Dealing with pressure can be difficult at the top — and Marshalltown boys’ bowling struggled at times during a relatively straightforward 3,078-2,361 victory over the Newton Cardinals at Wayward Social. Head coach DJ Wilder said the guys are still learning how to handle their own heightened expectations.

“I just start to see it kind of crack on them,” Wilder said. “They start to feel the pressure and they’re still bowling good, but they’re not bowling great so they feel more of it.

“All six of them have that expectation of ‘We have to go out and we have to shoot strikes every time, we have to roll spares everything,’ and I have to tell them, ‘I love that about you, but you also have to understand that you’re 16-17-18-year-old kids, and perfection is not demanded of you. All I ask is you just give your best effort and go from there.'”

Damon Borton led the way for the Bobcat boys with a 212-245–457, with Dylan Cooper close behind at 234-213–447 and Demitri Ferneau at 203-232–435 in what Wilder said was an “off night” for the senior.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING - Marshalltown junior Madison Pickett celebrates after rolling a strike during Tuesday’s bowling meet against Newton at Wayward Social. Pickett had the high game and series in the match.

Dru Wilder also broke 400 with a 220-213–433 series and the Bobcats held a 2,137-1,496 lead after the series’ games. Xander Pickett had 168-181–349 and Aaron Ratte rolled 201-164–365 to round out the team’s scoring.

The Baker games were up-and-down, with highs of 242 and 212 and lows of 172, 169 and 146 to round out the evening. Not reaching 1,000 points in the Baker games but still outscoring Newton 941-865 to extend the lead, Wilder said it was another step in the right direction despite some early bumps in the road for the Bobcats.

Marshalltown’s girls’ team was unable to pull out a win over Newton by a score of 2,343-1,971, but two of the Bobcats’ leaders in Madison Pickett and Sydney Dannen had positive performances.

Dannen rolled 201-174–375 and Pickett rolled a series of 154-211–365 to lead the way for Marshalltown, with Autumn Thompson third at 163-112–275.

Newcomers Katelyn Schwartz and Sydney May rolled 96-94–190 and 83-114–197, which Wilder said was a positive sign moving forward as he tries to grow this team throughout the season.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

“They just continue to get better,” Wilder said. “They don’t let what’s going on affect them that much. They know they’re not going to be in the 170s, but if they can get a 120 or 130 that’s going to help the team.”

Marshalltown hosts Ottumwa Tuesday afternoon at Wayward Social.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING