Last year, Bremerton High School had the best girls’ bowling team in the state. Now they have the best individual bowler.

Megan Wittenberg, a senior, won the individual state bowling title Feb. 6 at the WIAA Class 3A/2A state championships at Narrows Plaza in Tacoma.

“Winning with team was really exciting. I was sad they couldn’t make it this year,” Wittenberg said. “I told my team … I was going to try to win for all of them.”

Her six game total of 1,283 wasn’t just best in her class, it was tops in the state.

“It was very exciting,” Wittenberg said. “It was kind of unbelievable to me and I was kind of in shock.”

She stumbled in the third game, rolling a 152–her lowest score by 51 points.

“I missed a few easy spares that kind of got to me,” Wittenberg said. “I wasn’t hitting my mark as much as I should have been.”

This was her fourth time at state and she was a member of the BHS team that won state last year. Her coach, Dean Wagner, thinks all her experience helped her stay level-headed.

“She expected to have a game like that and be able to get back from it,” Wagner said. “It’s how you buckle back down and get going.”

Wittenberg took a break for lunch and collected herself. She was still in the top five and still a chance to place very high.

“You can’t let one bad game ruin your day you just have to re-find your mark and keep a positive attitude,” Wittenberg said.

The next game she bowled a 251–her highest score of the day.

“She’s bowled so much that she doesn’t ride the highs and lows so much,” Wagner said. “Bowling becomes a mental game at that level.”

Wittenberg was paired with Lauryn Heying, of Fort Vancouver High School, who placed second at the tournament. Wittenberg said Heying pushed her to bowl well.

“Having her in front of me did help,” Wittenberg said. “I was basically trying to follow her all day.”

Wittenberg wasn’t the only representative from BHS. Miranda Dye, a junior, placed 24th.

“Even if I didn’t have my whole team I still had her with me,” Wittenberg said. “It was fun to bowl with her and to cheer her on and for her to cheer me on was helpful.”

She celebrated her win with a clam chowder bread bowl at Ivar’s Seafood Restaurant in Tacoma.

“My parents and I went out to dinner,” Wittenberg said. “I guess we were all really happy.”