Local youth bowlers will be aiming for five-pin provincial titles in Kelowna this weekend.
In the senior singles category, zone champions Lezzyl Aquino of Black Diamond Lanes and Ben Hendrickson of Nechako Lanes will compete in the girls and boys tournaments respectively. Aquino's five-game qualifying score of 1,269 (average of 254) is the highest of any of the six B.C. finalists. Hendrickson, meanwhile, posted the top qualifying score among senior boys - 1,448, for an average of 290.
In the senior girls team category, Black Diamond's Kassidy Johnson and Paige Meise will be on the lanes in Kelowna. Their eight-game qualifying total was 1,788 (average of 224). For the senior boys, the Nechako team of Dean Florell and Corbin Taylor will be in action. Florell and Taylor qualified with an eight-game score of 2,086 (average of 261), which is tops in the six-team field.
Prince George will also be represented in the junior girls and junior boys team categories. The junior girls team is formed by Black Diamond's Jadyn Arnett and Chiara Riise, who totaled 1,758 to win the zone championship and advance to provincials. Their average for eight games was 220. Spencer Ponto and Cylis Hendrickson of Nechako Lanes will throw in the junior boys division in Kelowna. At zones, they had a 1,617 total for an average of 202.
All provincial competitors will follow a double round-robin, match-play format. Games start today and will wrap up Sunday. Eventual B.C. champions will move on to nationals, May 5-7 in Regina.
