Kerissa Andersen wins another individual title, too
The Evergreen Plainsmen did it again.
Kerissa Andersen did it again, too.
And Southwest Washington still rules Class 3A state high school bowling.
Evergreen won its third consecutive team title Friday at Narrows Plaza Bowl in University Place, cruising in the Baker games after opening a commanding lead Thursday.
The team title came a day after Andersen, a senior from Evergreen, won her second individual championship in three years.
“I came in with a picture in my head: ‘I’m going to win individual. We’re going to win team.’ Just to actually have that come true, I don’t even know,” Andersen said. “I have no words for it.
“It brings a happiness to me I can’t even express.”
Andersen, Dakota O’Neil, Karina Johnsen, Summer Whitney, Teryn Stine, and Kailee Wilcox teamed up for the title.
The Prairie Falcons finished second as a team, making the WIAA event a Clark County Invite, if you will.
The Class 4A and 2A championships are being held today and Saturday.
Prior to state, Andersen said it was more important to her that the team win a championship. The team-individual double was a goal, too, but team was the priority.
The Plainsmen pretty much secured that team title just with Thursday’s incredible performance.
A normal team game for Evergreen this season, Andersen said, is around 800 pins. In the six games at state, Evergreen went 892-819-921, then 993-336-928. They held a lead in excess of 300 pins going into Friday’s 12 Baker games. In other words, Evergreen could have gutter-balled every frame in the first Baker game, their closest opponent could have had a perfect game, and Evergreen would have maintained the lead.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had that much fun,” Andersen said. “Yes, I’ve had fun. Every single year (here) has been the most amazing experience. But to have such little stress just makes it that much better.”
Friday’s Baker games became a coronation for the champs.
“That last game, we all stood up and were extra loud,” Andersen said. “We just tried to make it the best game that we had.”
In fact, the Plainsmen, champions until the end, rolled 203 and 203 in their final two Baker games, their best scores of the day.
With the six traditional games from Thursday and the 12 Baker games, Evergreen won by nearly 600 pins.
Andersen rolled the best game of the entire event in the first game Thursday, recording a 239. She ended up with a 596 series and held a 5-pin lead at the break. She returned to put up a 675 series (224-234-216) to pull away and win by more than 100 pins.
Showcasing Evergreen’s dominance, O’Neil ended up in second place.
Rose Ugbinada of Fort Vancouver finished ninth.
Andersen will leave high school bowling with five state championships total.
“It’s been an amazing career,” she said. “Going to state all four years, I’m really lucky. I’m blessed. I am excited to see what the team does next year.”
