Duncan is home to a young bowler who can knock them down like no other.
Ethan Frehlick brought home a national championship title after winning the junior division of the 2023 Youth Bowl Canada Championships held in Guelph, Ont., April 17-19.
In his second consecutive nationals, Frehlick ran away from his competitors by winning 10 of 12 matches to lock down the first step ladder position. Frehlick averaged 192 on his way to facing Manitoba’s Lyrick Isfjord in the final.
“Our B.C. champ was too strong and powered his way to the gold medal with a comfortable 160-128 win for his first national championship,” coach Bob Linde said.
Frehlick was one of four Duncan youth representing Team B.C. at the event. Joining the champ were Markus Lawrence in the bantam boys division, Adam Nettleton in the senior boys division, and Penelope Hawkes in the bantam girls division.
The national bowling event had kicked off with the combo team events in which each province had their bantam, junior and senior champions bowling a round robin format against six other provincial teams.
Frehlick won two matches while posting 164.83 through six games, while the senior, Nettleton, did well to win two matches and averaged 207.83. Lawrence averaged 116.83 in the bantam slot, winning one match.
“The boys took seven points from their matches to gain sixth place,” Linde said.
In the girl’s combo event, Hawkes picked up a single win and averaged 90.17. Her junior and senior teammates both representing Splitsville Entertainment Centre in Nanaimo, also won a game apiece giving the B.C. girls seventh place in the event.
Not quite as good as Frehlick’s golden effort, Duncan’s other bowlers also fared well.
In singles play Lawrence won one match averaging 132.75 through the double round robin format.
“Markus was pleased to make 17 pins over his league average and made many new bowling friends on his first trip to nationals,” Linde noted.
Aden Nettleton won three matches in senior boys averaging 191.33 for sixth place in the country while Hawkes improved in the singles event, winning three matches and jumping up to an average of 108.25 to also earn sixth.
