Vinton-Shellsburg bowlers capture both Class 1A individual state championships

Vinton-Shellsburg bowling coaches Amber Pattee and Kurt Kirchner found themselves pacing up and down Cadillac XBC in Waterloo on Wednesday.

Every step was worth it.

Viking bowlers Vann Lessig and Kylee Kirchner — separated by 18 lanes in their championship matches — secured Class 1A individual state titles within moments of each other.

“Kurt and I just kept going back and forth trying to coach both of them, so it got a little crazy,” Pattee said. “I had to watch Vann and then I'd kind of peek down at Kylee and then I'd come back to Vann and I'd go down to Kylee … they unfortunately were so far apart it was hard to watch both.

“But Kylee said it perfectly on our way home, she said, ‘it's just unreal, it doesn't feel like it happened.’”

Lessig entered bracket play as the No. 8 seed, making the cut by just nine points.

He made a statement early, defeating top-seeded Ryan Edwards from DeWitt Central, 244-194.

“He's been a good bowler for the last few years, but I feel that his focus this year and his knowledge of the game has grown so much,” Pattee said. “As a senior, as a leader, he really put forth a lot of extra effort.”

In the semifinals, Lessig had another strong showing, topping Council Bluffs St. Albert’s Cole Pekny, 223-207.

Lessig saved his best round of the day for last. He outscored Noah White from Charles City, 262-212, in the championship match.

“I just rode the momentum,” Lessig said. “It also might have helped that the lanes had dried up a bit and the more oil there is, the harder it is for me to control the ball.

“Since it dried up, I was able to throw it quicker, which helped me because then the lanes became more explosive.”

Shortly after Lessig secured his title, an uproar came from the other side of Cadillac XBC. Kirchner was having her winning moment.

“I think she was still in her 10th frame when I was getting congratulated,” Lessig said. “I looked over and saw them celebrating … I was really happy for her.”

Kircher came in as the 7-seed and opened bracket play with a tight win over second-seeded Olivia Gardner from St. Albert, 184-182.

Next up was Clarinda’s Rylee Pulliam. Both bowlers had exceptional semifinal rounds with Kircher’s a touch better, 244-235.

“There were times that she needed a certain shot to work or she needed to get a certain pin count and was just able to do it,” Pattee said. “I watched her while she was not bowling, just focused on herself. Very, very quiet, very intense today. And that I think is what pulled her through.”

Kirchner squared off against Louisa-Muscatine’s Molly Bramble in the championship match. It was tightly contested throughout, but Kirchner again rose to the occasion to win, 219-204.

“There were so many emotions,” Kirchner said. “I mean, I didn't even know I’d won at first. I had walked off the lane and the final scores came up — then my teammates ... started screaming and yelling and jumping up and down. I knew at that point that I had it.

“I went to my dad, he’s a coach, and I gave him a hug and I started crying. But it was great.”

She couldn’t help but be excited for her teammate as well.

“It was really cool,” Kirchner said. “I mean, it's never happened where both Vinton-Shellsburg bowlers that qualified for state have left the alley being state champions at the same time. So I’m glad that Vann and I were able to share that moment together.”

When Lessig, Kirchner, coaches and teammates departed from Waterloo, they had no idea what they’d be returning home to.

Seven miles from Vinton, a brigade of firefighters was waiting to escort them into town.

“Firetrucks from one of the local small towns nearby led us into Vinton,” Pattee said. “We were then met by a Vinton firetruck and several police cars with their lights on. We traveled through town and ended at the bowling alley.

“Sirens, lights, it was just amazing.”

It was a well-deserved welcome home for the Vikings’ history-making duo.

“When we were getting escorted back is when I realized I was the champion,” Kirchner said. “It didn't hit me like at the alley. It didn't hit me until then so, it was kind of emotional but it was a lot of fun.”