Washington Freshman Finishes 14th at State Bowling Meet

Kaeden Zear's strong second game was the second-highest score of the preliminary round.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Washington freshman Kaeden Zear finished 14th out of 32 bowlers at the Class 1A Iowa High School Bowling Championships in Waterloo. Zear's three-game total of 681 pins was just 18 shy of the top 8 that advanced to bracket play. His second game of 266 was the second-highest individual score of the preliminary round.

Why it matters

The state bowling championships represent the pinnacle of high school bowling in Iowa, and a top-half finish as a freshman is an impressive accomplishment that bodes well for Zear's future in the sport.

The details

Zear, a Washington High School freshman, competed in the Class 1A state bowling meet in Waterloo on Tuesday. He finished with a three-game total of 681 pins, just 18 shy of the top 8 bowlers who advanced to the bracket play portion of the tournament. Zear's standout performance came in his second game, where he bowled a 266 - the second-highest individual score of the preliminary round, trailing only Durant's Draven Cole who had a 279 in his final game.

  • The Iowa High School Bowling Championships took place on Tuesday, February 25, 2026 in Waterloo.

The players

Kaeden Zear

A freshman bowler for the Washington High School Demons.

Landon Costello

The state champion bowler from Maquoketa who defeated Shenandoah's Clay Fouch in the championship match.

Draven Cole

A bowler from Durant High School who had the highest individual score of the preliminary round with a 279.

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The takeaway

Zear's strong performance as a freshman at the state bowling championships demonstrates his potential and the bright future ahead for the Washington High School bowling program.