White takes 12th in national championships / Bowling

Oak Harbor’s Victorya White, competing in the girls 12U division, placed 12th in the national United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships last week in Dallas.

White, 12, finished with a 163.1 average over 20 games.

Katelyn Abigania of San Diego, who entered match play seeded sixth, won the national title over top-seeded Karina Capron of Freemont, Nebraska.

Abigania went into match play with a 176.05 average; Capron led the field with a 181.75.

“I felt I did a great job and I’m proud that I made it this far,” White said.

The toughest part of the tournament, according to White, was “figuring the lane patterns.”

White was in 22nd place out of 141 bowlers after round one Monday, with a 160.5 average (153, 158, 141, 190).

She slipped to 34th Tuesday (126, 124, 167, 191).

In round three, White jumped all the way to 11th behind games of 232, 178, 179, 190.

She dropped to 16th in round four (163.3: 140, 145, 146, 158) but made the cut for the advancer round by finishing among the top 21.

White moved back up to 12th (163.1: 144, 195, 168, 137) during advancer action Friday but needed to rank in the top eight to qualify for match play. The cutoff point was 170.95.

White said she was anxious heading into the tournament, but when she saw her family it helped ease her nerves.

White and her parents were born in the Dallas area.

“I’m just really happy that my cousins, my grandmother, my uncle, my mother and father, and my auntie were there to see me bowl and were there the whole time to support me.”

White said she in now looking for more competition to help her “get more prepared for the challenges” that come her way.