KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) The Keene High Blackbirds bowling team entered week six of the season with high expectations, traveling to Bowlero in Lowell, MA, the largest venue they will compete at this season.

Heading into the meet, the Blackbirds were ranked number one in the state, narrowly ahead of Bishop Guertin (BG). The team also boasts the top-ranked bowler in the state and four of the top 12. Their focus on adapting to different lane conditions has been a key area of preparation.

Despite their efforts, the Blackbirds faced challenges. They posted a strong score of 1,944 in the individual games, their highest since before the holiday break. Junior and co-captain Izaac LaClair led the way with outstanding scores of 243 and 255, following his second career 300-game performance at the 2nd Annual Blackbird Fundraising Tournament the previous Sunday.

Senior Ethan Affeldt also impressed, scoring 218 and 213. Together, LaClair and Affeldt contributed nearly half of the team’s points, but every team member worked hard and showed growth throughout the day.

Keene earned a first-round bye with the highest score of the day, finishing 400 points ahead of their closest competitor. After Winnacunnet defeated Sanborn in the play-in round, Keene swept Winnacunnet in two sets, 225-136 and 154-142.

However, the challenging lane conditions eventually caught up with the Blackbirds. In the semifinal match against second-seeded Goffstown, Keene lost their first regular-season Baker series in nearly two years. Goffstown dominated the first game 200-159 and edged out a narrow victory in the second, 161-156.

Senior Gabriel Hobbs delivered a notable performance, stepping into the starting lineup and achieving five strikes and two spares in eight frames. Fellow senior Brody Baldwin contributed three strikes and four spares.

On the JV side, the Blackbirds continued to shine, securing the second seed with 1,232 points. They defeated Winnacunnet 126-118 and 117-90, advancing to face Bishop Guertin. The JV team triumphed with scores of 153-80 and 118-109, remaining undefeated for the season.

The Blackbirds will celebrate their seniors at their final meet of the regular season this Saturday, Jan. 25, at 9 a.m. in Keene.