This will be a huge week for the high school bowlers in the Lima area.
The OHSAA Division II state finals will be held and there is still a lion’s share of area bowlers still very much alive in the fray.
The Coldwater boys and girls will have the opportunity to repeat their championships from last season when things get underway with the boys action at Wayne Webb Bowl in Columbus. The boys event is Friday and the girls will compete Saturday.
In most years that would be enough of a headline but this season Shawnee, St. Henry, Jared Nolte of LCC and Austin Cook of St Marys have broadened that stage for the bowlers of the WOHSBC.
Shawnee had an amazing run in the district action, powered largely by Austin Fought, Drew Ambroza and Nathaniel Stratton. It is fascinating that this team is only in its second season and will now be on the largest bowling stage for high school youth in our state.
Considerable praise is due Chris Giese and Shelley Ambroza in the development of this very legitimate team in the span of this one year.
St Henry is another great story. The Redskins not only have the fabulous Buehler boys, Trey and Troy, who never seem to take a day off but on Saturday they got brilliant performances from Logan Rindler (608 series) and Emily Greer (267 game, 583 series) to gain their return trip.
Nolte and Cook were equally amazing. Nolte pulling on a difficult to navigate singles pairing rolled a 686 that was number two overall. Cook wowed the crowd with the front ten before a split popped up and he satisfied with a great 284.
Would love to clone myself for Saturday as the D-I will be something to observe. The Wapakoneta girls will be fighting for the chance to return and repeat while the Wapak boys will be doing all they can do for the chance to return to Columbus and redeem.
As in the case of the D-II, the exploits of the two excellent squads from Wapak would be worth the price of admission to Westgate Lanes at noon Saturday, but the balance of the bowling card as well as the intangibles should really pull the fans through the door to the building.
Intangible number one — we all continue to love the late great Millie Mertz — her grand-daughter Lauren Alexander will be one of two girls from Elida competing for a slot at the state. Lauren made grandmother proud with a 243 game and 595 series to qualify for the district.
Jordyn Stewart of Elida finished in a tie for second overall with a 628 series. Bowling Green’s Sofia Calderon rolled a 630 to take honors. Jordyn is worthy of a watch for nearly grabbing her own sectional title in this the maiden season of Elida.
If that were not enough, Morgan Twining of Lima Senior showed that she is the amazing bowler that the WOHSBC has seen all season. She qualified for the district with a 588 just one half of a mark behind Alexander.
On the boys’ side of things, the alternate for the event is Lima Senior’s Keonte Bankston. In all likelihood he will not get to cash in that alternate ticket but still did well enough in sectionals with a 263 game and 648 series to fall just three pins short of the trip.
If all this is not enough for you then lets look at intangible number two:
The two groups battled for the district spots and seeding with any number of lead changes — to the winners Saturday — one and one only girls team — one and one only boys team — one and one only individual girl and finally one and one only individual boy will advance from a district that could claim yet another state title.
It will be an incredible day — a classic example of only the strongest will survive!
Do not miss it … high noon at Westgate Lanes.
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