“I was calm for the first few frames but, by the end, my heart was racing,” Sun said. “I kept thinking, ‘don’t screw this up.’”
Sun, 15, was on the mark with three more strikes to bowl his first 300 game Monday at Poelking Lanes South. He is only the third Northmont bowler to post a perfect game. There have been 11 perfect games bowled this high school season statewide, 10 by boys and one by St. Ursula’s Alli Shattuck.
With a young and inexperienced team – after losing five of seven varsity bowlers to graduation – Thunderbolts coach Stuart Hunter counts on Sun.
“A lot of our kids don’t start bowling until they get to high school,” Hunter said. “But Devin bowled before he got to us and it’s nice to have someone with his experience.”
Bowling is a family tradition as Sun’s dad, uncle and cousin are all bowlers. His dad, Bunroeun, also has a 300 game to his credit.
“I think I was more nervous watching him than he was himself,” Bunroeun said of his son.
Sun leads the Northmont squad with a 191.7 average. In the GWOC, he knows he still has work to do to move up the rankings. Centerville’s Brendan Salo and Anthony Conty lead the competitive conference with averages of 230 and 222.5, respectively.
“I’ve definitely seen improvement over last season,” Sun said. “I need to focus on my mental game and my spare shooting.”
Hunter is hopeful that Sun’s work ethic rubs off on the young squad, comprised predominantly of freshmen and sophomores.
“They’re so young, if they can keep improving and going the way they’re going, it will pay off in the next year or two,” he said. “This was definitely a bright spot in the season and motivation for all of them to keep going.”
It provided plenty of motivation for Sun who received the rock star treatment Tuesday at Northmont as he was congratulated by classmates, teachers and administrators alike.
“It has definitely sunk in,” he said, smiling. “I felt like a celebrity.”
Ohio High School Bowling Coaches Association Honor Roll
Area bowlers with perfect games through January 24
Travis Adkins, Southeastern
Bradley Boyd, Northeastern
Peyton Leeson, Mechanicsburg
Colin Maalouf, Tippecanoe
Devin Sun, Northmont
About the Author