sophomores Melanie Stice, Courtney Tabor and Erica Bailey.

“I was very nervous at the beginning of the year after having three seniors graduate,” Banwell said. “I knew Madison was a strong bowler and she’s been bowling since she was in Kindergarten, so I was expecting some big things from her.”

The boys side is a little different than the girls, however. Three different bowlers have led the Newton boys in first-round scores this season. Freshman Jake Karlzen paced the Cardinals with a 348 in the season-opening meet at Knoxville, sophomore Andrew Lammey rolled a 447 in the team’s record-breaking win at Oskaloosa and sophomore Payton Cox led the way with a 361 in the Cardinals’ home meet on Dec. 15. Meanwhile, senior Dylan Van Sickle usually isn’t far off the pace.