Perfect game part of special season for Valley freshman bowler Baxter Diehm

By: Antonio Rossetti
Monday, February 20, 2023 | 10:15 AM

Baxter Diehm was on the cusp of a milestone Jan. 31 at Wildlife Lanes — a strike away from bowling a perfect 300 game.

It was a pressure-packed situation for the Valley freshman.

Diehm drilled the center pin and made history.

“I just stood back and watched him,” Valley bowling coach Walt Livingston said. “I didn’t say anything to him. I just stood back and watched him.

“When he threw the 12, he knew it was good. The whole bowling alley erupted because it was a practice night, and all the other schools were there. Everybody started yelling and everything. He must have had 50 or so people come down and tell him congratulations.”

All of his teammates and his coaches took photos with Diehm after his historic night. After all, it’s not every day someone bowls a perfect game.

“It was awesome,” Diehm said. “Everyone was really excited, and it was just really cool.”

Diehm has worked up quite a bowling resume. He has made it to nationals in the Junior Gold Pin tournament and has bowled more than 700 in a series.

Bowling comes natural for members of Diehm’s family. His brother, Gianni, bowled, and so did his father, Mark.

“They were pretty good bowlers, so I just listened to them and they coached me a lot,” Diehm said. “It helped me a lot.”

Livingston said Mark Diehm was the best bowler he met in person.

“He comes from the nicest family on Earth,” Livingston said. “Those kids say thank you, and they ask before they do something. … They’ve been raised by a great set of parents, and his sister (Emmi) is bowling for the team next year.”

Livingston commended Baxter on his work ethic and how he practices and tests bowling balls until he finds the perfect one. At the beginning of the year, he tended to double dribble because of his hand size growth, but he adjusted quickly and is a leader of the team.

“Baxter’s throwing his game, not anybody else’s,” Livingston said, noting his willingness to listen and be coached. “He knows where he needs to go. He’ll come back to me, and he’ll say, ‘Coach, did I move a board left? Right?’ He knows he should, but he’ll come and ask me, and I’ll say, ‘Yes, Baxter. We got to go board left. We’ll go board left, change the angle, change the field a little bit towards your mark.’ ”

Diehm feels the same way about his coaches, and he is grateful for their advice.

“My coaches are really cool,” Diehm said. “Coach Walt and Coach Brynn are very cool and helpful.”

Diehm has been raking in the accomplishments. Nonetheless, he is focused on his team and is enjoying the ride with his teammates as a high school bowler.

“It’s been really fun,” Diehm said. “My teammates are all really fun to bowl with and to be around.”

Diehm is among the top bowlers in the WPIBL and qualified for the league’s postseason singles tournament. He finished fourth in the East Division during the regular season with a 198.67 average.

Livingston looks at him as more than a freshman. He recognizes him as a leader and trusts him to help guide other members of the team.

“I’ll say, ‘Baxter, go tell so and so on the team that he needs to move right. He’s missing the headpin. He needs to move right,’ ” Livingston said. “He’ll go up and tell them, and they listen.”

Diehm hopes to stay among the WPIBL’s top bowlers but recognizes bowling has its challenges, and he’ll have to stay consistent.

“It takes a lot of practice, first, and then just keep on focusing,” Diehm said. “It’s repeating the same shot over again and not getting frustrated.”

Diehm looks forward to the next three years with Valley and added he is grateful for the support of his parents, Mark and Andrea.

“They’ve always helped me get started,” Diehm said. “We all went to nationals. We went to Michigan one year and Indianapolis my first year, and they helped me everywhere.”

Diehm is the first boys bowler in Valley history to reach the WPIBL tournament. Jill Lewandowski (142.69 average) will join him as Valley’s first girl bowler to qualify. They will compete at the WPIBL championships Feb. 22-23 at AMF Mt. Lebanon.

Livingston said he is excited both have a chance to experience the event.

As for Diehm’s future with the team, he said the “sky is the limit.”

“They’re looking up to him,” Livingston said of the team. “They see what he can do, and they can do it, too. That helps a ton for the team. Having that talent on the team, I think is going to lead to acquiring more bowlers because they want to be associated with that talent.”

Tags: Valley