The De Soto High School bowling team has started its second season and is going strong already. The players are on a roll and their spirits are far from being in the gutter.

The players have two first place finishes so far and the coaches agree that both the teams have gotten better, in comparison to last year.

To improve from last year to this year, more bowlers participated in various off-season leagues to raise their scores.

DHS has four meets left until the regular season is complete and the next round begins.

“Our goals are for everyone to improve and get them to bowl their best games in Regionals. Then hopefully we can get some to State,” head coach Ed Wilcox said.

Seniors are a very big part of every team, because they motivate the underclassmen to do well each year.

“There were lots of people who came back and the senior leadership motivates the kids to perform [at] their best,” assistant coach Jake Lorenzo said.

Wilcox agrees that the upperclassmen are a big influence to the team.

“Our varsity boys have some upper class men that are a positive influence on the team. Also, we have really good young adults on our team, it is a pleasure to see them each day for practice or a meet,” Wilcox said.

For freshman Austin Smith, his first year has already been a success. His average score is 175, which is the highest on the team.

He has been bowling for seven years on a league team at Park Lanes.

“My goals for the rest of the season are to make State and get the highest average on the team,” Smith said.

Smith and junior Nate Hess have been battling back and forth for the first place spot on the team score wise.

“If [Hess] bowls well, it pressures me to bowl better,” Smith said.

He decided to be on the bowling team because it’s fun, and he described himself as good at it. He enjoys the great competition and “getting strikes.”

Regionals start on Feb. 22 and with State following the next week on Feb. 28 in Wichita.