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Valley’s D-II bowlers competing today
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN
Seven local teams — including four boys squads, three girls teams and seven individuals — will compete in Division II district bowling tournaments at Roseland Lanes in Oakwood Village.
The boys teams are from Struthers, Girard, Hubbard and Brookfield, along with individual qualifiers Mason Persons (LaBrae), Lucas Wieson (Liberty), Andrew Neider (Cardinal Mooney) and Charles Click (Wellsville).
Girls teams from Cardinal Mooney, Girard and Hubbard are joined by individual qualifiers Haylie Rotz (Lowellville), Raven Watson (Liberty) and Kourtney Husnick (Brookfield).
Struthers won last weekend’s sectional title at McKinley Lanes over Girard by 296 pins (3,915-3,619) and head coach Bob Eisenbraun Jr., currently in his 15th season, is hoping his Wildcats can return to state for a fourth consecutive year.
“We’ve had a nice season to date, weathered a couple injuries in the middle of our schedule and have improved to where we are peaking at just the right time,” Eisenbraun said.
The team started off by winning what many call the country’s most prestigious high school bowling tournament, “The Kick-Off Tourney” in Columbus, also winning a third consecutive All-American Conference, White Tier crown.
The Wildcats are a junior-laden team with Andrew Brabent, Jarrod Sawyers, Adam Cifra, Johnny Medvec, Cameron Coppola and Connor Lane the mainstays, Zack Blackman the lone senior and sophomore Chad Laczko who round out the roster.
“We’ve had some minor setbacks, but that only made us better as a team. The last couple weeks we’ve come together, not worrying about ourselves and just helping one another out,” said Coppola, whose 621 roll was tops at sectionals. “We expect to bowl really well and win district, then make it to state and put on a show there.”
Brabent, whose 614 at sectionals was runner-up to Coppola, said maintaining their focus will be extremely important.
“We are going into district with a chip in our shoulders,” Brabent said. “Last year we finished ninth at state and missed the cut by two pins, which was a disappointing ending to an otherwise successful season. Our goal is to make it out of district on top and make yet another run at the glorious state title.”
Girard head coach Pete Barta starts three freshmen in Dylan Puz, Logan Kondrich and Donny Bishop, and includes junior Seth Kennedy and senior Chris Kuhn, whose 549 at sectionals was the Indians’ highest finish.
“I feel as if my team is one of the most improved from the beginning of the season to now,” Barta said.
Hubbard finished 10th at state last year and head coach Ron Killian has guided the Eagles to district four times in his eight seasons at the helm.
They feature four seniors, including Mitch Meyers, Jared Johns, Dylan Murphy and Mo Rasul, and junior Seth Valentino.
Both Meyers and Valentino have 190 averages on the season.
Brookfield head coach George Lesnansky started the Warriors’ program nine years ago and although they’ve qualified five individuals for state under his watch, this is their initial district appearance as a team.
Junior Michael Katko is the team leader with a 203.3 average with sophomore Jacob Ratliff a close second at 198.7. The team also includes brothers Ben and Eli Yereb, Brian Hunter and Bryan Anderson
“All five bowlers have to score because we need numbers from everyone if we expect to move on,” Lesnanksy said.
Hubbard (3,235) won the girls sectionals with Cardinal Mooney (2,876) runner-up and Girard finishing third.
Eagles head coach Ken Miller is in his third season at the helm with his team looking to advance to state a third consecutive year.
Michala Dudley’s 521 roll was tops at sectionals while Alexis Cobbin, Emily Davis, Sabrina Romano, Joetta Reed, Elaina Shipton and Ashleigh George round out the roster.
“Roseland is a completely different house, synthetic as opposed to wood so we will have to adapt if we expect to move on,” Dudley said.
Cardinal Mooney looks to return to state — they finished eighth last year and 14th two years ago — under first-year head coach Mike Dohar, the former Lowellville head coach, with captain Brittaney Mingo, Adrianna Popovich, Gianna Glover, Tiffany Rosenberg, Katlyn Shaner, Julia Montanez and Sydney Shugart the mainstays.
“For us, we’ve been a family before bowling and just feed off of each other,” Mingo said. “We help each other out and have improved to the point that we are peaking at the right time heading to district play.”
Barta also coaches Girard’s girls, this years’ All-American Conference Blue Tier champions.
“Picking up our spares and maximizing our pin count is the first step if you expect get out of district and qualify for state,” Barta said.
The Indians feature league selections Jessica Shepherd and Abby Shepley with Malena Whitfield, Ariana Kennedy, Cheyenne Moore and Nikki Reinhart.
Action begins at noon.