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Struthers bowlers Brabant and Coppola commit to Pikeville
By Greg Gulas
STRUTHERS
For the past four seasons, Andrew Brabant and Cameron Coppola have been key contributors to the success of the Struthers High School boys bowling team.
They helped lead the Wildcats to three consecutive All-American Conference titles and four state appearances, finishing third overall as a unit this past season.
On Friday at the Struthers High School library, both players inked national letters-of-intent to attend NAIA bowling power Pikeville University this fall where they will join Canfield’s Andrew Letscher, the reigning NAIA “Rookie of the Year.”
“It’s a pretty exciting time for the Struthers boys bowling program as both players are most deserving of this opportunity,” said head coach Bob Eisenbraun Jr. “Both are so very special and each has worked really, really hard since their freshman season to get to this point. All of that hard work has finally paid off.”
The Wildcats went 50-6 overall the last four years, winning 23 tournaments, 11 runner-up trophies, three sectional titles and three district crowns, as well as a state runner-up finish in 2013-14.
They were also conference runners-up in 2013-14.
A four-year letterwinner, Brabant earned AAC White Tier tournament M.V.P. laurels his junior and senior seasons and as a sophomore, was the AAC White Tier’s Division II “Bowler of the Year.”
He rolled his first sanctioned 300 game on Feb. 11, 2015 and had a 522, two-game set that day.
He credits Eisenbraun — his father and coach — as the person most responsible for helping to develop his game.
“Playing for my dad has always been very special and that goes back to before I even started my high school career. He introduced me to the sport and now we share the same passion for the game,” Brabant stated. “Bowling is a sport that has allowed us the opportunity to connect and he’s the reason that I’ve enjoyed my four years at Struthers High School.”
Having several classmates on the team and the run they were able to manufacture was also very special for Brabant.
“These past four years have been a learning experience and a special time that I will never forget,” he added. “It was great to bond with such a great group of guys and the reason I want to continue. I just can’t get enough of it.”
Coppola is a four-year letterwinner as well, graduating with a 198 career average and a 277 high game, that coming against Austintown Fitch on December 21, 2015.
A three-time Pepsi state qualifier (2012, 2014 and 2017), Coppola was an AAC first-team honoree as a junior, winning sectionals that same year.
“I am extremely excited to continue my bowling career with Andrew and quite happy to be joining Andrew Letscher as well. I wanted to further my bowling career so why not do it with a friend,” he noted. “UPike is an excellent program and one of the very best in the nation. I had a blast as I look back at my last four years, simply because the atmosphere was more like family than just a team. To have the success that we had was truly amazing.”
Pikeville head coach Kyle Wilson, whose team won the Mid-South Conference crown this past season as well and is currently preparing for the upcoming Intercollegiate Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (April 19-22), was on hand for the signing.
“I met Bob [Eisenbraun], Andrew and Cameron two years ago at the Kick-off Tournament in Columbus and was impressed with everything about the entire team,” Wilson said. “Both are great students and even better individuals. They each have plenty of potential and we’re looking forward to their arrival this fall.”