After rolling a strike, Free State senior Alyson Butler, left, gets a high five from McKenzie Dever, while Michelle Schieffer watches the action on Tuesday at Royal Crest Lanes.

The same pin seemed to be eluding Free State senior Justin Walthall.

Even after he had toppled each one of the nine other pins with his steady, deliberate, left-handed roll, there would be one pin — the seven pin — standing in the back left corner of the lane.

After each one of the near-strikes, Walthall would shake his wrist lightly before setting up for his next shot and calmly hitting the spare.

As Walthall knew and later explained, only a slight amount of spin from the release cost him a few strikes — of which he still had plenty.

Walthall’s 654 series was the high on the day, as was his 230 game, but the Free State boys still fell to Gardner Edgerton, 2,451-2,287, at Royal Crest Lanes on Tuesday evening.

“I was just thinking, stay slow,” he said. “And not rush myself. When I rush myself, I pick up too much speed and (the ball) doesn’t carry through the pocket.”

The Firebird girls topped Gardner-Edgerton, 1,986-1,701, behind a number of good scores, including Michelle Schieffer’s high series of 519.

“Well, I was hoping to do a lot better because I’ve been doing really well at practice this week,” Schieffer said, just as her winning series score was announced over the PA.

“But my goal was just to get over at 500 and that was good enough for me,” she said. “And obviously I made that goal.”

McKenzie Dever rolled the girls high game with a 199 as part of her 455 series, and Haley Hanson tallied a 483 series.

“We were able to work well as a team,” Schieffer said. “We all shot well, and it was a good day.”

Nick Conrad also scored a 572 series for the boys, whose scores fell a bit short of their practice and early-season averages.

But the bowling season, while short, is back-loaded in terms of reward; meaning, the entire season is essentially a buildup to regionals, where teams and individuals qualify for state.

“When you see them come out in competition, you have to factor in the nerves,” coach Anita Carlson said. “And then you can work on whatever it is they need to work on, whether it’s footwork or target shooting.”

So even though the Firebirds left a few extra pins to be cleaned away on Tuesday, there are plenty more to be knocked down this season.

“It’s very frustrating, but its part of the game,” Walthall said. “And you’ve got a brand new shot with your next frame. So slow down and get your next shot down.”