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Fitch, Hubbard, Struthers seeking state trip
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Miller
Based on the strength of sectional scores, the Struthers and Fitch boys as well as the Fitch and Hubbard girls could walk away with district titles at this weekend’s Northeastern Ohio district bowling tournament at AMF Twin Star Lanes in Kent.
The Struthers and Fitch boys teams had the highest scores among sectionals around the state with 4,528 and 4,515 totals, respectively. The same is true for the Fitch and Hubbard girls teams with 4,229 and 4,178 pinfall.
“We’re hoping to send as many to state as we can,” said Fran Miller, tournament manager of the Mahoning-Trumbull sectional at Holiday Bowl where the scores were rolled on Feb. 11.
The lane conditions at Kent could be another story, but at least one team has a feel for the place.
“We bowled at Twin Star earlier, so we’re a little familiar with the house and lanes,” Hubbard girls coach Carol Kozbial said. “So it’s a comfortable place for us to go.”
In addition to Mahoning-Trumbull, Kent also will have qualifiers from sectionals that represent Lake, Stark, Summit, Portage and Lorain counties.
Miller was also manager for the Lake County sectional a week after the larger Mahoning-Trumbull meet.
She’ll be helping at Twin Star, where Ray Stalnaker — proprietor at Midway Lanes in Akron — is district manager.
Last year’s Northeast district was in Lorain.
This weekend’s competition will start with a school’s five members bowling three individual games followed by six Baker System games.
In Baker, each of the five bowlers throw two frames within a game.
Maplewood’s Zach Thompson is the top boy who is not on a qualifying team.
He became his school’s first bowler to advance to the district level when he rolled 700 at the sectional. Thompson helped the Rockets to an undefeated regular season. He carries a 195 average.
Hubbard’s girls team has five state appearances and the Eagles were state runner-up for 2010-2011, so its return to district is no surprise.
“It’s not automatic, but it’s something they’ve been working for,” Kozbial said. “We expected to be at this point, but we didn’t take anything for granted.”
Leading the way are senior co-captains Amanda Wess (207 average) and Samantha Dudley (202), followed by juniors Brittany Ferrara (217), Jenna Wise (188) and her sister, Sarah Wise (174).
Also on board are juniors Lauren Miller (156 avg.) and Christina Leckfor (161) and sophomore Miranda Romano (180).
Dudley was second-team All-Ohio last season.
Dudley, Ferrara, Wess, the Wises and Miller were on the 2010-11 team.
This season, Hubbard (15-0) finished undefeated in dual matches for a second straight year.
The LaBrae and Girard girls and Champion boys erupted at sectionals.
“We’re getting a mix of new schools that have developed the skills to make the district,” Miller said.
Of his team’s third-place sectional finish, Girard coach Todd Reinhart said, “We’re pretty much in the spot we thought we’d be.
“Those are probably the two best teams in the state, in my eyes at least,” Reinhart said of the Falcons and Eagles.
“We’re small in numbers,” Reinhart said of his Indians, who are led by sophomore captain Lexi Cloud with a top average of 181. Freshman MacKenzie Olesky carries a 170 average, followed by junior Casie Cupan (164) and seniors Katie Owen (161), Kim Simeon (144) and Morgan Walters (139).
“They plugged along all year,” Reinhart said of his team that lost only two matches: to Fitch and Hubbard to finish 12-2, including 8-0 in the AAC National Division.
He said Cloud, who shot 654 at the AAC tournament at Bell-Wick on Feb. 17, has averaged 199 to 200 over the last 6 weeks.
“She’s peaking at the right time,” he said.
LaBrae, a team that achieved varsity status last year, is making its first district appearance after finishing fourth at sectional.
“This is our second year as a full-fledged sport, so this is the best our girls have done,” coach Jim Varley said.
Junior Tiffany Warne’s 642 was the fourth-highest score at sectional.
“She was thrilled,” Varley said of Warne’s season-best set. “Her brother, Alex, made it to state a few years ago, so there must be some bowling genes in the family.”
Warner, who carries a 175 average, will be joined by juniors Paige Burnfield (160), Alaina Sersich (165) and Ashley Gregory (150) and the only senior, Renee Brumbaugh (145).