Hodag bowlers compete at state youth championships

Twelve members of Hodag junior league competed at the Wisconsin USBC Youth Championships at Dale’s Weston Lanes April 20-21. It was the last weekend of Youth State, which kicked off in February.

According to unofficial results released late last week a few Hodag bowlers got into top 25 spots and a few in money spots. Highlights included:

• Charlotte Preuss took third overall in All-Around Events (combining singles, doubles, team) in the Girls 100 & under average with 1,304 pins in her three events. She’ll be earning scholarship money for that finish. She also took 20th in her singles division (100 & under) with 417 pins.

• Preuss was also a part of the Hodag 2 team, which also included Johanna Dellenbach, Natalie Dellenbach and Eli Miller, which took 17th with 2,007 pins in the team event in Class 3 (481-560 average). That is also in the cash winnings. 

• Preuss and Johanna Dellenbach teamed up for the doubles Class 3 division (201-260 average) with 1,013 pins to take 22nd.

• The Hodag 1 team of Noah Pearson, Keagyn Schoone, Dom Hakala and Calvin Welch took 25th in the scratch division with 2,434 pins. Schoone took 23rd in All Around Events with a total pinfall of 1,990. Also in All Around, Johanna Dellenbach took third in the Girls 161-190 average with 1,925 pins

“Overall, it was a good weekend, we had some ups and downs, but the kids had fun,” coach Cory Dellenbach said. “We also saw three of our bowlers qualify for the State Youth 500/600 Tournament in July by rolling either a 500-plus series (for girls) or 600-plus series (for boys).”

Schoone rolled a 630 series right away in doubles action on Saturday morning (246, 213 and 171). He followed that up in singles rolling at 660 (188, 237 and 235), and then in team on Sunday he put together a 700 series (215, 260 and 225).

Dominic Hakala also qualified, putting down a 615 series in doubles play with games of 167, 221 and 227. The final qualifier over the weekend was Eli Miller, who squeezed by with a 614 series during team play with games of 234, 189 and 191. 

“Dom, Eli and Keagyn all had great games at Youth State and we’re very proud of them qualifying for that 500/600 Tournament, which is a great opportunity for each of them to earn scholarship money,” coach Dellenbach said.

Those three will join previous years’ qualifiers Noah Pearson and Johanna Dellenbach at the tournament in Racine in July. 

Pepsi Youth Regionals

The first two weekends of April bowling from the junior league also took part in the Pepsi Youth Championship Regionals at Northstar Lanes in Antigo. Results from those also came out last week, with Natalie Dellenbach qualifying to go to Pepsi Youth Championship State Meet on May 11 at Rolling Thunder Lanes in Neenah. Natalie did this by rolling games of 159, 135 and 159 for a 453 series in the U12 Girls Division at Antigo. 

“Having two of our middle schoolers going to different state events and then having Charlotte do so well at Youth ‘Fun’ State says a lot about our young middle schoolers making their way up. I’m excited to see how they each grow in the years to come,” coach Dellenbach noted.

Miller qualifies for WiMSBC state

Miller officially qualified for the Wisconsin Middle School Bowling Club state meet, finishing 15th in the boys’ individual standings with a season-long fill percentage of .6048. He edged out Antigo’s Dominic Desjarlais for the final qualifying spot by three-tenths of a percent. Natalie Dellenbach (.6269) narrowly missed being among the top six girls to qualify, and the Hodags (4-4) missed out on qualifying for the team portion of the state meet, which will take place this coming Saturday at Dale’s Weston Lanes.