JOHN BASSETTI | Bowling Fitch's Johnson finds perfection at state

It was a smashing weekend for Austintown Fitch's Mike Johnson, and the senior didn't even need a tomahawk.
All he did was walk into Shawnee Lanes in Chillicothe and bowl the first 300 during a state high school bowling tournament and finish with a record-breaking 790.
It put the 18-year-old Johnson on top the of totem pole for the 2005-06 high school season.
The next-highest was 757 by Tyler Simpson of Troy.
After his first three games on the morning of March 11, Johnson took part in the awards ceremonies, then joined teammates to compete in the Baker round against Zane Trace.
However, the Falcons were beaten, 3-2, and finished fifth, a week after the Fitch girls placed fourth at the same lanes.
Fitch's Staci Balkan trail-blazed for Johnson's achievement when she won the state singles championship with a 722 on March 4. Teammate Katie Fekety, a junior, was runner-up.
It also marked the first time that bowlers from the same school captured the state singles titles in the same season. Both were competing against 95 other bowlers on their respective weekends at Shawnee.
Zane Trace proceeded to beat Wapakoneta in the semis and Vermilion in the boys championship match.
"Total-wise, we lost by 40 pins, but it's the first to win three games," Fitch coach Artie Berquist said.
Both Johnson and Balkan were named first-team All-Ohioans.
"He flirted with 300s all season and had a few in practice but nothing sanctioned," Johnson's mother, Beth, said of her son's achievement. "It was a great ending to his high school bowling career."
For his sanctioned 300, Johnson will receive a ring from the ABC.
Strong team
Other Fitch bowlers at Shawnee were senior Bryan Berquist, junior Justin Cox, sophomore Donnie Orengia, junior Tony Sciarra, junior Jimmy Cheff, sophomore Tony Gallo and junior Matt Colaizza.
In addition to his mother, other family members in attendance were Mike's grandmother, MaryJane Long of Austintown and Mike's dad, Chuck Johnson and Mike's stepmother, Sharon Johnson.
"I think he was less nervous than we were," Beth Johnson said of herself and her mother, MaryJane Long, as the closing frames of Mike's second game approached. "All 16 schools stopped bowling; they wanted to watch. We were shaking for him. It was very quiet until that last strike, then the whole place went crazy."
The schools practiced at the 40-lane house on March 10.
"He did struggle a little with a 233," Berquist said of Johnson's opening game on Saturday. "Then he made some adjustments and started mowing them down."
Berquist believes that the Shawnee lane conditions were a little tougher than what the high school bowlers were accustomed to around here, but they were right for Mike.
"The way he throws, they suited him really well," Berquist said. "Most of our lanes around here are wood; in Chillicothe, they were synthetic. A synthetic shot stays more consistent. If you get locked in on a certain condition with a synthetic surface, the shot usually doesn't stray that much. If you get the right ball and the proper hand speed, you can line them up pretty good. A lot of our other guys struggled a little, but the shot was just made for Mike."
Good showing
Berquist said he was happy with his teams' showing, especially when considering that the postseason pool included 204 girls and 225 boys teams state-wide.
"I know the boys wanted better results, but, for some of them, it was their first time," Berquist said.
Berquist was also complimentary of his bowlers' behavior.
"I was really pleased with the way our kids handled themselves; they're one of the classier acts in the sport," the coach said of the school that has built an excellent reputation in state bowling circles.
"We're one of the powerhouses," Berquist admitted. "If you go out of our area and mention high school bowling and you mention Fitch, you'll hear, 'Oh, those guys.' "
The Falcon girls qualified for state six straight years while the boys have gone five times.
High scores
John Doughton III had 804 in Kelley-Robb Funeral Home Classic at Bell-Wick on March 16.
Teri Haefke had games of 225-194-300 for 719, then added 248 for 967 in Wedgewood Ladies Trio on March 14. Seven pins behind for four games, but No. 1 for three games with 763 was Jennifer Gossett. Second-best that night was Susan Mineo's 738.
Also in Ladies Trio, Mahoning Valley High School Bowling Conference director Fran Miller had 287.
Mark Guthridge and John Calo had 300s and Tony Boggs a 299 in Monday Night Men's Classic at Wedgewood.
In UAW 1112-Lucianno's Restaurant Men on March 1, Boggs had 300 and Calo the top set of 779.
Bryan Gabler's 287-749 topped Camelot Majors on March 11.
Kim Bossone had 298-723 and Marty Denmeade 269-705 in Window World/Casper Welding at Amron on March 7 and Sarah Letscher's 711 paced women in Fine Line Lawnscaping at McKinley.
John Dohar's 256-730 and Brandon Langenheim's 278-717 paced Boardman Juniors on March 18 when Mike Nigro's 279 was the top single.
Six-year-old Nicholas Ferrara rolled a 163 game among 7-9 year-olds at Bell-Wick on March 18.