This Saturday, April 22nd, the bowling team will be competing in the State Handicap Championship. The team is one of eight competing in the tournament, which is taking place at West County Lanes. 

The team is captained by seniors Kalle Evjen and Ben Kinealey, who have been bowling together since their freshman year. 

“I met Ben through bowling, I’ve learned from him, it’s been like a friendly rivalry,” Kalle Evjen, ‘23 said. “Even though we bowl on the same team, we are super competitive against each other.” 

Kalle, who will bowl with a handicap of 26, much below the Missouri average of ~60, is bowling alongside 5 other teammates. 

“We have a fighting chance at winning,” Kalle said. “And I am very excited, alongside my teammates, to have a chance at winning.”

Jayden Roach, ‘24, along with Ben Kinealy, both have averaged above 200 a game, and will not bowl with handicaps during the tournament. 

“Having no handicap can be good,” Jayden said. “But I really do have to overachieve to score points. It keeps me competitive.”

Jayden, who missed three weeks of bowling due to a thumb injury, showed concern about the team early in the year, due to fewer bowlers than usual. 

“We were worried we wouldn’t have a bowling team,” Jayden said. “And that we wouldn’t have enough people to bowl in the state tournament.”

However, these concerns were set aside and there are now enough bowlers to fill two teams; De Smet Maroon and De Smet White. 

Though it might be seniors Kalle Evjen and Ben Kinealy last years bowling, their influence will surely not depart with them.

“Ben is one of those guys who gets me through hard times,” Jayden Roach said. “He is the leader of the team, and the most energetic, too. Kalle is the funny guy, and when he is on his game, he is on his game.”