West's Millard sweats out Charger Quad title

For someone who had improved 39 pins on his winning series from Tuesday's Topeka High Triangular at Gage Bowl, Preston Millard sure was in pretty serious pace-mode Wednesday after the conclusion of the Topeka West Quad at West Ridge Lanes.

"It was nerve-wracking," Millard said. "The third game was just not good. I was struggling, not throwing it where I needed to."

Indeed, the 191 Millard rolled in his final game on Wednesday was well below his expectations and made him sweat out the finish. But it wasn't enough to keep the Topeka West senior from winning his second meet in as many days as a stellar 270 in the second game propelled him to a 663 series and 40-pin win over Shawnee Heights' Bryce Cook.

"A 663 is pretty good and I'm proud of myself for that," Millard said. "It was a good day, tough third, but still good overall."

It was an even better day for Wednesday's girls' champion. Emporia's Kinsey Miller got off to a somewhat auspicious start, leaving her first two frames of the meet open. But she marked out to finish with a 234 game and stayed on a roll the rest of the way, posting the highest series, boy or girl, with a 714 that was 172 clear of the girls' field.

"Practice went pretty good and then I went open the first two frames," Miller said. "But then I struck out and I was feeling pretty good coming in. It's just a mindset that I came into it with."

The meet was just the second of the season for Miller and her Spartan teammates, but there wasn't a hint of rust. Miller followed her 234 game with a 245 in the second and 235 in the third, showing remarkable consistency.

The 714 series was her first 700 series in high school competition and the senior is looking forward to where the season will go.

"I'm feeling pretty good about this year," Miller said. "I think this year is going to be a good year and state's going to be great."

Millard was feeling really good about his day after two games. After opening with a 202, he found his groove in the second game and posted the highest game of the day with a 270.

But somewhere in between his second and third games, that groove left. Millard, who bowled for Washburn Rural as a freshman and sophomore before sitting out last year after transferring to West, admitted he got into his own head and his positioning was off.

"I just wasn't throwing it right and getting enough speed, and that's something I need to work on," said Millard, who is committed to Peru State. "I was cruising and in a rhythm. Then I just took a little too long on my approaches and I can't do that anymore. It's never good to get in your own head because it just messes up your game. You just have to relax and bowl and if you miss a shot, go up there and get a good one the next time."

Led by Cook's 623 series and runner-up finish, Heights' boys finished first as a team with a 2,393 total, 25 better than second-place Manhattan. T-Bird Peyton Olson finished fourth with a 611 and Alec Elskamp just missed a 600 series wtih a 590.

Manhattan was led by a third from Evan Wasinger (622), while Emporia's Chase Swift was fifth with a 606.

Miller's showing helped Emporia share the team title with Manhattan, each posting 2,022 totals. The Indians were led by a 2-3 finish from Megan Whitson (542) and Jasmine Bridges (539).

West placed two in the top five with Jessica Sandgren taking fourth with a 538 and Ashley Wilson finishing fifth with a 519.

TOPEKA WEST QUAD

At West Ridge Lanes

BOYS

Team scores

Shawnee Heights 2393, Manhattan 2368, Topeka West 2285, Emporia 2023.

Individual results

1. Millard, TW, 663; 2. Cook, SH, 623; 3. Wasinger, Man, 622; 4. Olson, SH, 611; 5. Swift, Emp, 606.

Other Heights results — Elskamp, 590; Hoobler, 532; May, 518; VanMetre, 517.

Other West results —  Brookens, 560; Coleman, 535; Thompson, 486; Bond, 468; McIntosh, 454.

GIRLS

Team scores

Emporia 2022, Manhattan 2022, Topeka West 1867, Shawnee Heights, 1843.

Individual results

1. Miller, Emp, 714; 2. Whitson, Man, 542; 3. Bridges, Man, 539; 4. Sandgren, TW, 538; 5. Wilson, TW, 519.

Other Heights results — Stadler, 475; Prockish, 463; Gilliland, 454; Stretton 427; Bond, 401; Donaldson, 339.

Other West results — Nelson, 432; Phillips, 358; Kell, 352; Umscheid, 230.