Eagles Go 17-2 and Lady Eagles Go 13-1, Both Unbeaten in District Play
February 2023
Dayton, TN -- The 2022-23 Rhea County High School Bowling finished the season with historic numbers this year. During regular season play, both these teams were unbeaten. Teams eventually finished the season short of their hopes of a State Championship. Both teams were tremendous over the last two years. Individually, Arianna Harvey excelled all year and finished the Tennessee High School State Individual Tournament in second place. Coach Gabe Lajas has enjoyed coaching this group and looks forward to the challenges of transitioning to the next stage.
The 2022-23 Eagles roster: Seniors: Aaron Heimel, Chase Hoffman, Jaden Lajas, Chance Wampler and Elijah Williams, Juniors: Jesse Cox, sophomores Landon Fitzgerald, Kaleb Samuelson, Travis Smith and Derrick Walker. Freshman: Gavin Barlow, Eli Day, Jamison Knight and Jeremiah Poole.
The Lady Eagle Roster: Seniors: Ariana Harvey, Jennifer Hernandez. Juniors: Kassie Coleman, Cheyanne Effrick, Tia Goins, Lexie Lee and Aree Walker. Sophomore: Jesicah Poole. Freshmen: Kelsey Kerley and Emma Neal.
2nd year coach Gabe Lajas looked back at the 2022-23 season and answered some questions about the team.
Who is the most improved bowler on the boys and on the girls team?
"We have seen plenty of improvement this year, both from last year to this year and from the beginning of the season to the end. Here are a few bowlers who showed improvement this year."
Golden Eagles - Kaleb Samuelson, Landon Fitzgerald, Jesse Cox, and Travis Smith
Lady Eagles - Lexie Lee, Kassie Coleman, Emma Neal, and Kelsey Kerley.
Did you have a favorite "Match of the Year"
"For the Eagles ,that was December 6 @ Upperman - This was the first match of the season where we were not in control of the match from the start. The guys had to battle the entire match, taking the win in the final bakers game by 20 pins. Our guys learned a lot about the mentality needed to win close bowling matches and came together as a team that day."
"For the Lady Eagles, that match was January 14 vs. White County - The match that sent us back to the TSSAA State Tournament. Despite being in control for much of the match, it was impressive to see how the team as a whole stepped up to take care of business. I was most proud of the way they handled the win, spending time building the White County team up for their successful season while humbly celebrating our own victory. Sportsmanship was on display from both teams that day, and as their coach I could not be more proud."
Did the team set any goals at the first of the year?
"We did not sit down and expressly state what our goals were, but I think everyone knew that our ultimate goal was going to State. I’m not sure that I ever said those words out loud (to quote Michael Scott from The Office, “I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.”) but I knew that the teams we had this year were both capable of making it to the tournament. However, even though the Golden Eagles fell just short of that ultimate goal, the season they had was statistically one of, if not the best, season in team history."
Talk a little about your senior class this year.
"I feel extremely blessed to have been able to coach this group of seniors for two years (and to meet them as a bowling parent the year before). They have achieved much on the lanes in their time as a member of the team, but more importantly they have developed friendships and a love for our sport that I hope will continue into the next chapter of their lives."
"Aaron Heimel - Aaron bowled for 3 years at RCHS and truly embraced his role as the Hype Man during matches. I appreciate that he found ways to contribute even when his name wasn’t called on the lineup. Aaron’s ability to step in during the crucial moments (postseason play, baker games that we needed to win, etc) and deliver is one of the reasons we have had success over the last three years."
"Chase Hoffman - Chase bowled all 4 years at RCHS, achieving the highest average on the team the last two seasons. Chase also qualified for the TSSAA Individual Tournament his junior year. Seeing the work that Chase put into his game outside of practices it is no surprise to see the elevation in his game over the last two years. He is and will continue to be a shining example of the benefits of hard work and dedication."
"Jaden Lajas - Jaden bowled for 3 years at RCHS and, despite a few injury setbacks, showed tremendous growth each year. However, I believe Jaden’s best quality for our team is his willingness to help the younger bowlers with their games, often providing critique and advice during matches."
"Chance Wampler - Chance bowled all 4 years at RCHS and was a strong contributor on the lanes for much of that time. Beyond his stellar performance on the lanes, Chance could always be counted on to provide levity during stressful moments (not to mention the bag of snacks that was as constant as his performance)."
"Elijah Williams - Elijah bowled for 2 years at RCHS and proved to be a vital piece of our successful run over the last two years. Elijah consistently showed up in the big moments, but more importantly he had a great attitude and sought out help and advice when things weren’t going well rather than coming up with excuses. He showed the right way to handle a bad day on the lanes and I hope that others took notice and will emulate his desire to improve going forward."
"Ariana Harvey - Ariana bowled all 4 years at RCHS, achieving the highest average on the team the last two seasons. Ariana also qualified for the TSSAA Individual Tournament her junior and senior years, finishing as a Finalist this year. Ariana led the Lady Eagles by example, showing how hard work in practice can have great results in matches."
"Jennifer Hernandez - Jennifer bowled all 4 years at RCHS, and was an integral part of our back-to-back visits to the TSSAA State Tournament. Jennifer has a unique and wonderful ability to switch between her hyper-focused mentality while actively bowling and her laid back demeanor between frames. She was a constant calming presence for the Lady Eagles."
What other area teams impressed you this year?
"I was impressed with the way Signal Mountain boys finished their season. They got extremely hot at the right time and made a run to the TSSAA Semifinals. They are always a strong team, but they found a way to put it all together when it counted. Another surprise was the CSAS team that saw several bowlers make huge improvements from last year to this year. They will be a tough opponent going forward.
For the Lady Eagles, I was impressed with the way the Walker Valley Lady Mustangs performed as a team all season. They didn’t necessarily have that superstar bowler, but everyone did their part to make it to the Sectional round."
Talk a little about Ariana Harvey (TNBPA Miss Bowling Runner Up) and how she finished 2nd at the State Individual Tournament this year.
"I am proud of Ariana for all of her accomplishments over the last two years, however this honor is the most important in my opinion. I believe this because this award isn’t solely about performance on the lanes, but takes into account performance in the classroom as well. I am a strong believer that the “Student” portion of Student Athlete is the most important thing, so to see Ariana be recognized for her stellar achievements in the classroom as well as in the bowling alley is especially rewarding."
Talk about the run the Lady Eagles and Eagles made in the last two years?
"It feels almost necessary to put these past two seasons together because we didn’t have anyone graduate after the 2021/2022 season, which made this year almost feel like a continuation of what we started. Statistically, this two year run is the best for a Golden Eagles team in program history. The same is true for the Lady Eagles if you look at the results on the lanes."
Talk a little about the future for you and the Golden Eagle program.
"It is my plan to return as the coach of the Rhea County Golden Eagle Bowling Teams. Building relationships with these student athletes has been rewarding and I hope to continue to foster these relationships through our shared love of bowling."