Karissa Shiflet and her Kennewick High bowling teammates have faced great expectations this season.

Buoyed by Shiflet, the defending individual state champion, the Lions went through Mid-Columbia Conference play undefeated and cruised at districts.

On Friday, the first day of the WIAA State Bowling Championships, it was time for Shiflet and her fellow Lions to stare down those expectations.

Two tough games ended Shiflet’s chances of repeating, and the senior settled for fourth.

She will be back today, however, to help the Lions move up the Class 1A/2A/3A leaderboard at Narrows Plaza Bowl in University Place.

Their first-day total of 4,962 left them tied with Wilson in fourth place behind defending champion Mark Morris (5,171), Timberline (5,132) and R.A. Long (5,041).

In Class 4A, Pasco’s Maddy Serrano (1,034) took 15th in the individual standings and helped the Bulldogs wrap up the afternoon in fourth place. Pasco (4,824) trails reigning champion Battle Ground (5,493), Cascade (4,923) and Wenatchee (4,890).

Kennewick coach Oscar Garnica said his team struggled through the early games.

“Our timing was a little off,” he said via telephone. “The main thing was jitters. We finally got it together toward the end.”

Shiflet’s performance reflected the roller-coaster quality of the Lions’ day.

After opening with a 196, she bowled a 169 in the second game.

“I just wasn’t relaxed,” Shiflet said. “It was my mental game more than my physical.”

The nerves dissipated, and Shiflet worked her way back up the standings with a 210-204-233, moving up to second behind Mark Morris’ Janaye Kilgore after five games. But Shiflet closed out the day with a 171 while North Thurston’s Cortnie Brathovd (206) and Olympic’s Kendra Willis (213) slipped past her for second and third place.

“She finished the last game with an open, which hurt her chances to move up,” Garnica said.

Kilgore led wire to wire and won the title with a six-game total of 1,295, while Shiflet ended with 1,183.

Hanford’s Kendal Saueressig was the next highest Mid-Columbia finisher, taking 15th place with a 1,070.

“I bowled decent,” Shiflet said. “It’s not a big deal. I had a 198 average. I actually bowled good.”

Shiflet’s teammates also had some second-half highlights. Daicee Singer, who bowled a 202 in Game 3, hit a low of 123 in Game 4 before bouncing back with a 160 in the fifth game. Savanna Jones, meanwhile, rolled a 213 in Game 4, and Danielle Gonzales had a 215 in the final game.

Pasco, making its first trip to state as a team, had to adjust to different lane conditions than those at Go Bowl. Also, with 10 people on two lanes, the Bulldogs weren’t used to having to wait so long to bowl.

“By the sixth game, they were tired,” Pasco coach Teresa Chavez said. “They were just beat, and across the lanes, you tell all the girls were quieter. They were all tired by then.”

But Chavez and Garnica believe their teams can make up ground today.

At Narrows Plaza Bowl, University Place

Class 4A

Team scores (through six games) — 1, Battle Ground 5,493; 2, Cascade 4,923; 3, Wenatchee 4,890; 4, Pasco 4,824; 5, Curtis 4,693; 6, Evergreen 4,614; 7, Puyallup 4,491; 8, Emerald Ridge 4,364.

Individuals — 1, Madison Crockett (Skyview) 1,324; 2, Kayla Zabel (Cascade) 1,267; 3, Alyssa Feller (Rogers) 1,245. Pasco — 15, Maddy Serrano, 1,034 (162-190-191-147-193-151); 23, Neydeen Martinez, 990 (167-163-133-152-177-198); 30, Karla Garcia, 951 (178-177-129-158-179-130); 32, Carrie Nolan, 931 (175-147-163-171-140-135); 36, Mariko Sital, 918 (148-180-103-201-148-138). Richland — 22, Desirae Baker, 994 (171-196-171-158-157-141; 29, Mekenzie Richardson, 952 (185-134-150-168-154-161).

Class 1A/2A/3A

Team scores (through six games) — 1, Mark Morris 5,171; 2, Timberline 5,132; 3, R.A. Long 5,041; T4, Kennewick/Wilson 4,962; 6, Bremerton 4,912; 7, Olympic 4,837; 8, West Valley 4,507.

Individuals — 1, Janaye Kilgore (Mark Morris) 1,295; 2, Cortnie Brathovd (North Thurston) 1,211; 3, Kendra Willis (Olympic) 1,199.

Kennewick — 4, Karissa Shiflet, 1,183 (196-169-210-204-233-171); 34, Savanna Jones, 944 (134-180-154-213-135-128); 48, Daicee Singer, 766 (131-150-202-123-160-x); 51, Danielle Gonzales, 719 (161-169-174-x-x-215); 53, Xochitl Garcia, 623 (170-138-166-149-x-x); 57, Sabrina Bare, 142 (x-x-x-x-142-x). Hanford — 15, Kendal Saueressig, 1,070 (176-195-176-201-165-157); 50, Robin Hansen, 745 (113-124-118-110-138-142). Sunnyside — 44, Johanna Chumley, 852 (124-189-156-137-138-108).