Cedar Rapids Washington’s Keely Pernicka is off to a great start this year leading the Metro area with a 219 bowling average.

Pernicka, a junior, has been bowling for the Warriors since she was a freshman, but has been bowling so long it took some help from mom and grandma to recall that it was third or fourth grade when she she started bowling.

Pernicka began bowling in a league at Westdale Bowl where she could bowl and get a free ball. From there her passion for the sport has grown as it is truly a family affair.

“My grandma, aunts, uncles, everybody bowls,” Pernicka said. “During the summer we get together every Friday to bowl.”

Now bowling for her high school team, receiving honors, and breaking records, Pernicka remains very humble and is focused on her team’s success over her own personal accomplishments.

“I am honored to be on district teams and break records, but it’s all a little overwhelming,” Pernicka said. “I want to do well myself, but it is also about the team’s success.”

It will be a team effort come regional time, but you can bet that Pernicka will be an important part of the Warriors’ success all along the way.

Warrior Coach Traci Mooney sees Pernicka becoming a leader and believes her dedication helps the rest of the team as they continue to improve.

“She is becoming more of a leader this year,” Mooney said of Pernicka. “She will play a big part going forward. She is so dedicated and we are hoping to see really big improvements.”

Pernicka has high hopes for the team as well. They would like to follow up on the boys’ team success last year and get to state themselves this year.

“We are going to fight, that is for sure,” Pernicka said of regional play, which begins in February. “The boys went last year and we hope we can make it to state this year.”

While Pernicka puts up big numbers on a consistent basis, it was the other Metro schools that ruled the lanes Saturday afternoon at Prairie’s Baker tournament.

In the team based competition the last three standing were all from the Metro area.

The day started with 11 teams, including seven from the Metro area competing in the best two-out-of-three competition.

Marion dropped two straight for an early exit and was quickly followed Xavier (1-2). Next to go was Washington (1-2) and Prairie (1-2) in the double elimination set up.

At the end it was Linn-Mar (4-2) coming out of the losers bracket with a win over Kennedy (3-2) to get a rematch with Jefferson for the championship.

The Lions took the first game, but the J-Hawks came back to take the next two to beat Linn-Mar for the second time and win the championship.

PRAIRIE BAKER TOURNAMENT

First Round
Xavier def. Iowa City High
Washington def. Marion
DeWitt Central def. Iowa City West
Byes – Cedar Falls, Kennedy, Jefferson, Prairie, Linn-Mar

Second Round
Kennedy def. Cedar Falls
Jefferson def. Xavier
Prairie def. Washington
Linn-Mar def. DeWitt Central

Quarterfinals
Jefferson def. Kennedy
Linn-Mar def. Prairie

Semifinals
Jefferson def. Linn-Mar

Championship
Jefferson def. Linn-Mar

Losers bracket (in order of occurrence)
Cedar Falls def. Marion
Iowa City West def. Xavier
DeWitt Central def. Iowa City High
Cedar Falls def. Iowa City West
DeWitt Central def. Washington
Cedar Falls def. Prairie
Kennedy def. DeWitt Central
Linn-Mar def. Kennedy