Wild Bunch bowlers take national title

Roll the ball down the lane, knock down as many pins as you can and have some fun doing it. Recently, the Wyoming Wild Bunch women's bowling team put these skills to the test - particularly the fun aspect - when they competed at the United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships in Las Vegas, taking the Sapphire Division.

Though the tournament officially ended July 10, it began April 9; the event lasts several weeks, in order to provide the 20,000-plus entrants this year the opportunities to play their nine games - three on a team, three singles and three doubles.

The Wild Bunch team of Ella Parker, Hope Gebes, Shawna Beaumeister and Jessica Slagle competed June 2 and 3, though Parker noted she and Slagle have been competing at the event annually since 2011, and the other two came on just this year. It's not the first time team members have played together, as they regularly attend the Ladies Choice league on Thursday nights in Worland and took first in the league this past year before winning sixth in state and their national victory.

The team wound up with a 1,902 total score, beating out the next highest score of 1,890, but they then had weeks to wait to see if any other teams could topple them. Even now, knowing they've won, their championship trophy is not scheduled for presentation until the 2017 Women's Championship in Baton Rouge, La.

Their name will also be displayed on the list of winners during next year's tournament.

Competition at the national level is divided based on the total of each member's average added together, with Emerald, Ruby and Diamond also making up the structure for team play. Doubles and singles events also add Amethyst and Topaz divisions. The ladies noted teams are not paired at lanes specifically by division. For instance, an Emerald team might play next to a Diamond team, which can help eliminate a lot of the edge that comes with direct competition.

Gebes noted it just happened that the team they were playing next to was in their league from Worland. Of course, this meant there was already some familiarity, and they were able to have a lot of fun.

And fun definitely is the name of the game at nationals, besides bowling. The Bunch arrived a few days before competition, rented a car and did some California sightseeing prior to rolling, and they participated in some drinking games during. At one point, they thought their rambunctiousness might have been cause for disqualification.

Parker noted the team cusses, and they were cutting up and having a good time when an official headed their direction. Thinking they were to be reprimanded, the team was instead simply informed they had top score. Of course, the fun-loving attitude is not something unique to the Wild Bunch members, who noted they get to meet a lot of new people, form friendships that can last forever and talk with some "crazy, awesome ladies."

The team also expressed appreciation to their sponsors, adding their competing would not have been possible without them.

Though Beaumeister has moved away, the four are already planning to meet up in Baton Rouge next year. Slagle said it's great to represent a small town on a national level, and definitely gives a sense of pride.