The YBC national fivepin champions from the St. Albert Bowling Centre experienced the thrill of victory that eluded them at provincials.
A blackout at provincials in Calgary prevented the senior girls’ team of Katie Demuynck, Amanda Spicer, Michelle Heidinger, Alyssa Campbell and coach Dorry Mielke from receiving their gold medals on top of the podium.
“We had to make up for it,” Spicer said. “We had to get gold to know what it felt like.”
At nationals in Vancouver recently the St. Albert foursome finished 14-7 in the eight-team event.
“It was great representing Alberta and having the satisfaction of knowing you’re the best team in Canada was awesome,” Heidinger said.
Northern Ontario and Quebec tied for second with 13 wins apiece and in a rolloff the Thunder Bay bowlers won silver.
Alberta posted 2-1 records against both teams.
“Playing against all the best bowlers across Canada was such an honour,” Demuynck said. “It was a really big honour to beat them and place first, which was really exciting.”
Alberta started off nationals with eight straight wins before the Manitoba bowlers from Winnipeg snapped the streak.
“If anything it just kind of lit our fire even more,” Spicer said.
In the next eight games after the loss, Alberta was 5-3.
“It was kind of on and off from (after the loss) and at a few points Quebec almost took the lead from us and so did (Northern) Ontario,” Demuynck said. “There was a lot of pressure put on us at the time, especially when you’re one point apart like we were but we didn’t cave under the pressure.”
The victory against the Quebec bowlers from Gatineau in game 17 solidified Alberta’s first-place standing.
“It was the most intense game,” Demuynck said. “If they had beat us they would’ve been tied with us and then we would’ve had to rely on other teams to beat Quebec for us to win so to beat Quebec in that game was a big deal.”
After the 13th win Alberta lost its next game, rebounded with a victory then dropped two in a row to close out the tournament.
Heidinger, 19, said it was hard to concentrate on playing the Saskatchewan bowlers from Saskatoon in the last game with Northern Ontario nearby and needing a win to force a tie-breaking rolloff.
“I wasn’t watching our own game. I was staring at their game so it was a great feeling when it was all over and we were the winners,” said the University of Alberta massage therapy student.
Heidinger finished off her third and final YBC championship in style after winning bronze and silver at previous nationals. She bowled a 212.10 average and her highest score was 258 in the loss to Manitoba.
“To win gold now is awesome,” said Heidinger, who described the accomplishment as a team effort. “If one person had a bad game the other girls brought you up. We compensated for one another so we never fully bowled bad as a team.”
Spicer, 17, also medalled at her third nationals after winning silver in singles in bantam and junior.
“I’ve been bowling ten years and I’ve tried to get gold for so long so to finally accomplish that is really great. I only have three more years left (of eligibility) so to represent my bowling alley in that kind of way and bring it back here is really nice,” said the Grade 11 Bellerose Composite High School student.
She noted that winning a medal at nationals in singles is harder than in doubles.
“In singles it’s yourself and if you’re bowling great then you have a great shot and if you’re not you have to hold yourself up and it’s hard. You don’t have a team to hold you up,” said Spicer, who rolled a team-high 233.33 average and her best score was 277 in the game five win.
Demuynck, 17, was the lone bowler on the team making her national debut.
“I’ve been wanting to go to a nationals since I was nine years old when I started bowling and it was really awesome to go with these girls on my team. I’ve known them since I was young and they’re all great bowlers,” said the Grade 12 Bellerose student who finished with a 203 average and her highest score was 286 in the game 14 win.
Campbell had previous national experience and twice bowled 300-plus games – 302 in the game eight win and 311 in game 19 win – while posting a 207.14 average.
PIN KNOCKERS: St. Albert bowlers Cole Kalanza and Tina Sang also represented Alberta at nationals.
Kalanza finished sixth out of 13 competitors in fivepin bantam boys’ singles with 13.5 points and his pinfall total was 177.42.
Sang placed eighth in a field of 12 in junior girls’ fivepin singles with 9.5 points and her pinfall total was 198.05.
