YSU women place 13th

Youngstown State women’s bowling coach Jim Hall had a succinct description of his team’s participation in the 2012 Intercollegiate Team Championships sectional qualifier in Allentown, Pa.: “It was a pretty good weekend for us.”

YSU, a club team, bowled a marathon 64 Baker System games over the course of two days March 10-11.

“That’s a lot of bowling,” said Hall, whose women finished 13th out of 15 teams in the eastern region sectional. The Penguins finished ahead of Indiana Institute of Technology and Schenectady County CC.

“We were last after the first day, but bowled exceptionally well the second day and passed two teams,” Hall said. “Had it gone longer, we would have passed a couple more teams.”

Hall added: “It’s not bad considering we’re a club and bowling against schools who work with a quarter-million-dollar budget.”

Webber International won, followed by defending national champion Maryland-Eastern Shore, Lindenwood and Kutztown.

All four advanced to the USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships, April 19-21 in Lincoln, Neb., along with 12 other teams from sectionals in Smyrna, Tenn.; Fairview Heights, Ill.; and Euless, Texas.

“Teams had to be ranked in the top 64 in the country to get a spot and we just squeaked in as 61st,” Hall said. “You don’t expect to beat too many teams when you’re ranked there. So, we did well,” he said of the Penguins’ first trip to Allentown since the 2008-09 season.

YSU’s best bowler of the weekend was Trang Nguyen, a third-year member from Liberty. Five others were Jessica Castick (second year), freshman Michelle Heldreth, Amanda Zagorsky (second year, Struthers), Melanie Arnold (second year, Canfield) and Nicole Zipay (fourth year, Hubbard).

YSU averaged 164 for the 64 Baker games, of which 217 was high game (total of two-frame games apiece by five players).

“Not a single girl bowled it before,” said Hall. “That experience means a lot. I’d think everybody’s going to be returning except Nicole,” Hall said of Zipay, whose four years of eligibility have been exhausted.

YSU’s top average for an 11-tournament season belonged to Arnold (162.97.). The highest mark percentage of 68 was achieved by Castick.

Two bowlers unable to make the Allentown trip were Heather Miller and Maria Kelley. Miller is studying abroad.

Arnold, Castick, Heldreth and Miller have “Academic All-American” certificates for keeping no less than a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale.

Hall, a Silver level coach with the USBC who concluded his fourth season with YSU’s women’s program, was most recently Hickory High’s coach.

Fitzgerald has 810

Jason Fitzgerald had 299-810 in Tri-County Classic at Holiday on Feb. 28 on a night when the only other 700-or-better set was Matt Pavlich’s 726.

Charlie’s Service/Bedford Trails League president Nick Muntean bowled 300-772 at Holiday on Mar. 6.

Michelle Tenney’s 279-726 led Tuesday Ladies at McKinley during week 27 of 34 on Feb. 28.

DeCinda Taylor’s 290-691 paced Thursday Matchplay Ladies at Amron during week 25 of 30 on March 1.