Locals looking for route to Columbus
Division I teams, individual bowlers in district today
By Greg Gulas
Three area teams and three individuals will compete in the Division I district bowling tournament today at Canton’s AMF Hall of Fame Lanes.
All action begins at noon with the top six boys and top five girls teams and individuals advancing to state, which takes place March 10-11 at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl.
The lone area boys team to advance, Boardman (4,026), took home top sectional honors by 160 pins over runner-up Walsh Jesuit (3,866) with Nordonia (3,843) and Stow-Munroe Falls (3,777) also qualifying.
Alec Smith (556) of Austintown Fitch was the only area individual to advance, finishing 13th overall.
On the girls side, All-American Conference Red Tier powers Warren Harding (3,526) and Howland (3,497) were the top two qualifiers — Stow-Munroe Falls (3,317) and Kenston (3,231) also advanced — while Brianna Protain (571) of Fitch, who placed third overall and Boardman’s Gloria Hynes (550), a fourth-place qualifier were the area’s individual qualifiers.
Spartans had coach Kevin Randolph is in his first season at the boys helm, but no stranger to the program having spent the previous eight years as an assistant, succeeding longtime coach Al Dohar.
State appearances are nothing new for Boardman as they have qualified six times during Randolph’s nine year association with the team.
Concentrating on the task at hand at district and not looking ahead will determine whether Randolph’s first squad is state bound.
“Baker games really helped us at sectionals and over the past three weeks or so, we were struggling in that area,” Randolph said. “The lanes are synthetic at district so practicing at Holiday Bowl in Struthers will help us to prepare. If we perform like we did at sectionals then we should be alright.”
Boardman finished 12-4 overall, tied with Fitch in the regular season and won the Red Tier tournament.
Sean Sullivan (204.4 average), Bobby Morrell (198.6), Chase Felger (197.6), Zach Johnson (196.4), Ben Burkey (196.0), Nathan Needham (189.3) and Seth Lucansky (164.0) are the seven Spartans entrusted with their advancement.
Sullivan, one of two seniors on the team, finished second at sectionals with a 649 set.
“It will take mental toughness, spare shooting, staying calm and not beating ourselves if we expect to get to state,” Sullivan stated. “I feel as if we are peaking and coming together at the right time.”
Morell, fourth at sectionals with a 610 set, is the other senior leader.
“We bowled at Hall of Fame Lanes when we were in the Federal League and it will be a challenge,” Morrell said. “We’ll need good ball selection and if we need to make an adjustment, then we can do that.”
Smith’s motivation is his grandfather and the reason that he got into bowling in the first place. Losing him in July has only fueled his desire to go as far as he can during his final scholastic season.
“When I had heard my name announced at sectionals, I was beyond shocked. I shot a decent set that day but didn’t think I had any chance,” Smith said. Getting to district is a big step toward my end goal, which is state. Strikes will come but spares make all the difference in your score and can make the difference between a 220 or a 150 game.
“I just need to focus on what I am doing and block out what everybody else is doing. Most importantly, I want to have fun. When I lost my grandpa back in July, I realized that it was my time and wanted to make him proud so whatever happens this Sunday, happens.”
His coach, Matt Clemens, said he is a dedicated bowler
“Alec really stepped up as a leader. Had I told Alec to run through a brick wall because it would make him a better bowler, he would have done that,” Clemens said.
The Warren Harding and Howland girls battled for the sectional crown with the Raiders winning by 29 pins over their Trumbull County rivals.
“We started the season slow, lost four matches but got better as the season progressed to finish 11-4,” Raiders head coach John Nolen said. “Our matches got us ready for the league tournament and sectionals. We came up short last year, so we’re trying to make that up this year and I feel like we have the team that can do it.”
Nolen’s district line-up consists of granddaughter Brianna Nolen (213), Katelyn Daughtery (196), Emily Oswald (184), Taylor Arquette (157), Zoey Schoolcraft (145), Payton Schuller (144), Elizabeth Jones (132) and Isabella Frazzini (130).
“At district, we’ll need to stay focused and be able to know the shot we need to play,” Nolen said. “Staying calm, cool and collected, and not getting frustrated will also be big.”
Howland features Jessica Guesman (599), who leads the team with a 211 average and won sectionals by 19 pins over Emily Byles of Kent Roosevelt.
“I am really happy to move on with an incredible team right there with me,” Guesman said. “I’m looking forward to these last couple of weeks with a great group of seniors that I will miss dearly next year. I just want to do as best as I can so this group of seniors goes out on a positive note.”
Tigers coach Anthony Bernard feels his team can punch a state ticket.
“There’s a lot of chemistry with this team and each brings their own special talent,” Bernard said. “The field is tough and so is the competition, but this they’ve worked hard and understand what it will take in order to move on.”
Rounding out the Tigers’ district unit is Cassandra Murcko (171), Jordyn Pregibon (171), Holly Sparklin (170), Maggie Carpenter (161), Danielle Harigan (152) and Justine Bailes (152).
“I’m very excited to be going to district and to represent my school,” Protain said. This is an amazing feeling, especially since it’s my senior year.
“I can’t thank the coaching staff enough for how much they’ve helped me in order to get to this point. I’m very grateful for everything this season has brought my way, but it’s one frame at a time if I expect to get to state.”
Coach Todd Lindberg called Protain a tireless worker.
“Brianna is the epitome of a team leader. Her goal at the beginning of the season was to get to the state tournament and although we had hoped the whole team would make it to Columbus, she is more than ready to take the next step toward reaching her goal,” he stated.
Hynes, a junior, was also a member of the Spartans’ squad that went to state her freshman season.
“I just want to do my best as I represent my team and hopefully get a shot to return to state,” she said.
Hynes’ coach, Justine Cullen, said she works year round in order to become a better bowler.
“I am incredibly excited for Gloria and so happy to see that hard work paying off for her. She has earned this in every sense of the word,” Cullen said. “She has the talent to be an individual state qualifier this year and I really think her complete game has come together at the right time.
State girls action begins March 10 at 10:30 a.m. and boys play set to take place March 11, also at 10:30 a.m.