Canfield’s Letscher finishes third against state competition

March 15, 2015 at 12:04a.m.

COLUMBUS

Canfield High School junior Andrew Letscher had been gradually climbing the leaderboard in his previous two finishes at the Division I boys state bowling tournament.

On Saturday at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl, he was finally able to break through for a top three individual finish and earn a spot on first-team All-Ohio. He scored 206-226-204 for a total of 636.

“It feels good,” Letscher said. “I didn’t feel like I was bowling my best [Saturday], so I was just trying to keep everything consistent.”

It’s his third consecutive state tournament appearance — he finished 14th overall as a sophomore to earn honorable mention — but the first time he was bowling in Columbus as an individual.

Warren Harding finished ninth in the team event. Seniors Tyler Longwell and Jason Nolen led the Raiders with top 50 finishes.

“It was different,” Letscher said of being there without his Canfield teammates.

“I would be looking over for the team and ... it just wasn’t the same.

“Competing as a team is just indescribable. Winning as an individual is nice, it’s just not the same.”

It also didn’t come without some late drama. Letscher had the luxury of keeping an eye on his competition with Trenton Miller of Lyndhurts Brush bowling in the lane next to his.

With their scores close heading into the final frame, Letscher glanced over at Miller’s score to find out exactly what he needed to bowl.

A strike in the tenth frame would give him a total score in the 640s and secure a spot in the top three. A spare would leave him in the 630s, possibly opening the door for Miller.

“He didn’t have the best first two games, but bowled a really, really nice last game,” Letscher said of Miller.

Letscher’s first roll knocked down nine pins, but as it turned out, he only need the convert the spare to secure the finish.

“There wasn’t much pressure, because I’ve been bowling my whole life,” said Letscher, whose family owns McKinley Lanes in Niles.

“It’s just experience. That comes from all the work I’ve put in.”