CLASS 6A BOYS BOWLERS TO WATCH IN 2026
 

CASH CARNS, DERBY
 
Carns, a senior, has helped Derby win the last two Class 6A boys titles, and was one of three Panthers on the Kansas Bowling Coaches Association’s All-6A first team last season. He rolled a season-high 753 series in one of Derby’s home triangulars, then followed it two days later with his first competitive 300 game to begin individual qualifying at the Great Plains Invitational. Derby took second to Garden City at that meet and in the 6A regional, but couldn’t be stopped at state thanks in part to Carns, who rolled a 695 series to finish fifth individually. Carns’ 225 average last season ranked seventh in the state among bowlers in all classes.
 

MAXWELL CASE, WICHITA SOUTHEAST
 
Case enjoyed some big performances last season for the Golden Buffaloes, rolling a 300 in the opening game of a 686 series that gave him an individual victory in a Greater Wichita Athletic League triangular. At the 6A regional in Topeka, Case’s 782 series produced a 102-pin victory over runner-up Simon Clark of Olathe Northwest. Case couldn’t replicate that at state, finishing 45^th with a 576 series, but he still capped his junior season with a 209 average and a top-5 high series on the state’s honor roll. 
 

BRAYDEN EBELING, OLATHE SOUTH

Ebeling is coming off a strong freshman campaign where he found the medal stand in his first state tournament. Ebeling took 10th overall with a series score of 671. He got off to a slow start in his first game with a 178, but battled back with strong performances of 237 and 257 in his next two to vault him up the standings. His best game was early in the season as he bowled a 258 last January along with a high series of 700 at the same meet at Olathe Lanes East. Ebeling was one of two state medalists from an Olathe South team that earned a spot at the state meet and took fourth overall. The Falcons will try and make their way up the standings this season as they have to replace just two members from last season’s team.  
 

TYLER HAGG, OLATHE SOUTH

Hagg joined his teammate Brayden Ebeling as freshmen state medalists for Olathe South as they combined to help the Falcons to a fourth place state finish. In his first season of high school competition, Hagg recorded a series of 632 at the state meet, including a 244 in his first game. His high game came last February at Olathe Lanes East with a 279, as did his high series off 776. Hagg also led Olathe South with an average of 218 last season. The Falcons will also have Tyler’s older brother, Tanner Hagg, on the roster from last season’s state team along with junior Anthony Dokolas, who had the best high series on the team last season with a 787.  
 

GRAESYN HOSS, LAWRENCE

Hoss was the Lions’ lone state competitor last season, but put together a strong year despite just missing the medal stand. As a sophomore, Hoss earned his second straight state appearance after medaling fourth as a freshman. At the state meet, he recorded a 609 series after scoring a 208 in his first round. On the season, Hoss recorded a high game of 277 last February at Royal Crest and earned a 756 high series a week later at West Ridge. He also had a 224 average on the year. 
 

ELI NATHAN, BLUE VALLEY NORTH

Nathan had a successful 2025 campaign as he was one of two Mustangs to earn state medals at last season’s state tournament in Wichita. The Blue Valley North senior is back to lead the Mustangs in 2026 after an 18th place finish at state with a series score of 634. He nearly bowled a perfect game last February at Bowlero Overland Park with a 299 for his high game last season and racked up a high-series of 739 at the same meet. He is already off to a good start in 2026 as Nathan won his first meet of the season at Lawrence.  
 

BRODY NICHOLS, GARDEN CITY

Nichols spent the first half of last season on the Buffaloes’ junior varsity before working his way into the varsity lineup. He proved to be a key contributor, capping his freshman season with a career-best 648 series at state, good for 13th place. His strong state showing was powered by the 255 he rolled in Game 1. Nichols posted a 191 average in his five varsity meets. The Buffaloes will have a new-look lineup after graduating five seniors including leader K.J. Burns, now bowling at Newman University. Garden City will look to extend its streak of six consecutive Western Athletic Conference titles.
 

KELLAN SEWELL, OLATHE EAST

Sewell was the top bowler on the Olathe East team a season ago and is back for his senior season after earning his first state medal in 2025. As a junior, Sewell medaled 15th overall at Bowlero in Wichita at the 6A meet with a series of 645. He opened the tournament strong with a 231 in his first game and bounced back with a 223 in the third. He averaged 197 on the season. He had a high game of 247 last January at Park Lanes, and also had a high series of 690 early in the year at Mission Bowl in Olathe. 
 

MADDOX SIHARATH, WICHITA SOUTHEAST
 
Siharath’s consistency last season was rewarded with a seventh-place individual finish in the Class 6A state meet. He produced 600 series in seven of 10 meets, including a season-high 685 in a Greater Wichita Athletic League triangular victory at Wichita’s Northrock. After finishing ninth at the Topeka regional, Siharath returned to Northrock for state and rolled games of 248, 212 and 223 for a 683 series. Siharath’s 205 average was second on the team to Maxwell Case. Both seniors return to lead Southeast this season.
 

 
JAKE SMITH, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST

Smith is just one of two returners this season for Shawnee Mission East after helping the Lancers to a state runner-up finish a year ago. Individually, Smith medaled 12th overall as a junior with a series score of 650 and bowled 200 or better in all three games for his second-best performance of the season. Last January at Bowlero Overland Park, posted his high game of 278 and high series of 701. Smith is now the team’s top bowler after losing state runner-up Christian Lahey to graduation last year.  

MICHAEL STANGER, DERBY
 
 
No bowler rolled an 800 series last winter during Kansas’ high school season, but Stanger came the closest. His 791 series at the Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail I meet took the individual title and helped the Panthers capture their fifth consecutive league team title. A two-time, second-team All-6A performer, Stanger matched teammate Evan Clark with a 232 average last season, second in the state only to Garden City’s K.J. Burns. While Stanger’s 630 series at state left him two pins shy of a top-20 individual medal, it helped Derby roll to its second consecutive 6A team title. Stanger, a junior, and senior Cash Carns give the Panthers an experienced nucleus moving forward. 
 

JAXON WHITE, MAIZE
 
White, a junior, bounced between Maize’s varsity and junior varsity squads last season. But he came on strong at the end, helping the Eagles qualify for state with a 625 series at regionals. White then posted Maize’s top score at state, opening individual qualifying with a 234 game en route to a season-high 641 series that landed him in 17^th place. White also competed for the Eagles at the Great Plains Invitational, and finished the season with a 187 average.