Zear, SK duo to state bowling

MONTICELLO — The Washington and Sigourney-Keota boys bowling teams nearly pulled off the ultimate heist on Monday, each challenging for a spot in the 2026 Iowa High School State Bowling Meet. Though neither were able to get by as a team, both had invidiuals hit their mark.

At the Class 1A meet in Monticello, Washington battled all day long to earn a Top-3 spot in the team standings. The Demons finished third place as a team, with a score of 2,839, which was just 75 pins back of second-place Benton.

Monticello’s 3,050 and Benton’s 2,914 were first and second. The Demons and Trojans took third and fourth, as Fairfield finished right behind Washington, with a final total of 2,747.

Washington finished the day with three bowlers in the Top-8, including second-place Kaeden Zear, who had one of the best days of his young career.

The freshman finished out at 707, good enough for second place. He finished 36 pins behind the first place finisher, and 46 pins ahead of third.

Cooper Zahs and Mitchell Zieglowsky both threatened to get a Top-4 spot as well, but fell just short. Zahs tied for sixth, with a 626, while Zieglowsky finished eighth, at 611.

In Keokuk, Sigourney-Keota attempted to earn the one transfer spot out of the qualifier hosted by Central Lee.

SK was neck-and-neck with Louisa-Muscatine all day long, but couldn’t pull out the win, as the Falcons scored a 3,011, while the Cobras finished at 2,983.

SK got a huge boost from a couple of their best, in junior Owen Clark and senior Wells Clark.

Both Clark’s finished in the Top-4 spots, which is what was needed to earn a ticket into the individual tournament. Owen Clark won the qualifier, with a 668, and Wells Clark took second, at 643.

The Clarks were joined by a duo from Louisa-Muscatine, as Wyatt Skidmore finished second, with a 664, and Colten Laymon took fourth, at 635.

The area won’t get a bowler into the Class 2A individual or team meets. Mt. Pleasant took sixth place at the Clinton qualifier, where two teams qualified for the big dance.

The Panthers finished with a final total of 2,535. Keokuk was two spots above Mt. Pleasant, with a 3,022, for fourth, and Burlington finished right behind Mt. Pleasant, with a seventh-place 2,515.

The Class 1A individual meet will take place on Feb. 24, at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo. All three area qualifiers will compete for the same title.