WIAA State Bowling 3A: Molly Combs wins Individual Title; Walla Walla cruises to 1st team Championship

2/7/2026

(Tukwila, WA) The 3A State girls Championships were rolled off this past weekend at Bowlero lanes in Tukwila. Day 1 on Friday the 30 individual bowlers who qualified joined the 12 5-person teams that qualified for both the team events and each member also competes in the individual competition. The individual competition was held and completed on Friday.

The teams took their team totals from Friday into the 2nd half of the team competition on Saturday to the 14 game Baker format. The Baker format is where the teams bowl 1 game with 5 players. Bowler 1 will bowl the 1st and 6th frame, bowler 2 2nd and 7th and so on where each team member bowls 2 of the 10 frames.

Individual Competiton was down to 2 after the opening game

There wasn’t much drama in the individual competition after the 1st game it was down to 2 bowlers. Last year Samyia Gildon of Thomas Jefferson won the first individual championship in school history as a senior. This year, Laelah Tiquia was trying to make it two in a row and she began with a strong 205.

West Seattle has never had an individual champion and despite the 205 by Tiquia, Molly Combs set the bar extra high with the highest game bowled so far at the 2026 Championships including the 4A Championships with a blistering 258.

Combs followed that up with a 202 and wrapped-up her first 3 game series with a 174 for a 634 series. This is the lone 600 series as well so far in 2026 as no one in the 4A tournament hit the 600 mark.

Tiquia refused to back down and just missed a 600 series in her opening 3 games with a 590. Tiquia answered with a 170 and her 2nd 200 of a 215. After the lunch break the question was could Tiquia close that 44 pin gap and make a hard run at 1st place?

Tiquia had a 57 pin lead over 3rd place Arianna Long of Kelso and Chelsea Gallagher of Walla Walla at the halfway point. Long and Gallagher each fired a solid 533 series. They held a slim advantage for 3rd over 6 other bowlers who all topped the 500 mark.

As the afternoon session began, Tiquia made a move with a solid 188. Tiquia picked up 28 pins as Combs struggled with her worst game of the 6 on Friday finishing with a 160. Tiquia came right back with another competitive score of a 179. The problem was Combs found her groove again scoring her 3rd 200 of the day with a 207 reclaiming all of those 28 pins she lost in the 4th game.

Tiquia would have to step up with a huge game and hope that Combs would fall apart. Tiquia did her part blowing out a 214 for her 3rd 200 of the day. But Combs did not fall apart finishing just shy of her 4th 200 of the day with a 190. Tiquia would out bowl Combs in the second 3 game series 581-557 but that 258 opening game for Combs was the difference and a lead that Tiquia could not overcome.

Combs finished with a 634 and 557 series for a total of 1,191 total pins. Tiquia rolled a 590 and 581 for an 1,171 total. Take out the 1st game and Tiquia topped Combs 966-933.

Race for the top 8 was on!

After the 1st three games there was a tie for 3rd with Gallagher and Long even with a 533 series. Neither one of them could hang on to 3rd place as Teegan Timmons of Walla Walla was just 11 pins behind with a 522 after 3 games. Timmons had a 171, 190 and 160 in her first 3 games and never fell off. She finished with a 160 and then just missed the 200 club with a 198 and a 190 for a 548 series and a total of 1,070.

Long’s 4th game cost her 3rd place with a 147 but she rallied with a 178 and 171 which clinched 4th place. River Ridge’s Shanyce Hamilton made the biggest move from 13th at the break all the way up to 5th place. Hamilton had shot a 490 in the morning and came back with a 533 in the afternoon with a 188, 172 and 173. Maya Ruis would finish 6th, Kim Bornt 7th and Faden struggled in her final two games dropping to 8th.

Top 12 Medalists in the Individual Final Standings

1st Molly Combs (West Seattle) 1,191 (258, 202, 174, 160, 207, 190)
2nd Laelah Tiquia (Thomas Jefferson) 1,171 (205, 170, 215, 188, 179, 214)
3rd Teegan Timmons (Walla Walla) 1,070 (171, 190, 161, 160, 198, 190)
4th Arianna Long (Kelso) 1,029 (144, 178, 211, 147, 178, 171)
5th Shanyce Hamilton (River Ridge) 1,023 (154, 160, 176, 188, 172, 173)
6th Maya Ruiz (Southridge) 992 (191, 161, 167, 171, 146, 156)
7th Kim Bornt (Gig Harbor) 977 (144, 194, 175, 186, 128, 150)
8th Chelsea Faden (Walla Walla) 972 (194, 171, 168, 170, 144, 125)
9th Emma Macheras (Evergreen, Van) 969 (158, 208, 130, 171, 165, 137)
9th Alyssa Childers (Timberline) 969 (182, 163, 129, 154, 174, 167)
11th Eislyn Douthit (Silas) 968 (196, 162, 128, 128, 161, 193)
12th Amelia Hubbard (Walla Walla) 966 (154, 167, 158, 158, 138, 191)

Walla Walla rolls to their 1st State Team Championship

Kelso had a strong showing on day 1 scoring 4,515. The Hilanders had 1 medalist with Arianna long leading the way with the 4th place finish. Addy Gallagher and Layla Davenport finished in the top 24 and Paige Molyneux and Marissa Wilcox were in the top 44 of 102 individual bowlers. Kelso trailed Walla Walla by 357 pins but held a sizable lead over 3rd place Timberline by 129 pins.

The Blazers were on the cusp of being able to catch the Hilanders but they were concerned about holding onto 3rd place as they led 4th place Evergreen (Van) by just 6 pins, 4,386-4,380.

Seattle Prep was on the outside of taking home a trophy as only the top 4 earn a State placing trophy. The Panthers checked in with 4,245. Defending Champs Thomas Jefferson were further back in 6th place with 4,199 pins.

Day 2 Baker Games

As day two began and getting through the first 7 games nothing changed and it was clear the State Champions would be the Walla Walla Blue Devils as they held a 280 pins advantage over Kelso. The Hilanders were bowling well but that 357 pin deficit from day 1 was looking to be way too much to overcome.

Meantime, Kelso increased their lead over 3rd place Timberline to 206 pins, adding 77 pins to their lead securing 2nd place. It came down to 3rd and 4th place as the Blazers, although losing ground to Kelso, extended their lead through 7 games of the Bakers from 6 to 68 pins over Evergreen (Van). The Plainsmen lost ground to the Blazers but pretty much secured a trophy as they pulled away from 5th place Seattle Prep to lead by 152 pins.

Second half of the Bakers

The only question left in the final 7 Baker games was could Evergreen catch Timberline for 3rd place. The Plainsmen trailed by 68 and would have to outscore Timberline by 10 pins in each game to overtake them for 3rd place.

Heading into the final 4 games there would be no change as Walla Walla waltzed their way to their first ever State Girls Bowling Championship. The Blue Devils were making their 3rd state appearance as a team and had a 4th place trophy as their best finish. Walla Walla dominated from the start and never looked back as the only team to top 7,000 pins finishing with 7,089. Only 4A Champs Skyview has topped 7,000 as well finishing with 7,105.

The Blue Devils slammed the door when they began the 11th game, already with a big lead over Kelso, WW fired a 216 followed by a 180, 174 and 144. The 216 was just the 2nd 200 game rolled between the 3A and 4A tournaments. Only Emerald Ridge who did not place in the top 4 in the 4A but they got together for a 217 on Thursday.

Walla Walla extneded their 357 pin lead after day 1 to outpace Kelso by 417.

Kelso, although tried to make up the ground on Walla Walla had secured 2nd place after day 1 and could not match the Blue Devils in the Bakers. The Hilanders total was an impressive 6,672 and 292 pins better than 3rd place Timberline.

This was the Hilanders 5th appearance as a team in the state tournament and they matched their best finish with their 2nd runner-up finish. They have two 2nd place trophies and a 4th place trophy from their 5 appearances.

The race was for 3rd between Timberline and Evergreen (Van). The Blazers held just a 6 pin lead after day 1. Both teams remained tight through the first 4 Baker games but Timberline got hot in the 5th and 6th with a 188 and 175 picking up 100 pins on the Plainsmen and were able to run that out and claim 3rd place with a final total of 6,334.

The Plainsmen had a pretty good lead on Seattle Prep and never allowed the Panthers to really make a serious run taking home the 4th place trophy.

Timberline made their 6th appearance at state and claimed their 3rd trophy. The 3rd place hardware they earned today will join a pair of 2nd place trophies.

Evergreen made their 13th state appearance and added to a treasure trove of trophies. This was their 11th state trophy and had they been able to take 3rd it would have been their 1st 3rd place finish. The Plainsmen know how to win trophies with 5 Championships, 1 2nd place and now 5 4th place awards.

Team Final Standings

1st Place Champions Walla Walla Blue Devils 7,089
Roster: Amelia Hubbard Sr, Teegan Timmons Sr, Chelsea Faden Jr, Noelle Farnam Jr, Reagan Hendley Jr, Melanie Mata-Cuellar Jr, Alliana Zierenberg Jr
Head Coach: Robert Hoppen
Assistant Coach: Heather Mclean
Athletic Director: Chris Ferenz

2nd Place Kelso Hilanders 6,672
Roster: Arianna Long Sr, Paige Molyneux Sr, Layla Davenport Jr, Josie Hamm Jr, Leah Hawley Jr, Marissa Wilcox Soph
Head Coach: Justin Fugleberg
Assistant Coach: Chris Fugleberg
Athletic Director: Bob Kickner

3rd Place Timberline Blazers 6,376
Roster: Madison Lindeke Sr, Cameron Ritter Sr, Katelyn Helberg Jr, Leovi Meno-Meyers Jr, Brookelyn Read Jr, Alyssa Childers Jr, Amanda Lee Soph
Head Coach: Mackenzie Theophilus
Assistant Coach: Darin Theophilus
Athletic Director: Chris Ferenz

4th Place Evergreen Plainsmen 6,334
Roster: Neah Bethune Sr, Alissa Barber Sr, Amelia Jurgens Jr, Emma Macheras Jr, Ava Shelton Jr, Evie Van Dyke Soph, Addisen James Fr
Head Coach: Robin Bailey
Athletic Director: Adam Wallace

5th Place Seattle Prep Panthers 6,203
6th Place Thomas Jefferson Raiders 6,144
7th Place River Ridge Hawks 6,113
8th Place Mount Vernon Bulldogs 5,975
9th Place Capital Cougars 5,735
10th Place Ingraham Rams 5,529
11th Place Peninsula Seahwks 5,503
12th Place Highline Pirates 5,368

200 Club

The following bowlers all rolled 200 games in the 3A classification.

258 Molly Combs (West Seattle) also 202, 207
215 Laelah Tiquia (Thomas Jefferson) also 205, 214
211 Ariana Long (Kelso)
208 Emma Macheras (Evergreen, Van)
203 Layla Davenport (203)
200 Ekko Maclachian (Mt Vernon)