First Posted: 2/27/2015
ROSSFORD — Coldwater withstood a late challenge from Napoleon to win the boys Division II district bowling title Friday at Interstate Lanes.
Coldwater got off to an early lead much as it did in sectional action last week in Minster. The Cavs were the first but not the last squad to solve the Challenge Series pattern with first game score of 1,043.
Where last week it was Lima Central Catholic that started a run in game two this week it was Napoleon High School that gained ground with a 1,080 game to move from seventh place into second a mere 35 pins behind Coldwater.
St Henry one of the four qualifiers at Minster held third following games of 964 and 951. Lima Central Catholic and Ottawa-Glandorf again started slow and were well back in the pack after game two.
Coldwater would comeback with a 1,016 in game three and Napoleon would tally an 890 and the Cavalier state ticket was punched.
They would hold form in baker play and claim first in district.
Huron passed St Henry in game three with a score of 895 to 869 for St Henry leaving the Redskins in a tie with Eastwood, seven pins away from the final state berth.
James Riepenhoff rolled games of 227-249-203 for an excellent 679 set boosting the effort of the Thunderbirds. The series of Riepenhoff assured that he would make the trip to Columbus next week for singles action. The T-Birds battled as a team but fell short with a tough close in baker action.
Austin Cook of St Marys also advanced to state play with a tally of 675 on games of 258, 170 and 247.
Blake Spangler of the district champion Cavaliers took top honors with an even 700 on games of 267, 207 and 226.
Meanwhile about one hour away in Port Clinton the Wapakoneta girls were making a run on their own sectional title. They shot a 2,711 for their first three games to trail Bowling Green by 171 pins entering the baker games.
The Redskins were up to the challenge in the baker format with games of 205 and a huge 286 to cut into the Bowling Green lead when they rolled 190 and 212.
Wapak would ultimately close with a 4,003 tally. The total left the Redskins in second place eight pins behind Bowling Green. Shelby Timmerman led the way with a 596 while Brittni Hosterman rolled a 584.
A surprise to some was that Shawnee held third place going into the baker series. The first year program under the leadership of Rob Mitchell clearly demonstrated that they belonged.
They survived by finishing third to move onto district action next week in Northwood D1 District.
Shawnee was led Friday evening by the coach’s daughter, Jennifer Mitchell with a 679 on games of 212, 245 and 222. Coach Mitchell reported that bowler Mitchell did not have an open frame in her three game set.
Lima Senior’s Kayleigh Twining with games of 265, 134 and 198 for a series of 597 landed a district spot as an individual with her fourth-place finish.
