WICHITA – Angie Moser had barely stepped off the approach area Wednesday afternoon at Bowlero Northrock when tears began to flow.
 
The Campus junior rolled her last ball in the Baker portion of the Class 6A state tournament, and the finality of her time competing with her Colts bowling teammates hit hard.
 
“She’s the crier that’s going to get us all crying,” Campus senior Caitlynn Clough said. “We work a lot on making sure we are focused, and then when we come off the lane that’s kind of when we break down.”
 
One by one, the Colts put the finishing touches on their third consecutive 6A title and ninth since 2015. Hugs and tears accompanied it all as Campus posted a score of 3,420 to defeat runner-up Washburn Rural by 102 pins.
 

Senior Riley Emerson, a Louisiana Tech signee, rolled a 685 series in the tenpin portion of the tournament to finish fifth individually and lead four top-20 finishers for Campus. Emerson’s classmates, Paige Mashak and Clough, were eighth and ninth respectively, and Moser finished 17^th.
 
With all those bowlers back from last year’s state championship team, the Colts were prohibitive favorites to add another 6A crown to their collection. Campus did so by surpassing its previous 6A tournament scoring record of 3,347 in three tenpin games and a four-game Baker set.
 
“I know we had a lot of pressure on our backs going for a three-peat,” said Mashak, who rolled a season-best 657 series. “We didn’t let it affect our bowling, but we knew going into the Baker games we’d have to bowl really good.”
 

With Mashak, Clough, Emerson and Dani Slates making up the senior quartet, and Moser and fellow junior Ella Rutter planning to graduate early, Campus marked the end of this era in style. The Colts averaged 216 in the four Baker games, countering Washburn Rural’s momentum-building 257 third game with a 224 in the final game to extinguish any threat.
 
Despite the rising emotions of their final 10 Baker frames, the Colts filled every one with spares and strikes.
 
“It was super special,” said Campus coach Brett Marrs, who won his second 6A title in as many seasons since the retirement of predecessor Kenny Fulkerson. “This group of girls, as far as a team, they are one of the perfect teams that I’ve ever coached. They’re just a fun group.”
 
Underwhelmed by a regional victory in which they posted a 3,009 pinfall, the Colts focused on starting fast Wednesday. Mashak rolled a 246 opening game and Emerson added a 235 as Campus’ four-player total of 921 provided a 134-pin cushion over the second-highest score posted by Mill Valley.
 
“We all knew we could have bowled a lot better at regionals,” said Emerson, who rolled a 528 series at Liberal’s Ayr Lanes. “At practice, we talked about how we won regionals but we did not bowl good. We knew we had to lock in at state.”
 

With Emerson, Mashak and Clough all finishing in the top 10, the Colts posted a 2,556 score in the tenpin portion and took a 98-pin lead over Rural into Baker play. The Colts added 34 pins to their lead over Rural with games of 211 and 225 before the Junior Blues answered with the high game of the set, reeling off seven consecutive strikes in their 257.
 
But Campus, which rolled a 204 in the third Baker game, still maintained a 79-pin lead.
 
“It’s always fun when you got to your team and say, ‘Just keep it on the lane,’” Marrs said.
 
Rural’s 3,318 pinfall total was the third highest of the tenpins plus Baker era of the 6A state championship. Junior Megan Glinka finished second individually for the Junior Blues, who also placed Camrynn Ahrens and Stella Gordon in the top 20.
 
Mill Valley, led by individual champion Layla Gonzalez, finished third with a 3,115 pinfall.
 

CLASS 6A GIRLS STATE TEAM SCORES

1. Campus 3,420; 2. Washburn Rural 3,318; 3. Mill Valley 3,115; 4. Wichita Northwest 2,993; 5. Junction City 2,915; 6. Olathe South 2,723; 7. Derby 2,702; 8. Olathe East 2,597; 9. Blue Valley North 2,585.