AMES — The pins fell with mixed fortunes for the Ballard women's bowling team on Monday at Perfect Games.  While the Bombers saw their remarkable team season come to a close on their home lanes, they didn't leave empty-handed: sophomore Kendall Ersland secured an individual berth to the Class 2A State Tournament.

Ballard, hosting the Class 2A Region 2 State Qualifying Meet, faced a loaded field that included powerhouse squads from Keokuk and Lewis Central.  Despite a gritty effort, the Bombers could not crack the top two team spots needed to advance.

Keokuk claimed the championship with a commanding team score of 2,427.  Lewis Central finished runner-up with a 2,308 to claim the second state qualifying spot.

However, the day belonged to Ersland individually.  The Ballard bowler rolled a consistent three-game series of 536 to finish fourth overall among individuals at the site, comfortably inside the top-eight cutline required to qualify for state.

Ersland's performance was a bright spot in a high-pressure environment.  She navigated the transition from the Baker games to the individual rounds with poise, ensuring her season would continue at the Cadillac XBC in Waterloo later this month.

A Tough Field at Perfect Games

The state qualifying meet featured some of the state's top talent.  Keokuk's Josie Sapp took individual medalist honors with a scorching 649 series, followed by teammates Allison Sapp (588) and Jaelynn Ketterer (548).

Ersland's 536 placed her firmly in the mix with the leaders, finishing ahead of other qualifiers including Lewis Central's Laura Hargens (530) and Kiley Sell (524), and ADM's Alabama Astley (507).

A Season of Success

While the team's postseason run ended Monday, the 2025-26 campaign remains one of the most successful in recent program history.  The Bombers entered the state qualfying meet fresh off a dominant performance at the conference tournament just a week prior, where they captured the league title with a season-best score of 2,098.

Head Coach Corey Vespestad and the Bombers will now shift their focus to supporting Ersland as she represents Ballard on the state's biggest stage.

Up Next

Kendall Ersland will compete in the Class 2A State Individual Tournament at Cadillac XBC in Waterloo.  The Class 2A individual competition is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11 at 9:00 AM.

Class 2A Region 2 Qualifier Summary

Top 2 Teams (Advance to State):

1. Keokuk - 2,427

2. Lewis Central - 2,308

Individual State Qualifiers (Top 8):

1. Josie Sapp, Keokuk (649)

2. Allison Sapp, Keokuk (588)

3. Jaelynn Ketterer, Keokuk (548)

4. Kendall Ersland, Ballard (536)

5. Laura Hargens, Lewis Central (530)

6. Kiley Sell, Lewis Central (524)

7. Jordyn Holder, Lewis Central (514)

8. Alabama Astley, ADM (507)