Nichols said. “Second, we want to do well at regionals and qualify for state, and then finally we want to compete to be among the top three, and if we’re fortunate, to win a state championship.”

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WAC Girls 2020 Final Team Standings

1. Garden City, 78
2. Great Bend, 57
3. Dodge City, 36
4. Liberal, 3

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All-Western Athletic Conference – Girls

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WAC Boys 2020 Final Team Standings

1. Garden City, 68
2. Great Bend, 63
3. Liberal, 26
4. Dodge City, 17

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All-Western Athletic Conference – Boys