A typical scene on most afternoons at Royal Crest Lanes, 933 Iowa, might include a few college buddies sharing a beer and a few frames.

Thursday it was all business. Free State High bowlers were intent on making history.

OK, there was some fun involved, as nearly 30 Firebirds played host to Olathe South and Oskaloosa in the first state-sanctioned prep bowling event in Lawrence.

“It was kind of nerve-wracking, really,” said Free State senior Dacia Sprow, who led all girls with a three-game score of 555. “But after we kind of settled down it was definitely a fun and exciting time.”

Why wouldn’t it be, considering all the parents, friends and well-wishers who came out to watch saw Free State’s boys and girls teams win the triangular with scores of 2,333 and 1,928?

“Today at school, some of the other teachers came up and told me that all of my bowlers looked pretty nervous,” Free State bowling coach Chuck Tracy said. “In a way I kind of liked that, because it told me that they were serious in what they had to do.

“But beforehand I just told them all to relax and have some fun and see what happens.”

What happened was the Firebirds, especially the boys, dominated the field. Free State claimed six of the top 10 individual boys spots and another five by the girls.

“It’s pretty neat to have this kind of opportunity to come out and compete in a new sport for our school,” said Nathan Hardman, who tallied a single-game high score of 257 and won the boys individual competition with a three-game score of 634.

Free State High bowlers Lindsay Vannicola, left, and Jessica Schneider high-five each other after their second game. The Firebirds played host to a match Thursday at Royal Crest Lanes.

“I’m definitely glad that I got the opportunity to be able to bowl before I graduated,” continued the senior, whose dad, John, owns Jayhawk Bowling Supply and got his son interested in the sport at a very early age. “It’s just really cool to be a part of this.”

Free State and Lawrence High are among more than two dozen teams state-wide participating in the two-month long bowling season that ends with the state tournament in Wichita.

“It was kind of a fun-filled afternoon,” said Steve Grant, Free State’s athletic director who along with Royal Crest Lanes co-owner Wayne Martin rolled out the ceremonial first ball.

“I think the best thing about adding this sport is that it gets a lot of kids participating in an activity for their school that otherwise might not do so.”

While several of the Firebirds admitted they were nervous for their inaugural outing, Sprow’s younger sister, Dequesne, said she was unbelievably excited to be a part of the first-ever Free State bowling team.

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“I really never thought about it that much until today at school everybody kept coming up to us and telling how awesome it was that we were going to be the first bowlers in school history,” she said.