2/8/2024
(Tukwila, WA) For the first time ever Eli Sports is rolling out our Girls State Bowling All-Tournament teams and awards. These teams were decided by the ESN crew at the lanes for all 4 days and is based 100% on the State Tournament only. No season or league or even average considerations, just the 2 days of competition.
This is also an All-Classification team limited to 1 MVP, 5 1st team, 5 2nd team and 10 Honorable Mentions for a total of 21 out of 233 who bowled at least 1 individual game. We are sure we are missing some great individual performances and some great stories but we also wanted to keep this special. There is no science to our selections but rather observation and performances that stuck out to us.
This is meant only to celebrate great performances and achievements and not to leave someone out. Congratulations to all 233 competitors and likely more that got to be included in some of the Baker games. Bowling is special because it is literally one of the few sports you can participate in at the High School level and continue to be part of for literally the rest of your life. It is truly a lifelong sport.
Let’s get to the awards!
MVP
Lily Mattison RA Long
Lily’s incredible run to the 2A/1A State Individual Championship was truly incredible and she finished with an epic performance. after her 1st 3 games of a 110, 173 and 160 totaled just 443 and had her around 25th in the standings. Her 2nd 3 games were an eye popping 220, 217, 226 for a 663 series, the 2nd highest of all in the tournament. Lily was huge in building the insurmountable team lead that propelled RA Long to the team title as well. RA Long was the only one to have both the individual and team Champions.
To top it off Lily struck out in her final frame to beat her friend, team mate and classmate Ava Rodman by 2 pins. Lily said she want to throw a gutter so Ava could hold on for the win but Ava told her she did not want to win that way and she needed to throw her best ball. Ava also reminded Lily they were battling for a team State Championship and every pin counts. Lily took her friends words to heart and buried a strike for the win.
1st Team All-Tournament
Tamia Yeager Spanaway Lake
Tamia had the top individual 3-game series with a 668 rolling a 216, 226 and 226 in her 1st 3 games. She added the high game of all 3 tournaments as well in her 2nd set of game with a 236. Yeager’s smile may have hid her competitiveness from some but don’t think for a moment of her desire to be great. Her total pinfall was 1256 for a 209 average.
Ada Querin West Valley (Yakima)
Ada won the 4A State Individual title and also had to come from behind, not as far as Lily Mattison but Ada got off to a slow start with a 160 and 159 then on opening day blew out a 235 to get her going just before the lunch break and was the top single game score until Yeager beat it by a pin on Friday, day 1 of the 3A tournament. Ada took her 1st lead in her 5th game with her 2nd 2oo a 218 to clinch West Valley’s 2nd individual Champion in school history.
Ava Rodman RA Long
Ava as described above is the ultimate team mate but don’t overlook what she did for the both Lily and her team. She trailed once after the 1st game was down by 30 pins but in game 2 set the tone with a 234 which was the highest single game until later in the day when Ada beat her by a pin and then Tamia by 2 on Friday. Ava didn’t wilt either, it wasn’t like she fell apart to open the door for Lily to go strolling by. In her final game she rolled a 193 which gave her a likely 99% chance of winning the individual title. But it wasn’t 100% and took the loss like a Champion. Ava was essential to the Lumberjills overall success.
Lexis McGarity Kennewick
Lexis is just a sophomore but led the Lions to a State Title. McGarity just missed averaging 200 at 197. She also had one of the 5 600 series bowled over the 4 days with a beginning 607, unfortunately she was behind not 1 but 2 in the 3A with Yeager’s 668 and Bonney Lake’s Jaydan Thayer 613. Lexis was so consistent with her high game of 213 and low game of 188 and finished strong with her 3rd 200 game of the day with an 3ven 200. That was enough to overtake Thayer for 2nd place.
Jaydan Thayer Bonney Lake
Jaydan is just a Freshman and is the only bowler to string 4 straight 200 games together and one of two bowlers to have 4 200 games with other being Yeager. Jaydan began the day with a 202, 202 and 209. Then after the lunch break she remained locked in and fired a 212 and had an 825 series after 4 games trailing Yeager by just 22 pins. Tamia began the 2nd session with a 179. Thayer then hit the proverbial wall and finished with a 169 and 170, 23 behind McGarity taking 3rd place. Jaydan finished her tournament with a 194 average. This young lady is going to be tough to deal with for the next 3 years.
2nd Team All-Tournament
Ali Lemiux Richland
Ali started strong with a 214 in the 4A tournament but then had one of those games with a 116. Ali never gave in and came back with her 2nd 200 a 222. She finished with a 182, 170 and 194 and nipped Monica Pollock of Emerald Ridge for 2nd place by 1 pin. Drop her low game she averaged 196, with the 116 her 6 game average was 183. She was 2nd trailing Ada Querin by 58 pins.
Monica Pollock Emerald Ridge
Monica was the most consistent through 5 games of the 4A tournament with a 580 series in her 1st 3 games and a 184 and 182 in her 4th and 5th and had a chance to win and certainly hold onto 2nd but had her worst for last with a 151. But the Senior finished strong and was a huge part of the Jaguars 2nd plac team finish.
Kourtnie Foss Kennewick
The Senior Lion was key to keeping the team focused and did it with her experience and her performance. Foss finished 4th and got rolling after a slow start with a 224 in her 3rd game. Foss kept pushing and would roll a 170, 194 and 192 for an 1115 pin total. Foss made sure her team did not lose focus on day 2 to complete their 1st ever 4a State Team Championship.
Izabella Hewes Prairie
Izabella is a junior and will be back next year to try and improve on her 5th place finish in the 3a tournament just 5 pins behind Foss for 4th. Hewes just missed a 600 series in her 1st 3 games with a 594 and high game of 215. She cooled off a bit in the 2nd 3 but finished with an 1110 series just 5 pins out of 4th place. A really strong effort and she will be back next year.
Jillian Castle Eastmont
Jillian didn’t have a traditional 600 series but she strung together a 601 series in her 2nd, 3rd and 4th games with a high game of 209. Her other 3 games were a 171 and 170 but a 151 kept her from a higher overall finish. Jillian is also a junior and setting up quite between several returners next year. The Wildcats also finshed 5th overall just missing a trophy. Feels like Eastmont has a ton of unfinished business in 2025, look out!
Honorable Mentions
Savanna Hoyt-Silas WF West
Jade Walters RA Long
Lacey McHan Fort Vancouver
Lillyian Peshka Fort Vancouver
Hailey Lennox Mt Vernon/Sedro Woolley
Addysen Case Skyview
Samantha McMaster Kennewick
Calista Tippett Kennewick
Alena McDugle Thomas Jefferson
Molly Combs West Seattle
Coach of the Tournament
Scott Biglin Kamiakin
Coach Biglin won the 4A State Title after bringing home the Individual Championship the last 2 years with Hayden Bennett. Last year in their 1st team appearance the Braves took home 3rd place. This year the highest individual finisher was Lilliana Martinez in 10th place. Coach Biglin had his squad all focused in on being consistent. Don’t worry about a few big games concentrate on picking up those single pin spares and avoiding big splits and big scoring swings.
His team did just that with a steady team attack in the 1st 6 games during the individual tournament averaging 164 and then for the 14 Baker games averaged 158. Biglin also coaxed his team to come up with their 2 biggest Baker games in the 13th and 14th games with a 186 and 203. Kamiakin’s Team Championship was truly a team effort.
Team of the Tournament
Kamiakin and Orting (Tie)
We couldn’t keep out either one of these teams out of our team of the tournament, Kamiakin for the reason’s Coach Biglin earned our Coach of the Tournament honor by winning the title with your team finishing 10th, 14th, 15th, 23rd and 34th. The Kamiakin team included Quinn Shaner, Clara Demarest, Grace Lynn Hubbert, Lilliana Martinez, Meredith Stavenger and Alyssa Martinez.
The Orting Cardinals drew our attention after learning that this was just their 2nd year as a program and the Cardinals took home their 1st ever Girls Bowling trophy finishing 4th. The Cardinals shook off runs from Klahowya and Washington to hold on to 4th place. Their highest individual finish was 12th so another team effort coming together to get the job done. The Orting line-up included Karley Nixon, Dannielle Rapacz, Gracie Stobie, Maddlynne Halte, Haven Uhl, Lauren Ahmu, Natalie Youngman.
ESN Favorites
These are two little sidenotes that stuyck out to us as a couple of our favorite moments. We know there are many more but this what caught our eye.
Malia Tewey Thomas Jefferson
Malia caught our eye in just the 2nd game of the tournament, remember we don’t have much information on each bowler so when Malia opened with a 133 we didn’t take much notice but in game 2 she fired a 222 which certainly captured our attention. She was “one to watch” and then she rolled a 111 and finished with a 109, 136 and 137 taking 45th overall. The 222 may have been her best game ever and what a time to do it in the State Tournament, she was only 14 pins shy of tying the high game for all tournaments. Her 5 game average without the 222 was 125 with it a 141. Tewey was also part of the Raiders 3rd place team finish.
Hailey Wright RA Long
Hailey bowled 5 of the 6 individual games on day 1 and finished 39th overall. She scored a 128, 182, 150 and a 132. But in the middle of that Hailey blasted out a 233. In the those 4 games she averaged a 148, with her 233 she raised that 17 pins for a 165 average on the day and helped the Lumberjills claim the State team title.
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