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Fitch teams return to state bowling meet
The Fitch girls team has qualified for the event every year since 2001.
YOUNGSTOWN — The Austintown Fitch High girls bowling team will be making an unprecedented ninth trip to the state tournament starting today.
They are the only girls team to reach state each of the seasons Ohio has had the event, starting with the 2001 season.
For Fitch’s boys, it will be the eighth time in nine years. Fitch finished as runner-up to district champ Cuyahoga Falls.
Other girls teams that qualified for this weekend’s tournament at Tiki Lanes in Lancaster starting today are Boardman, Canfield, Hubbard and Warren Harding.
Boardman’s girls won the district at Wedgewood last Saturday with a team total of 4028. Fitch was runner-up with 3809.
Canfield’s 3688 was two pins ahead of Hubbard. Massillon Jackson was fifth (3582) and Harding was sixth (3568).
Other boys teams making the trip are Struthers and Warren Harding. The boys compete on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Individuals earning a spot at Tiki Lanes were Chaney’s Michelle Heldreth in the girls division and Lakeview’s Will Maus, LaBrae’s Alex Warne and Canfield High’s Jeremy Hammond in the boys.
With a 697 set, Maus was district runner-up among individuals not on a qualifying team, while Warne was fifth with 690 followed by Hammond in sixth with 682.
Boardman’s Ciarra Moran posted the highest three-game set of 711, while Heldreth had 613 as the second-best individual not on a qualifying team. Massillon’s Casey Reese had the top score of 637 of those not on a qualifying team.
Fitch junior Gina Cheff is a three-year varsity starter who averaged 207 to earn Federal League bowler-of-the year honors last month.
Last year, Fitch’s girls were 11th at state after a ninth-place finish in 2007.
The 17-year-old Cheff follows in the footsteps of her brother, Jimmy, a 2007 Fitch graduate who received a scholarship to Pikeville College in Kentucky, where he is a second-year bowling team member.
“My brother helped me a lot this year when he was back home,” Gina Cheff said. “My coaches [Dino Balkan and Don Morrison] have been a big factor in my success, too. I think my release and overall form have improved but there’s room for more improvement.”
Kelly Mineo and Brittany Jones and Megan Wilhelm are seniors, while Vickie Berquist, Marietta Gallo, Delorean Jones and Daria Harris are sophomores.
Cheff, Berquist and Gallo were first-team All-Federal selections and Mineo and Delorean Jones were second-teamers.
Balkan isn’t going out on a limb regarding his team’s chances of a good finish in Lancaster.
“After looking at who’s qualified, it’s going to be tough, especially with a young team. Kelly does a good job as senior leader, but, basically, the juniors and sophomores carry the team,” he said.
Marty Sharisky, a senior, led Fitch’s boys team at district with a 693 series. He’s the Falcons’ top average bowler.
Vince Viglio, Josh Thompson, Adam Orengia, Matt Hensperger, Cody McCullough, Rich Wilson and Korey Nelson are the other members.
At the meet students will bowl three regular games, then three Baker games with teammates. Once the cut to the top eight is made, the bracket finals begin. Teams must then work their way into the championship round.
The championship round will be taped for telecast on SportsTime Ohio next week.
The Fitch girls won their lone state crown during the 2002-03 season when Teri Haefke was coach, while the Falcons’ boys team won back-to-back championships in 2002-03 with Bruce Boyd coaching.
bassetti@vindy.com