With some new faces taking over key roles for the girls along with key experience and competition returning for the boys, Wayne High bowling is at an all-time high.
Following another successful year at the state bowling championships in 2024, the Wayne High girls and boys bowling teams are going to be working a lot more on bonding, culture and sticking together.
Head coach Josh Johnson will be entering his fifth year leading the Blue Devil bowling program.
Coach Johnson said he grew up in a bowling alley.
"My parents actually bought a bowling alley in Laurel like one month before I was born," said Johnson. "So, I got to see all the excitement of all the adults and all the youth programs in the 80s and 90s, then to see it kind of drop off for a while but now it's coming back; it's roaring back."
Joining coach Johnson will be Cec Vandersnick (check spelling) and Vicki Smith.
The Wayne High girls bowling team will be made up of 13 girls including five freshmen. Seniors include Lindsay Niemann, Madilyn Janke, Samantha Gubbels, Rylee Durant and Rylin Hall.
WHS will be without a trio of starters from last year being Jersi Jensen, Nina Hammer and Joslyn Johnson.
Wayne High is the four-time defending state champs but that is in year's past according to coach Johnson.
"This year it is time for us to kind of see what this new team can put together," said Johnson. "We got new faces in new positions. We're just working every day trying to get fundamentally better and we'll just build every day to see where we can get to eventually by the end of the year."
Both programs had a movie-day last Friday before bowling to build team-bonding.
There are 16 boys out with four seniors being Jaden Dramse, Jamison Meyer, Alex Rodriguez and Carlyle Young. With no seniors graduating last year, all are returning.
Coach Johnson added the boys team is also working on themselves.
"Working on some of those fundamental things," Johnson added. "Working with some pin drills, getting some spares figured out, some oil patterns figured out. Nothing too crazy, just fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals."
Last year, Wayne High boys bowling finished Class B state runner-up. The group is looking for the youth to grow and build upon last season's success.
With the season to begin on Thursday, Dec. 5, Wayne High girls and boys bowlers will be working with some different oil patterns during practice to help with the lanes in Norfolk and then the following outing in Columbus.
A total of five home events will be held at Wildcat Lanes in Wayne. Coach Johnson said it's always fun in Wayne.
"Our fans come out and they pack that place," said Johnson. "They're a rowdy bunch, they love their bowling and we love putting on a show for them the best we can. It's been great having the Jensen's up there, they're pretty passionate about high school bowling. We're going to have some bleachers up there for the fans to sit on; it should be a good time. We hope anybody that can make it up to any of our duals or invite can do so."
Home outings at Wildcat Lanes include Friday, Dec. 20; Saturday, Dec. 21; Friday, Dec. 27, Thursday, Jan. 9 and Thursday, Jan. 16.
With the NSAA adding more schools, the middle school numbers have also seen record breaking attendance. New to this year's NSAA State Bowling Championships, will be the finals will be televised live in Lincoln instead of taped and aired back at a later date. Also, there'll be two sets of four-team pods such as state softball and baseball championships.
