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DES MOINES —Bowling has only been an official sport sanctioned by the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) for two years, but Red Oak's Taylor Mellott is already making history.

Mellott became the first bowler in IHSAA to win back-to-back individual titles in Class 1A
The junior did so by bowling a 250 game or better twice.

In his third game, Mellott had eight straight strikes to pull away from Dubuque Epworth's Bryce Bartlett.

Mellott had a final series score of 750, more than 50 pins better than Bartlett.

“The only thing that was going through my head is either I'm going to choke, or that other guy [Bartlett] was going to choke,” Mellott said. “When he left that 10-pin and missed it, I knew all I had to do was go into that 10th frame and just throw my game.”

The junior started his first individual game with five consecutive strikes. In the sixth and seventh frames, Mellott scored just spares.

However, Mellott wrapped up the first game with another five consecutive strikes to score a 265 in his first game. Only Bartlett had a higher first game score.

Mellott picked up spares in three of his first five frames in the second individual game.

He reeled off three consecutive strikes in the sixth through eighth frame, before getting another spare.

Mellott concluded the second game with three strikes in the tenth frame and a 229 score.

In last year’s state title win, Mellott bowled a 753 to win it all. He won by 17 pins in 2010.

Mellott is the first bowler in Red Oak High School history to win back-to-back state titles.

Mellott wasn't the only top-10 finisher for Red Oak as junior Brian Wade took home sixth place.
Wade picked up a couple of strikes during the first game, but finished with a 188.

However, Wade scored a 235 in the second game to put himself in a 10th place tie with Denison-Schleswig's Philip Keairness.

“I wanted to be in the final game, because that's always been my goal,” Wade said. “I wish I would have shot a little better, get higher than sixth place, but sixth is alright for me this year.”

Wade took advantage in his third game and bowled a 211, which was tied for fourth highest during that time span.

Finishing behind Mellott in third place was Josh Gotto of Denison-Schleswig.

Dylan Walters of Waverly-Shell Rock took fifth and Daniel Langholz of Denison-Schleswig had fifth place.

Mellott said it is a goal to go for the three-peat next season.

“I just have to keep throwing a consistent ball and find the line, throw it good and hope everything goes right,” Mellot