Story by Jason Strickland, Sports Editor

With 11 freshmen coming into the Jennies bowling program this season, head coach Ron Holmes expects the senior class to be active role models for them.

“All three ladies have a great set of bowling skills, but it’s been a long time here at Central for us to truly have, what I believe, is a senior class that can really help move the group along,” Holmes said.

“I’d really like for their legacy to be that the team looks back and sees the senior class that really led them to a solid finish, and more than anything, help move them along as great skill players and as great ladies,” he added.

The three ladies he is referring to are returning All-American Natalie Jimenez, Kelli Schroeder and Larissa Lantto. They were second, third and fifth on the team in average score per game last season, respectively.

“The returners can also be a mini coach, or they can be a mentor to some of those younger players, and show them how it works,” Holmes said.

Following a tie for seventh at the NCAA Championships last season, the Jens are ranked sixth in the preseason poll, but Holmes said he doesn’t have any specific goal right now besides just getting better every day.

“If it’s a returning player, it’s trying to make sure they can do the skills and repeat the skills that they want to,” he said. “If it’s a new player, it’s learning some of those new items.”

Holmes said he has high hopes for a freshman from Westerville, Ohio.

“Mary Wells will start as an incoming freshman,” he said. “We will put her in the middle of the lineup to try to, hopefully, let her get her feet wet a little bit. But if she was called upon in a critical role, and we had to move her around to a more dominate or stressful spot, I think she can handle that, too.”

Wells holds several Westerville Central High School records, including highest game score (300), highest two-game series (556) and highest season average (229).

There are a couple of other freshmen Holmes said could have an immediate impact on the team.

“Jennifer Potts and Breanna Francis provide us with some great depth, and some very solid skills I think will help those returning players and give them a chance to get their feet wet in a non-stressful setting,” he said.

The season begins with the Newman Mid-State Invitational in Wichita, Kan., Saturday and Sunday.

Holmes said it will be similar to an exhibition event since most of the approximately 30 teams that will be there are not NCAA programs.

“The biggest thing for us is to go in and try to get a little bit of experience,” he said. “See what our training has allowed us to do so far, and then be able to tweak some things as we finish up in preparation for our first NCAA event.”