BOWLING: Arbor View’s Collins finds redemption, captures individual title

Arbor View’s Cameron Collins shook his head in disbelief a week ago when his Aggies lost the boys state bowling title by just four pins to Coronado.

It was at that moment the senior decided he wasn’t going to let another marginal loss defeat him.

Collins got his redemption Thursday, rolling a 761 series to capture the Division I individual state championship at The Orleans.

“I just didn’t want to come up short again by as little as we did,” he said. “I was in the zone and was just getting a lot of carry today. I was consistent and almost every single ball was in the pocket.”

Collins, who was Arbor View’s anchor bowler this season, felt the pressure early after Desert Oasis’ Matt Dobbs rolled a 300 in the opening game.

But Collins stayed the course, rolling games of 255, 259 and 247 to top Coronado’s Sergio Torres (710).

“Even though I didn’t get a 300 (game), I was able to stay consistent,” Collins said. “And I just had to stay within a reasonable number after the first game to try and make it up … I’ve been trying to get a state championship since my freshman year. We’ve made it to the playoffs every year, but we couldn’t win.”

Dobbs finished third with a 689 series, and Arbor View’s Julian Domingo was fourth with a 684.

“Everybody was just proud of me,” Dobbs said after his perfect game. “Congratulating me, giving me handshakes. My mom basically said there are not enough words in the English dictionary to describe how she felt about me … Not quite sure what happened (after). I was throwing some really good shots actually, but just wasn’t getting any breaks.”

Boulder City’s Randall Berkheimer took the I-A boys title with a 686 series.

Chaparral’s Houston Hughes was second with a 646, and Sierra Vista’s Joseph Ongtawco was third with a 594. Tech’s Brendan Lindsey (580) rounded out the top four.

In Division I girls, Palo Verde’s Natallie Kowalski won with a 632 series.

Kowalski edged Bonanza’s Ashlee McKenna (619), Bishop Gorman’s Leah Glazer (615) and Legacy’s Maraya Gamon (606).

“It feels great,” Kowalski said. “Winning individual was my main goal (this year) because I knew we didn’t have a strong team to begin with. But I still bowled great each and every match because I knew I needed to get a high average for myself coming into the individuals. It worked out in the end.”

Kowalski, who trailed after the first two games, credited a key adjustment in the third game for sending her over the top.

“The lanes started to break down so I couldn’t get my ball to the pocket,” Kowalski said. “And it was either going high or hitting low, so I actually made a ball change in the third game, which helped tremendously.”

Tech’s Emi Leong captured the I-A individual title with a 584 series, 19 pins better than of Sierra Vista’s Leeann Reyes.

Del Sol’s Jazmynn Eubanks (539) and Boulder City’s Bailey Bennett-Jordan (459) were third and fourth, respectively.

Contact reporter Ashton Ferguson at aferguson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0430. Follow him on Twitter: @af_ferguson.