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State bowling tourney begins
Warren Harding, Struthers and Fitch’s boys bowling teams will compete in the state tournament this weekend, and the Boardman and Hubbard High girls teams are also headed to Shawnee Lanes in Chillicothe.
Niles’ Samantha Monroe and Canfield’s Sarah Bolina advanced as individual competitors.
The boys go into action at 11 a.m. today while the girls are slated for the same start on Saturday.
At the district tournament in Canton last weekend, Harding (4314) was runner-up to district champion Kent Roosevelt (4330), while Struthers (4313) placed third and Fitch (4195) sixth.
Monroe and Bolina were the fourth and fifth individual qualifiers with series of 644 and 640, respectively.
The top individual qualifier was Massillon’s Casey Reese with 704.
The Boardman girls rolled 3877 to finish runner-up to district champion Canton GlenOak with 3891. Hubbard’s pinfall was 3778. At Shawnee Lanes, individuals and teams start simultaneously.
The individuals bowl three games, while team members bowl three regular games and three Baker games. Then the field is cut to the top one-half.
After awards for state individual champion and runner-up, teams get their lane assignments for a bracketed Baker round which is best three-of-five. Once the top eight survivors are decided, the elimination process continues.
Niles coach Don Eckrote said that Monroe, a junior, wasn’t the top average bowler in the regular season.
“She was middle-of-the-road, between our second- and third-best bowlers, but she just kept practicing and putting in a little extra effort and peaking at the right time,” he said.
Three years ago, the Red Dragons finished 10th at state and, two years ago, Trisha Bernard was a state qualifier, finishing 24th. Monroe is the second Niles bowler to qualify individually.
On Saturday, Monroe and Bolina will compete against 142 other bowlers (16 eight-student teams, plus 16 individuals).
“They’re not just competing against the other 16 individuals,” Eckrote said. “Bowlers on the teams can win the individual championship, too. It’s a pretty tall order.”
Bolina, also a junior, averaged in the 170s for Canfield.
As a team, Canfield missed the cut by 40 pins.
Bolina been on varsity since her freshman year.
“All the girls had their ups and downs,” said Howard Mancini, who has been Canfield’s girls’ coach the last three years. “But every time we entered a tournament, Sarah’s done well.”
Mancini said Bolina cut it close in arriving at the district tournament because of another commitment.
After competing in dance in Pittsburgh last Sunday morning, Bolina traveled to Canton.
Mancini said that Sarah arrived in time for one warm-up throw before the competition began at noon.
She rolled 205 the first game, which included a 10th-frame split.
“She could have done better the first game, but she steadily threw a good ball all afternoon,” Mancini said. “I told her to quit dancing and her dance instructor told her to quit bowling, so we’re not quite getting along on this idea.”
Canfield’s varsity squad comprised seniors Melanie Arnold, Brittany Wolf and Carissa Kime; juniors Bolina, Alexis Harris and Alexis Bates and sophomore Gina Speziale.