Fitch, Hubbard girls bowling teams headed to state

February 24, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

WARREN

Since becoming a sanctioned scholastic sport, Austintown Fitch is the only high school that can boast of its boys and girls bowling teams winning a state championship in the same season.

That came during in the 2002-03 campaign when the boys were winning the second of their two consecutive titles and the girls their first and only crown.

After rolling a 4,020 Saturday at Crest Lanes to capture the 22-team northeast district bowling championship, the Falcon girls issued a verbal challenge to their male counterparts that they now expect to see them next week in Columbus with a shot at another dual title.

Hubbard was the only other area team to qualify for state competition, finishing third with a 3,729 score while Girard was the highest area non-qualifier, posting a 3,449 roll to finish ninth.

The Falcons have qualified for state 13 times in the last 15 years. They’re back after a one-year absence. They fell short by just four pins a season ago.

“The key today was that our girls made their shots and covered their spares,” Falcons coach Don Morrison said. “That is what we preach because every pin counts and that is what builds the score. We minimized our mistakes and made the necessary adjustments after having to change lanes. Our girls are a disciplined group and they deserve all of the accolades because they made it happen.”

Morrison, currently in his 14th season as head coach, also has one runner-up crown to his credit.

The Falcons had four of the top 10 individual series with Jessica Halas’ 255 game the top individual game of the tournament.

“Last year, we narrowly missed a trip to the state so for a year now we’ve had this attitude of anger and frustration just waiting to break loose,” Halas said. “We get mad at ourselves in order to do better and by winning today, this vindicates last year’s miss.”

In addition to Halas, other top-20 Fitch finishers included Lynnette Seebacher (ninth, 226); Laura Wilson (11th, 222) and Katie Viglio (19th, 210).

“We wanted to redeem ourselves so we bowled with a chip on our shoulders all year long,” said Seebacher, whose 620 series was second best overall in the tourney.

“Today, our lane kept resetting so we had to switch lanes, which frustrated some of the players. We adjusted and in the end it all worked out because we won,” Wilson said.

Halas’ 615 series was third overall, Viglio’s 605 series sixth and Wilson 10th with a 578 set.

“Our only goal all season long was to get back to the state. Everyone did their part and today we realized that goal,” Viglio said.

Hubbard is going to state for the sixth consecutive year.

“We started out strong, slowed up but then in the third game our girls picked up their spares and that is what pushed us into the top five,” Eagles coach Carol Kozbial said. “We struggled toward the end of the season and didn’t play as well as we had hoped in sectional and district play, but we’ll take it.

“If we can get to a top-eight finish at the state then anything can happen when the Baker games begin. It’s a game of spares, something we found that out the hard way.”

Miranda Romano’s 244 game for the Eagles was third-best in the tourney while Brittany Ferrara’s 216 game ranked 12th overall.

“I was happy with my roll but felt like I could have done better. It’s a nerve-racking day so you have to remain focused all of the time,” Romano stated.

“As a team, we could have done better so we will just use this week to practice and prepare so we are at our best next weekend,” added Ferrara.

Hubbard senior Lauren Miller rolled a 519 series.

“There were times this season that we thought we wouldn’t make it so it’s really an exciting time for all of us. Now that we’ve qualified for state, our goal is really very simple; win it all,” Miller said.

Girard’s Casie Cupan, whose 598 series was seventh best, was the area’s lone individual qualifier.

Lakeview’s Kayla Reese (558) and Danielle DeFalco of Niles McKinley (552) finished seventh and eighth respectively, narrowly missing the individual cut.

The girl’s state tournament will take place next Saturday in Columbus at 11 a.m. at Wayne Webb Columbus Bowl, 3224 S. High St., in Columbus.