Mr. 300: How a Kingston bowler rolled Section 9's first perfect game of the season
Something that didn't feel right for Kingston bowler Kevin Thomas turned out to result in the opposite.
Thomas achieved bowling perfection, rolling a 300 at Kingston Lanes on Jan. 25. Over the weekend, he had hoped to get his equipment refitted after noticing that his gear no long fit. He ended up with new equipment, and the switch certainly paid off.
“It’s always been a hope of mine to one day reach it, but whatever happens, happens," Thomas said.
Austin Wells was the last Kingston boys bowler to accomplish the same feat, rolling a 300 game during the 2019-20 season.
It was the first-ever 300 for Thomas, including in practice runs and competition.
Scores: High school sports for January 27
As he was getting closer to bowling perfection, Thomas said he became nervous and just hoped the ball would roll the right way.
“I just tried to stay calm and throw the same I did the other 11 (frames) and not go fast," Thomas said on his strategy during the final frame.
Teammate and best friend Jesse Kollbeck said Thomas was the one who introduced him to bowling.
"For my best friend to get that far, I was nervous the whole time for him," Kollbeck said. "I just tried to keep him calm and occupied, thinking about something else rather than bowling itself, so he doesn’t overthink about it. I just kept doing the same handshake after each strike, kept it calm, kept it normal and took it one strike at a time.”
It has been an impressive season for Thomas. He qualified for Junior Gold, a junior national tournament, and he will travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan in July to compete. That was one of the reasons he went for an equipment change.
The bowling ball is important as bowlers grow through high school. They typically get refitted once a year because the span between the finger and thumb changes. Bowlers have bowling balls drilled specifically for them, so getting measured is important, coach Rebekah Van Scoyk said.
Thomas also bowled in CDYST, which is a youth tour around the capital region. He earned his spot in Junior Gold through one of the CDYST tournaments.
Section has held mostly virtual matches this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams have largely competed on their home lanes, sent in scores, then waited until later in the evening or sometimes the following day to see the winner of the matchup.
MKramer1@th-record.com
Twitter: @MKramerTHR
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Section 9 bowling: Kingston's Kevin Thomas bowls 300 game
