West Delaware working on building a bowling bond

MANCHESTER - Bowling is an individual sport as much as it is a team sport.

'We spend a lot of time together and know how important mind-set is,” West Delaware girls' captain Hannah Axline said. 'A lot of us have put in a lot of time on the lanes all year-round.”

The Hawks rolled into their first meet on Dec. 6, downing Monticello, 2,654-1,973.

Axline, a senior, finished the night with a 385 series.

'We always practice with our growth and positive mindsets,” Axline said. 'Your mental approach is just as important as the physical approach.”

The girls' team is led by four returning seniors, as well as two returning juniors.

On the other side of the alley, the boys' bowling team has nine new members this year. The Hawks opened their season at Legacy Lanes in Monticello with a 3,161-2,792 loss.

'We have a young team, with only two seniors bowling varsity,” said senior captain Brandon Larson, who rolled a 433 series in the opener. 'We are overcoming this by communicating on and off the lanes to create a connection.”

Axline and Larsen said team bonding is the secret to a strong program. The two are striving to bring their teams even close.

Both teams compete at Lucky 10 Lanes in Independence on Friday.