Unified Bowling is a sport at Alliance High School that does not have a definite fall or winter season. Fall sports are wrapping up, but winter sports have yet to even begin practices. Unified Bowling, on the other hand, has its first duel on October 25, even though practices for other winter sports do not begin until November 15. 

Mrs. Laura Mangas and Mr. Joseph Mangas are in their sixth year of coaching Unified Bowling at AHS. In an interview with Mr. Mangas, he said, “The goal we have for our team is to again win districts and make it to the state competition. We have been successful at this goal in four of our five previous seasons.” Last year, the bowling team earned a score of 940 to send them to the state tournament. Mangas also elaborated on his personal goals as a coach. “My personal goal as a coach is to foster a love for the sport of bowling. Unlike almost any other sport, you don’t have to be as physically fit in order to participate in bowling, and thus you can enjoy bowling well through retirement age.” 

This year’s team has seven seniors. They are Rhonda Clark, Noah Drew, Braden Frohman, Moises Garza, Tyler Jensen, Meagan Morgan and Micheal Zuniga.“Our team is smaller than it has been in past years,” said Mangas, “but we have a solid group of returning bowlers.” Other bowlers on the team are Jesika Bestol, Mason Elford, Ian Gomez, Anthony Huber, Madeline Huss, Kaelee Jelinek, Brexton Kimmel, Abigail Louden, Daulton Mangas, Alexander Montgomery, Sara Schnell, Kaitlyn Sloggett and Kiera Smith.

Mangas then went on to elaborate on the Nebraska School Activity Association’s change of divisions for this year’s bowling season. “This season, the NSAA has divided schools into two divisions, Class A and Class B, based on student body population. Alliance is in Class B. This changes our district composition a little bit and widens our chances to make it to the state competition, as each class will have room for two wild cards.” 

The SPUD would like to wish all Unified bowlers good luck as they compete in the first duel against Gordon-Rushville. The Alliance bowling quad is October 30. Our bowlers will also compete at the Gordon-Rushville Invite on Saturday, November 6. Good luck Bulldog bowlers!