POSTSEASON Sectionals this week get the ball rolling

The boys teams get first crack on Wednesday at Crest Lanes in Warren.
Ohio high school bowling's postseason for 2003-2004 has arrived, Mahoning Valley High School Bowling Conference coordinator Sarah Letscher announced.
Locally, sectionals will be held for 19 boys teams and 18 girls teams at two different sites.
The boys converge on Warren's Crest Lanes Wednesday starting at 4 p.m. when two regular games and four Baker games will be thrown. Based on 19 teams entered, 10 will advance to district competition in Bedford on Feb. 21.
The girls' sectional is next Saturday at Holiday Bowl starting at 2 p.m. They'll follow the same format as the boys with nine teams advancing (based on 18 schools entered) to the district at Bell-Wick on Feb. 21.
The boys' district at Roseland Bowl in Bedford begins at 11 a.m. The girls' district in Hubbard commences at 4:30.
Individuals
Individuals on non-qualifying teams will also have a chance to advance. The top two bowlers on non-qualifying teams at both sectionals and districts move on the regional level. Therefore, four boys and four girls not on qualifying teams from the Mahoning Valley High School Bowling Conference will reach regionals.
The regionals are Feb. 28 at Midway Lanes in Akron.
On March 6, the state tournament returns to Rainbow Lanes in Columbus, where Austintown Fitch swept the championship for 2002-2003. Last March at Rainbow, Fitch's boys repeated from a year earlier, while the Falcon girls won for the first time.
Letscher reported that Ohio High School Bowling's Sweet 16 power rankings has Struthers' boys team and Fitch's girls team No. 1 in the state.
She noted that nine MVHSBC teams are listed -- five boys and four girls.
The OHSB rankings are based on the top five individual averages of members who bowled at least half the season.