Bowlers are taking experience to Columbus

February 26, 2016 at 12:06a.m.

Three Mahoning Valley high school bowling teams and two individuals will participate in the Division II state tournament this weekend at Wayne Webb Lanes in Columbus.

Today, boys action begins. Representing the area will be the Struthers and Champion teams and Hubbard’s Caleb Johnson.

Saturday, the girls tournament begins with Hubbard’s team and Cardinal Mooney’s Brittaney Mingo competing.

The Champion boys are trying to win a second team title in three years. The Struthers boys waltzed through the sectional and district, winning by 296 and 288 pins. The Wildcats are seeking their first state crown in their 10th stare appearance under head coach Bob Eisenbraun, Jr.

Struthers is making its third consecutive trip and sixth in seven seasons to Columbus. In 2011, the Wildcats also were sectional and district winners and finished fourth at state.

The Wildcats, who were state runners-up in 2014, have produced two individual state champions in Corey Bayus (2011) and Dan DiLoretto (2014).

Six of Struthers’ eight players are juniors, including the district five of Andrew Brabent, Adam Cifra, Jared Sawyers, Cameron Coppola and John Medvec. The others are Connor Lane, Zach Blackman and Chad Laczko.

“When you have talented kids that are dedicated and want to win, that’s a pretty good formula for success,” Eisenbraun said. “Each class knows what previous classes have accomplished and while winning is a nice thing, with that comes high expectations.

“They know those expectations and where we want to go,” Eisenbraun said.

Brabent’s 625 set at district was third best overall.

Brabent said he expects “a state title as we have been working for this all year and all during our high school careers.

“Since our freshman year, we’ve aspired to be like the older kids we saw bowling at state and now it is our time to go out and prove that we can do it.”

Cifra’s 236 game was good enough for runner-up laurels and his 608 set was sixth-best last weekend.

Cifra said the Wildcats have chips on their shoulders “because of last year’s upset.”

Champion head coach Dale Johnson, in his third season, said having all five starters averaging 190+ has been a luxury.

“We’re very capable of pulling off a state title once again,” Johnson said. “We had an unbelievable team in 2013-14 and while I hate comparing teams, this group is equal to them in many ways.”

The players returning from that title team are Joe Martin, Jake Fritch and Zach Johnson, an alternate two years ago.

Johnson’s 617 set was fifth overall at district while Fritch (218), Martin (213) and Johnson’s (211) games all ranked in the top 18.

The other Golden Flashes bowlers are Preston Shively, Dylan Williams, Dylan McKean, Brandon Nicholas and Nate McKean.

Hubbard’s Johnson finished third at district with a 624 set. Sporting a 235 overall average, he will compete at state for the second time as his team qualified last year.

Johnson said experience “gives you a little advantage in that you know the lane conditions and service of the lanes.”

Hubbard head coach Ron Killian calls Johnson “one of the very best, if not the best bowler in the state.”

Girls

The Hubbard girls are making their eighth trip to state and their second in the past three seasons under head coach Ken Miller. They finished fifth at district, 181 pins ahead of Triway for the final state slot.

Hubbard’s team has Emily Davis Michalia Dudley, Sabrina Romano, Alexis Cobbin, Joetta Reed, Elaina Shipton and Ashleigh George.

Davis’ 195 game was eighth at district and her 488 set was good enough for 15th overall.

““we’re all excited and ready to get going,” Davis said.

Mingo is making her third trip to Columbus — she went the past two seasons as a member of the Cardinals’ team.

Her 197 game was sixth best during district play while her 512 set was eighth overall.

“I never thought that I would be an individual state qualifier as this is just my third year overall for bowling,” Mingo said.