In only its third year, the Meridian High School girls bowling program has its first bowlers heading to state.
Sophomore Lexi Garvin and junior Emma Hill will be competing at the state championships Friday at Narrows Plaza Bowl in University Place.
Meridian didn’t qualify to compete as a team, but Garvin and Hill will have a shot at individual awards.
The two said they didn’t really know what to expect at the beginning of the season.
Garvin didn’t even know there would be a state championship and because of that, she didn’t really have any goals set for the season.
“I didn’t know there was going to be state for us, partially because of COVID and partially because I had no knowledge of it,” Garvin said.
Both Garvin and Hill say they are pretty new to the sport.
Garvin is in her first year and Hill is only in her third.
Making it all the way to state is cool, but they were mostly just hoping to get better this season and feel they’ve done that.
Hill said she just wanted to score high and find consistency from game to game.
“I’ve also become more consistent in how I throw the ball down the lane,” she said.
Hill had some mixed feelings on making school bowling history, of sorts.
“It’s just weird,” she said.
Garvin said it means a lot to her given her lack of experience coming in.
“I’m amazed that I’ve made it this far, especially in my first year with hardly knowing anything about bowling competitively and now going to state for the first time,” she said. “It’s really crazy.”
Being the first to go to state in school history is an experience they’re glad they get to share together.
The bowling state championships start Thursday, but Garvin and Hill won’t compete until the 1A/2A championships Friday.
