Katelyn Daugherty WARREN HARDING, GIRLS BOWLING

April 2, 2017 at 12:05a.m.

Winter Athletes of the Year

All of the top high school athletes in basketball, swimming/diving, wrestling, and bowling.

For Warren Harding senior Katelyn Daugherty, the state tournament wasn’t just about finishing as high as she could, it was also about leaving a legacy.

It was the first time the girls bowling team had made the state tournament and because of that, the trip down to Columbus was a little bit more special.

“There’s a lot of pressure because if we didn’t make the top eight we would have to go home,” Daugherty said. “It’s very exciting for the first couple of games, then the nerves kick in when you realize you have to finish in the top eight.

“It was an experience I probably won’t ever get again.”

The Raiders didn’t make the cut as a team, finishing 12th overall. But Daugherty bowled well enough to finish sixth individually.

“[Sixth] is pretty good,” Daugherty said. “A lot of people can say they’ve done better but I thought it was a great thing for me.”

The strong individual finish and the state appearance came and went for Daugherty so fast, it was difficult to live in the moment.

“I think it passed me it was so quick,” Daugherty said. “It wasn’t until after I realized we were the first girls bowling team that made it there and we actually accomplished something bigger than we thought we could.”

With her high school bowling career over, Daugherty now has to make the choice to continue in college or give up the school-sanctioned competition.

“I’ve been accepted to Cleveland State, Notre Dame College and a school in Nebraska so I have options. I’m not sure if I’ll contunue sports. I might focus more on school and just being growing up in college.”

—Charles Grove