Brittany Jones leads Fitch bowlers

LANCASTER — Behind a sterling performance by senior Brittany Jones, the Austintown Fitch girl’s bowling team placed well in the state meet Friday.

After three games and three rounds of baker playoffs, Troy led the field, trailed by second-place Fitch and seventh-place Boardman.

Then, the top eight teams rolled for final position in the bracket final and Boardman defeated Fitch three games to one to place fourth overall.

Fitch took fifth in the final standings, held at Tiki Lanes.

Jones rolled just the final two games and had games of 186 and 264.

“Basically, she was our best today,” Fitch coach Dino Balkan said.

“She shot phenomenal. She was our hot shot off the bench. Her first seven or eight shots were strikes.”

Fitch was in the state meet for the ninth straight season.

“They are the only school to go down there every year,” Balkan said. “And that’s boys or girls.”

Balkan, in his fifth season, said of his eight-member roster, “Everybody contributed in her own way.”

Fitch’s Vickie Berquist rolled three games.

“She bowled real well,” said Balkan.

He estimated Berquist’s set was around 550.

Also performing for the Falcons were Gina Cheff, Kelly Mineo, Marietta Gallo, Delorean Jones, Darla Harris and Megan Wilhelm.

Balkan noted that his seniors can always remember reaching the state tournament every season of their academic career.

One other factor will stay with them, he said.

“It was pretty intense. There was a packed house and it was hot,” he said.

“There was so much cheering it was mind boggling. There was so much energy that the girls fed off.

“It was really exciting.”

The Fitch girls won the state title in 2002-03.