BUTLER TWP — Family fun became financial gain.

Such was the experience of the Hepler family joining forces for the team portion of the 82nd annual Pennsylvania State USBC Bowling Championships this season at Sherwood Lanes.

The family — Jim and Kim Hepler, son Brock, daughter Autumn and her wife, Shannyn Hepler-Franko — entered the team event. It marked the first adult tournament for Brock, who just graduated from Butler High School this year and was a member of the Golden Tornado bowling team.

Autumn Hepler was a member of the Butler High School girls bowling team that won the state title in 2013.

“I’ve been waiting for the year we could all do this,” Kim Hepler said. “This is the reason I’m still bowling.”

And it was worth the wait.

The team, known as HEPKO and bowling out of the Butler Area USBC, put together an actual team score of 3,067 and a handicapped score of 3,754. The latter score wound up placing second in the team handicap division, 158 pins behind the winning squad from Laurel Highlands.

“It was the perfect storm,” Jim Hepler said. “I mean, all of us were on it. We fed off each other. I couldn’t believe the scores we were putting up.”

Brock put together games of 223, 222 and 285 for a 730 series. It marked his career high game and his first-ever 700-series.

Autumn bowled a trio of 200-games as well, putting up scores of 232, 237 and 203 for a 672 series.

Shannyn entered the tournament with a 116 average. She bowled games of 147, 184 and 157.

Jim had games of 231 and 254 on his way to a 667 series and Kim’s high game was a 180 as she compiled a 510 set.

HEPKO did not enter the team tournament until the next to last weekend of the state competition.

“I charted scores at Sherwood for the tournament, so I knew what the high ones were,” Kim Hepler said. “As the day progressed, I knew we were up there. But I wasn’t about to say anything.”

“It was crazy. I mean, everyone was just piling up strikes,” Jim Hepler said. “We bowled just under 1,000 (985) in the first game, then went over 1,000 in both of the last two games (1,077 and 1,005).

“Our five averages added up to a little over 800, maybe. I didn’t think we’d have a chance to even approach scores like that.”

Brock began the final game by rolling 10 consecutive strikes. His father said he was calm, the whole way, concentrating more on getting a 700-series than a perfect game.

“When I began the 10th with a strike, it hit me,” Brock admitted of the prospects of a perfect game. “I started thinking about it and I rolled a split. Terrible shot. I didn’t pick it up.

“It didn’t matter that I didn’t get the perfect game. It was still a perfect day.”

Autumn and Shannyn met each other at Ursuline (Ohio) College, where Autumn was a member of the women’s bowling team. They began dating and the women’s team needed another bowler.

Shannyn said Autumn talked her into joining the team.

“I bowled a little bit in middle school, that was about it,” Autumn said. “But the team needed somebody. Autumn and the coaches taught me a lot. Still, my average wasn’t very good.”

The couple has been married for two years and lives in Cleveland. Realizing that Butler would be hosting the 2022 state tournament, they joined a summer league in town last year so they could be eligible to participate in the state event.

“You have to bowl 21 games in-state to be eligible,” Autumn said. “We just traveled back and forth so we could be in the (summer) league. Then we made the trip in to bowl in the state tournament a couple of times.

“It was well worth it. All of us bowling together ... so much fun.”

Shannyn had no explanation for her consistent performance on the lanes, other than to say: “I found my sweet spot.”

She credited some of her success to her new family.

“They continually encouraged me and I learned to trust myself on the lanes.” she said. “You’re not officially a Hepler until you bowl. That’s what they do. I’m a part of that now.”

Members of the Hepler family teamed up in doubles during the state tourney as well. Many of them finished in the money there as well.

The family received $2,500 for finishing second in the team event.

“It wasn’t about the money for us,” said Jim Hepler, also an assistant bowling coach for Butler High School. “Being able to get together and bowl as a family was priceless. Being a coach on Autumn’s team when they won the state title ... this experience ranks right up there with that.”