State bowling a wide open battle for teams, individuals

By Jeff Hare, correspondent

A lot of questions already asked will be answered Thursady and Friday at the high school state bowling tournament inside Plaza Lanes.

Will the blazing hot Cedar Rapids Prairie boys' team bring home a championship banner to 76th Street or will Cedar Rapids Washington emerge as a darkhouse?

Can the “wunderkind” of West Delaware, A.J. Chapman, put it all together and leave with the Class 1A individual championship?

Will Cedar Rapids Xavier's Tara Trcka complete her quest and defend Class 1A girls' title? And can the Saints continue their momentum and contend for the team title?

And what about perennial power Cedar Rapids Jefferson? Can the J-Hawks capture their first girls' title since 2006?

No matter how it plays out, this promises to be an interesting tournament.

Jefferson Coach Virgil Cerveny said that the event is wide open.

“This promises to be a very competitive tournament,” he said. “You can't count any team out and it should turn into a strike fest.”

On the girls' side, Cerveny said traditional powers will be hard to beat.

“The dominant teams in Class 2A have traditionally been Muscatine and Ottumwa,” he said. “Both are down a bit from the past, but still carry the two highest team averages, and know how to win. Watch out for Waterloo West. They are much improved.”

The 1A girls' race is anyone's guess, he said.

“A much improved and well coached Xavier team has a chance in 1A,” Cerveny said. “They should expect some company, though, as Keokuk looks very good, and may be the team to beat. Don't count out West Delaware and Camanche, also.”

It's the boys' side that gets really interesting.

“In 2A, it is completely wide open as there is a lot of parity there and most of the field has a shot,” Cerveny said. “Ottumwa is good, along with Hempstead, Marshalltown, Davenport North, Clinton, Waterloo East and Fort Dodge. Prairie does have a shot and has been consistent all year, though they will need to be at their best. Even C.R. Washington has a shot here.”

The 1A races looks like a two-team battle between West Delaware and Camanche. The Hawks' A.J. Chapman, a member of the U.S. Junior National Team, will chase the individual title after leading the state with a lofty 241 average.

“A.J. is quite the player and has the ability to put up some serious numbers, but you never know,” Cerveny said.

City High's Kolby Melsha had the top district series at 511 and is a contender for the 2A title.

And what does he think about his own Jefferson girls' team?

“Well, we got good spirit and confidence going in,” he said. “Everyone on our team would have to have a super showing, but that's how we won it in 2006. I do know that no matter what happens, we will have fun.”

What: Coed State championships

Where: Plaza Lanes, Des Moines

When: Thursday (Class 1A), 1 p.m.; Friday (Class 2A), 1 p.m.

Admission: $8

Area girls' qualifiers: Tara Trcka (C.R. Xavier), Leah Heim (West Delaware), Makenzie Martin (Washington, Iowa), Megan Dolpin (Western Dubuque), Taylor Lamm (Marion) in 1A; Katlyn Palmer (C.R. Prairie) in 2A

Area boys' qualifiers: A.J. Chapman (West Delaware), Luke Schroeder (Western Dubuque), Brandon Lynch (West Delaware), Dylan Werner (West Delaware) in 1A; Kolby Melsha (I.C. High), Brogan Fiala (C.R. Prairie), Justin Wyant (Linn-Mar in 2A

Area team qualifiers: Xavier, West Delaware in 1A girls; C.R. Kennedy, C.R. Jefferson in 2A girls; West Delaware, Western Dubuque in 1A boys; C.R. Prairie, C.R. Washington in 2A boys