NORTH VERSAILLES — The wait was killing Kevin Hindman.

The Knoch junior had to watch his competitors battle on the lanes at North Versailles Bowl for nearly an hour before it was his chance to bowl again in the Pennsylvania State Bowling Championships Friday.

“It was awful,” Hindman said. “I had to try to keep myself calm. That was hard.”

Hindman had to wait because he bowled a 1,297 in his six qualifying games, earning him the No. 1 seed and an automatic spot in the finals in the stepladder bracket.

Hindman was unfazed by the wait and started his finals match with three straight strikes on the way to a 214-174 win over No. 5 seed Harrison Thatcher of Franklin Regional to win the boys singles championship.

“Today was probably the most consistent he has been all season,” said Knoch bowling coach Tyler Hawk. “The waiting was the hardest part.”

Hindman's high game was a 225; His low game was a 193.

“I felt good from the start,” Hindman said. “I didn't have the high scores that I had last season, but I didn't have a bad game, either.”

Last season, Hindman was the No. 2 seed after the six qualifying games and placed third.

That motivated him to return this season and win it all.

“Last year I was the only sophomore in the top five. Everyone else was a senior,” Hindman said. “The scores were off the charts. This year, it was a little more difficult.”

There was a 300 game and a 299 game last season. This year, the highest game was a 296.

In the final, Hindman had just one open frame — a 7-10 split in the fourth — but was able to take advantage of an open frame by Thatcher following a spare.

“At that point, I knew all I had to do was make spares and I would win,” he said.

Hindman started bowling when he was 4. His parents have been avid bowlers for nearly 30 years.

As young as age 13, Hindman's average was 185. His average now is 200.

“He's a machine,” Hawk said. “He's been bowling for 13 years.

“The last couple of weeks, he has been struggling a little bit,” Hawk added. “But today he was so consistent. He picked a great day to do that.”

The bowling program at Knoch has only been around for two seasons and it is just a club sport at the school.

Hawk is hoping bowlers like Hindman change that.

“He's definitely been our bright spot,” Hawk said. “Even if kids see what he did and that gets kids involved, that's what we are looking for. That's what we hope for.”

Hindman is just relishing in his victory. He's not thinking about an encore just yet.

“I'm just enjoying this now,” Hindman said. “I'd like to get a sanctioned 300 game. My best sanctioned game is a 290 and I've had two 300 games before, but they were not sanctioned. I want that ring.

“And a 299,” Hindman added. “That's the best-worst feeling you can get.”

n Butler's Autumn Hepler rolled a six-game series of 1,052 to place 10th in the girls singles championships.

Her teammate, Megan Paul, rolled a 1,020-series to finish 15th.

The Butler girls bowling team will be competing in the team championships Saturday.