<span class="bold">Kansas City area teams will compete at four sites today, Friday and Saturday</span></p><p> <span class="bold">&#x2007;</span></p><p>1 <span class="bold"> Intense battle brewing among Class 5-1A boys</span></p><p>It will be bowling Armageddon at the Turner boys&#x2019; regional Saturday at Ranch Bowl, where four of the top nine teams by top-six average &#x2014; Turner, second at 1,193; Lansing, fourth at 1,172; reigning state champion Washington, eighth at 1,124; and St. Thomas Aquinas, ninth at 1,115 &#x2014; will be battling for two available spots at the Class <span class="bold"></span>5-1A state tournament. The host Golden Bears boast three bowlers with averages north of 200: sophomore Chance Rivera (224), junior Clarence Goodwin (214) and senior Brandon Bowman (206). Washington senior Greg Fears brings the top season average (228) into the tourney and the Wildcats have the returning state gold medalist, senior Cedric Phillips, while Lansing is led by John Bredehoeft (213).</p><p>2 <span class="bold"> Olathe rivals square off for state berths</span></p><p>Reigning Class <span class="bold"></span>6A boys&#x2019; state champion Olathe East boasts the top team average and owns the top team series this season, but the Hawks managed only a third-place finish Friday at the Sunflower League meet. Olathe South took top honors at 2,560, edging runner-up Olathe North by 17 pins and topping Olathe East by 57. The Hawks, who are among the favorites today in the Shawnee Mission Northwest regional at Park Lanes, are loaded again with sophomore Aaron Yuratovich (224), senior Matt Beeghly (209), reigning state champion Nikki Hurmence (209) and newly crowned league champ Justin Thomas (201). SM Northwest and SM South are sleepers in the regional field.</p><p>3 <span class="bold"> Close race expected at Class 6A girls Park Lanes regional</span></p><p>Not to be outdone, only 60 pins separated runner-up Olathe South from sixth-place Olathe East last Friday at the Sunflower League girls bowling championships at Park Lanes, but the stakes are higher this time as the Falcons (2,160), regional host SM Northwest (2,141), Olathe North (2,106) and the Hawks (2,100) are the top contenders for three team berths to the Class 6A state tourney. Olathe South is led by sophomore Mackenzie Mitchell, whose season average is 199, and senior Brittany Ball (186), while Olathe East is led by senior Brooklyn Ellis (189).</p><p>4 <span class="bold"> Lawrence eyes regional sweep</span></p><p>Lawrence Free State will host Friday&#x2019;s other Class 6A regional at Royal Crest Lanes, but it&#x2019;s Lawrence that will be the favorite &#x2014; at least among Kansas City-area contenders. The Chesty Lions&#x2019; boys bring a 1,134 top-six average into play, tops among the teams in the field. Meanwhile, Lawrence&#x2019;s girls actually trail Sunflower League champion Olathe Northwest in season average by seven pins, 949-942, but hope bowling in familiar confines will provide the edge. The Lions are led by Kierstan Warren (191) and the Ravens line up behind junior Becca Wood (195).</p><p>5 <span class="bold"> KCK rivals, Lansing square off in Class 5-1A girls&#x2019; ranks</span></p><p>Don&#x2019;t sleep on the competition brewing among the girls teams at the Turner regional, which is Saturday at Ranch Bowl. The host Golden Bears (914), Sumner Academy (899) and Lansing (898) are separated by only a few pins based on season averages and will go roll-for-roll for the two team spots and six individual berths to Class 5-1A state. Sabres junior Katie Carter, The Star&#x2019;s reigning All-Metro bowler of the year, is killing it this season with a 208 average.