It’s not over until they say it’s over. 

The bowling team had their first loss against DeSales High School.

The bowling team went against Fern Creek, Wednesday, Dec. 4, and won their sixth match in a row. The next day, they competed against DeSales, at Ken Bowl, and lost their first match of the season. Although, they learned from this loss, and now know how they can get even better. 

Coach Raley puts his players in the highest of regard when it comes to bouncing back. “We don’t worry too much about the other team. So, we didn’t let that loss bother us; we had our highest pin score of the year, so that means the kids bowled better than we’ve bowled all year, and so, it doesn’t always translate to a win. So, we’re in good shape,” said Raley.

The teams underwhelming loss much of an impact on them, as they were able to pull off a win against Fern Creek Dec. 4. The top scorers of the night were sophomore Austin Hale, junior Adam Young and freshman David Schultz. Now holding a 6-1 record overall, Coach Raley had no words of advice other than it should only drive his competitors more. “It’s always about practice. The kids have to be willing over the break to get to a bowling alley, and roll as many balls as they possibly can. It’s not unlike any other sport; it’s just repetition and practice, and knowing that you can trust, in this case, your ball. And we talk about that trusting your practice, when you get to a max. So, yeah, it’s just about keep putting the time in.”

Although the match against DeSales didn’t go their way, several players recall having a pretty successful night from what they remember. “I personally think I did pretty well; I was consistent with my shots, and trusted my shots. Fern Bowl can be a bit weird sometimes, but I adapted and fought through it,” said sophomore Austin Hale. The team looks to rebound later on in the season where they’ll have a chance to redeem that loss and turn it into a draw with a win over DeSales. “We all are still thinking about that loss, but our mental state is just thinking region wise. We’ll bowl them again, and change that loss to a draw, as in a one to one against DeSales,” said Hale. 

Momentum is a strong asset to any sport and without it, a lot of your energy and hype can be put on hold, but this isn’t harming the bowling team in any way whatsoever. “The match against DeSales could’ve gone better. I was throwing a ton of good shots, but the pins weren’t falling right that day. I have always known Ken Bowl to be a bit more forgiving, but not that time,” said Hale. Looking forward, regions are the only thing lying in the team’s way of not only advancing in the tournament but getting a win back against DeSales. 

The team has improved steadily, and with the strong mental guidance of Coach Raley in their corner, the bowling team plans to breeze through any oncoming roadblocks in their way coming up in the future. “My prediction for the rest of the season is pretty positive. I’ve noticed we are only getting better and better with each ball we throw on the lane, and I don’t think we are stopping anytime soon. As for being the third best bowler on the team, it is an honorable position that I’m definitely proud of, and like I said with everyone else, I’m only going to get better and better,” said Hale. 

Check out their next match, which takes place at Dixie Bowl, against PRP, Wednesday, Dec. 18.