Fitch’s Cheff picks NDC

Austintown Fitch senior Gina Cheff recently announced that she will attend Notre Dame College in Cleveland where she’s expected to be on the bowling team.

She becomes the latest in a string of female Falcons bowlers whose college plans also included the schools’ bowling programs, such as Kelly Mineo (Wright State), Staci Balkan (Ohio State), Katie Fekety (Pikeville, Ky.) and Andrea Lucente (Morehead, Ky.).

Lucente spent three years at Morehead before transferring to YSU from which she graduated.

Cheff, who will receive a scholarship for not only bowling but for her grades, was a four-year letter-winner, including the last two as a first-team All-Federal League selection.

“She was the ace of the team,” Fitch varsity coach Don Morrison said without hesitation. The 18-year-old Cheff was also a WYTV Student-Athlete of the Week in February.

With her 3.9 GPA, Cheff plans to enroll in Notre Dame College’s nursing program with the expectation of being a nurse practitioner.

“It’s small and I like small schools,” said Cheff, whose high school may have been bigger than her college.

“I went to Immaculate Heart of Mary — K-8, then to Fitch and it was huge,” Cheff said. “I like smaller better,” she said, referring to the college in South Euclid.

As a junior, Cheff was the Federal League’s bowler-of-the-year. For 2009-2010, she finished her Federal League season with a third-highest 204.

“Gina was our only senior and was a true leader,” said girls coach Dino Balkan. “She was our anchor bowler and came through all year in clutch situations.”

Cheff had an overall average of 195, a high game of 246 and high three-game set of 610.

In 2008-2009, Fitch finished fifth at state.

“This is first year the girls’ team didn’t make it,” Cheff said of the Falcons missing state for the first time in 10 years.

This season, the girls’ team didn’t advance past the district.

The Falcons won the state crown in 2003-2004.

Gina said that Notre Dame College — until recently an all-women institution — completed its first collegiate bowling season this winter.

Cheff said she grew up in alleys, where her mother and brother worked. Gina has worked at Kay Lanes in Girard for three years.

A brother, Jimmy, is a third-year bowler at Pikeville.

“Going to state three times is something I’ll never forget,” Cheff said. “The coaches at Fitch taught me a lot and I became a way-better bowler. Watching my brother motivated me. He bowled his first 300 at tryouts his senior year. I was trying to do that, but never did.”

Neal, zitnik 300s

Brian Neal had 300-825 in Armando Saab Classic at West Side on March 22 and Bell-Wick Bowl owner Francis Zitnik also had a perfect game in Spiech Classic on March 8.

Although Zitnik has over 20 perfect games, his latest — at age 62 — gives him the distinction of having a 300 over five different decades.

Zitnik used a Columbia Cell Solid.

His first 300 came when he was 24-years-old.

Cissie Wright’s 262 on March 7 was a league record for a single game for women in Mixed Bankers at Holiday, secretary Jeanette Crawford reported.

C & G Pro Shop won fourth quarter in Armando Saab Classic at West Side.