FSU BOWLING MAKES HISTORY AT CIAA TOURNAMENT
ADRIAN FERGUSON 01/26/10
SALISBURY, NC – While impressive, Fayetteville State’s 15-0 record at the CIAA’s second Western Division bowling tournament this past weekend might not have been its biggest accomplishment.
The Broncos (36-12, 27-0 CIAA) became the first team in conference history to average 900 or more pins over the span of 10 games. FSU nailed 9,005 total pins and bowled 22 200-games during the tournament.
“We were outstanding,” head coach Bobby Henderson said. “This past weekend showed me we’re ready to put the high scores we get in practice to the test.
There’s a ton of talent on this team. All they have to do is relax and do what they know they can do. This past weekend got us off to a good start.”
For the tournament, FSU had six of the top eight bowlers. Junior Akira Turner averaged 202.75 and bowled five 200-games, the most of any bowler.
“Right now Akira Turner is probably the frontrunner for CIAA Player of the Year,” said Henderson. “When she came in she was around a 180 bowler. Then she carried a 200 average until the last week of her sophomore year. This year she is being much more consistent.”
Besides the increase in production, Henderson said Turner has improved her leadership skills.
“She’s improved a lot in that capacity,” he said. “To be good, you’ve got to lead. You can’t tell people to bowl good if you bowl badly.”
Clarisse Bible finished third with a 192, Kelly Wakerhauser was fourth with a 183.42, Jessica Styers was fifth with a 179, Jessica Collins was seventh with a 170.5 and Jamie Donnelly finished eighth averaging 164.5. Kara Reid rounded out FSU’s team averaging 149.5 with a personal-high of 176.
“Clarisse Bible is probably the one bowler who has made the biggest impact,” Henderson said. “I’ve always looked at her as being a 200 bowler, but she’s never had that. Now that she is getting into tournaments, she’s more relaxed.”
Henderson said Wakerhauser has improved the most since FSU’s first tournament in October.
“Last year, her first year on the team, she had a 140 average,” he said. “This past weekend she averaged 183, so she’s picked up about 40 points on her average. That’s outstanding.”
FSU’s next tournament is at AMF Capital Lanes in Raleigh beginning Feb. 5.
There’s still a lot to work on at practice before then, according to Henderson.
“We’re still missing easy spares,” said Henderson. “The mark of a good bowler is one that pickup their spares. That seems to be our weakness – the 7-pin and 10-pin. We’re going to do a lot of work on that in practice.”
Livingstone’s Ria Sweeney finished second with 1 98.5 and bowled the tournament’s highest game – a 248.