Four juniors, including the 2019 United States Bowling Congress Annual Zeb Scholarship recipient, are among the 10 USBC Youth bowlers named to the 2018-2019 Dexter High School All-American Team.
Selected by Dexter Bowling in consultation with the International Bowling Campus Youth Development staff, the Dexter High School All-American Team is comprised of five girls and five boys who participated on a recognized interscholastic high school bowling team during the last school year.
To be considered for selection, candidates were required to have at least a 3.0 grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) and submit a resume of their bowling and academic achievements, along with an essay. Applicants also had to provide two recommendation letters – one from their coach or athletic director and at least one additional letter.
“Dexter Bowling congratulates these student-athletes for their great performances on the lanes and in the classroom during the past school year,” said Tyler Jensen, Dexter Bowling Vice President. “High school bowling continues to grow and we had a very strong field of candidates for this year’s team. We appreciate the opportunity to recognize these outstanding young bowlers.”
The Dexter High School All-American Team will be recognized during the Junior Gold Championships Opening Ceremony in Detroit in July and each team member will receive a $1,000 scholarship.
At the presentation, one of the bowlers will be announced as team captain and will receive the Bud Clapsaddle Award, named for the former Dexter Bowling vice president who oversaw selection of the first 12 teams. The Bud Clapsaddle Award recipient will receive an additional $500 scholarship.
Three of the five boys selected to the team just completed their junior year of high school, including Alexander Kobus of Crown Point, Indiana. The Boone Grove High School junior was awarded the Annual Zeb Scholarship earlier this year.
The five student-athletes selected to the girls’ team:
Kalei Bass (New Lenox, Illinois) – She was the anchor of the Lincoln-Way Central High School bowling team her junior and senior years. She had a 5.468 weighted GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society. She also was on the Mathletes team that was a state qualifier each of her four years and did community work through Leo Club, part of the New Lenox Lions Club.
Katie Fraser (Elkhart, Indiana) – Her 4.45 weighted GPA ranks the junior second in her Elkhart Central High School class. A member of the National Honor Society, she was vice president of her class and student council. She was captain of the bowling team that finished seventh at state while individually she was 10th at state to earn second-team all-state honors.
Linda Himes (Texarkana, Arkansas) – The senior led Arkansas Senior High School to the Class 5A state title this season, setting a state mark with a 756 series, is a four-year member of the school band and a three-time Jazz Band all-region selection. She has volunteered for Special Olympics in football and track. She earned a bowling scholarship to Kansas Wesleyan.
Alyssa Johnson (Lancaster, New York) – Ranked third in her senior class at Clarence High School, she was a two-time All-Western New York Scholar-Athlete and received the Regents Award for Math and Science. She did volunteer work at Ronald McDonald House, Meals on Wheels and Salvation Army. She was captain of the bowling team for three years and two-year captain of the field hockey team.
Cassie White (Quincy, Michigan) – She helped start the girls bowling program at Quincy High School her junior year, earning all-conference honors her junior and senior years. She also is a member of the 4-H and National Honor Society. She has done volunteer work at the Branch Area Food Pantry, packing boxes for families during the holidays, and at the 4-H Fairgrounds.
The five student-athletes selected to the boys’ team:
Tanner Ausec (Colorado Springs, Colorado) – The junior was captain of the state-winning bowling team at Rampart High School and placed ninth in singles at state. His 4.11 GPA ranks eighth in his class and he is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. He serves as a youth director on the Pikes Peak USBC board.
Alexander Kobus (Crown Point, Indiana) – He is the top-ranked junior at Boone Grove High School with a 4.142 weighted GPA and volunteers through the National Honor Society, Special Olympics Bowling, and Boy Scouts, where he is an Eagle Scout. He also is captain of the Social Studies Academic Team and member of the concert band.
Peyton Montgomery (Wichita, Kansas) – The Eisenhower High School junior has a 3.96 GPA and qualified third in the state for Sports Copywriting and Yearbook Theme and Design. He also is a Tiger Ambassador and is on the Leadership and Peer Resolution board. He is a three-year member of the bowling team and has two top-10 finishes at state.
Matthew Ruff (Milan, Michigan) – His 4.417 GPA earned the Milan High School senior all-conference academic honors. A four-year member of the solo and ensemble band, he also was a member of the award-winning Code Red Robotics Team. He has volunteered with local bowling tournaments and runs the lights/sound booth for school presentations.
Kai Sakamoto (Honolulu) – The first Dexter Team selection from Hawaii, Sakamoto helped Mid-Pacific Institute to a second-place finish at state and finished fifth in singles this past season. He has volunteered with the non-profit SHADE, which designs safer and more sustainable places in the rapidly urbanizing tropics, and as a farmhand for a church.
Visit BOWL.com/HighSchool for more information on the Dexter High School All-American Team, grant initiatives to assist high school programs, membership benefits and more.
