The Pagosa Springs High School (PSHS) Pirate Unified bowling team placed 19th out of 28 teams at last week’s state tournament.
The team logged a total pinfall of 442 at the tournament in Lone Pine on Friday, Nov. 22.
Cyndi Figaro, special talents teacher at PSHS, notes in an email the Pirates’ lanes were right by the eventual winners, Northridge, who logged a total pinfall of 651, and one of the other top schools.
“It was a little intimidating,” she wrote.
But, in addition to the team’s appearance at state for the third consecutive year, Figaro highlights that Pirate Juriah Carter sang the national anthem a cappella in front of a very crowded bowling alley.
The Pirates advanced to state for the third time after finishing first at regionals on Nov. 15 with a total pinfall of 501 over five games, earning them their second regional title.
The tournament was held in a Baker format with five games.
A Baker game, the Colorado High School Activities Association notes, “is when team members rotate between the three players with each participant rolling one ball before a teammate rolls the next. Regardless of a spare or strike, the next participant will always roll the next ball. This format gives equal playing time for each member, creating meaningful participation that is essential to the Unified Sports® model.”
About Unified bowling
Unified bowling became a sanctioned sport under CHSAA in 2019, with play beginning during the 2020-2021 season. It is in partnership with Special Olympics Colorado.
Special Olympics Unified sports combine students with intellectual disabilities and Unified partners without intellectual disabilities on bowling teams for training and competition.
The Archuleta School District Board of Education added Unified bowling as a sport at PSHS in the fall of 2021.
randi@pagosasun.com
