The Washington community is used to seeing senior Joe Smith perform on the soccer pitch, the wrestling mat, and the football field. This winter, Smith decided to embark on a new athletic challenge, “As a senior I wanted to try something different, something I have never done before.” Smith said, “So that’s why I decided to try out for bowling. If the school offered it, I would try out for tennis. I want to try any type of sport.”

Smith is the lone senior on the 15 player squad and says he found out rather quickly how tough bowling can be. “I can be a prime athlete and still not be a good bowler.” Smith added, “You have to be able to focus and work on your technique. In most other sports, if you are just physical enough you can just get by and be a good player. In bowling, you still have to work at something to be good at it and I enjoy that.”

Washington assistant bowling coach Chad Zear says he has seen a lot of growth in Smith at the bowling lanes, “He started out sliding on the wrong foot, throwing the ball backwards, and throwing mostly gutter balls.” Zear said, “Now, he has learned to properly walk up to the line, how to actually hook the ball and he is very meticulous at what he does. It has been an absolute joy to watch him and I am so glad he stuck it out.”

In his first varsity start Saturday against Mount Pleasant, Smith bowled a career-best 173 in the first 10 frames of the day to help Washington take game one against the undefeated Mount Pleasant Panthers 961-837. The Demons fell in the second round and in the four of the five baker rounds to lose the meet 2830-2403. A baker round is a normal bowling game involving all five starting bowlers throwing two frames of the round.

Washington’s girls bowling team fell to Mount Pleasant 2459-1941.

The Washington girls’ and boys’ bowling teams are back in competition this weekend in a Southeast Conference meet with the Keokuk Chiefs. The meet is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. at Lebowski’s Rock’ N Bowl.