Killeen, Copperas Cove, Belton Bowlers Punch Tickets to State Tournament

Bowlers from Ellison, Copperas Cove, Belton New Tech and Early College punched their first-ever tickets to the Dick Atkinson State Tournament on Sunday after competing at Bowlero Georgetown in the Region IV regional between the Chisholm Trail District and the Atkinson Central Texas District.

The regional field included seven boys teams and six girls teams. Among the Atkinson Centex district entries, the four boys teams were Chaparral, Copperas Cove, Early College and Harker Heights, while the four girls teams were Chaparral, Early College, Harker Heights and Shoemaker. After five games of competition, the top four boys and top four girls advanced to state. Harker Heights' boys and girls teams both earned advancement. The Atkinson Centex district also entered 16 individual qualifiers, eight per gender, selected based on the top averages in the district. Those competitors included Leo Solis, Jonathan Rosado, Naomi Ortiz and AnnMarie Kolakowski from Harker Heights; Aaron Duerre, Logan Frishman, Ryan Alexander, Alexis Ortego and Athena San Nicolas from Chaparral; Cole Deloach from Killeen; Brett Tutton from Shoemaker; Alyssa Patterson from Copperas Cove; Isabel Pack from Memorial Christian Academy; Kandie Knight from Ellison; and Jase Orr-Crofoot and Cyrene De Los Santos from Early College.

For Copperas Cove senior Rolan Rivera, the moment carried the weight of years spent at the lanes. "It means a lot. I've been bowling all my life, so to do it in my final year of high school is pretty cool," Rivera said.

Belton New Tech junior Zaylen Kimball, competing in his first state qualifier, described what the sport has given him beyond the game itself. "It's been amazing. I mean, it's helped me develop like on bowling, out of bowling. I mean my mental state has been way better after, so it's been great," Kimball said. He added: "I think it's amazing. I'd like to be out there, bowl as much as I can, as best as I can, hopefully get some recognition and everything for what I do."

The most personal story of Sunday's competition belonged to Ellison senior Kandie Knight, whose state qualification carried deep meaning tied to family loss. Knight has bowled for five years, starting the same year she lost her father. "I've been bowling for about five years. My dad passed the first year I started...I went home and I looked at a picture of him on my wall, and I couldn't even cry for the first time that I looked at a picture of him," Knight said. When she made state, her thoughts went immediately to him.

Knight's path to Georgetown was also shaped by a three-year friendship with Early College junior Alexis Plewacki. The two made a pact at the start of the season after both were forced to withdraw from competition the prior year due to injuries. "We both were like; we have to make it because last year was really rough. She was hurt from her back and I was hurt from my shoulder, so we both, by the end we quit and we said this year we're not going to do that," Plewacki said. Knight described the bond that drove them forward: "Me and her have known each other for about three years, and we told each other that we were making it this year, that me and her together, no matter what place we were in, that me and her were going to make it."

Knight, who captured first place in girls' singles at the district level during the 2025 season, said her ambitions extend well beyond high school. "This is the only sport I do and I want to continue doing it so much so that I want to do PWBA. Next year as well is I'm going to be coaching the Ellison team instead of playing for the Ellison team," Knight said.

Chaparral, one of the more established programs in the region, brought its own momentum into the regional. The boys team has clinched the regional championship and previously finished 14th out of 26 teams at the state level, with senior Aaron Duerre representing the school in individual state competition. The girls team finished second in district play with a 12-2 record. Coach Leigh Frishman pointed toward growth ahead: "We're proud of the momentum we've built and are excited to see even more students interested in joining next season."

Ellison coach Lisa Duncan, whose program finished in the top 20 statewide at the 2025 Dick Atkinson High School State Bowling Championships, echoed that sentiment about her team's trajectory. "I am extremely proud of all the hard work and dedication our teams have put in this year. We have some amazing talent, and I am excited to see their successes that lie ahead.