COLUMBUS — For Nordonia, it was all about taking advantage of a second chance.
The Knights, making their first appearance in the OHSAA Division I State Girls Bowling Championships, came from the No. 6 seed to capture the school’s first state title Friday at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl.
“How they became a team through the tournaments and everything we’ve done this year … it’s just unbelievable,” Nordonia head coach Ty Lachowski said. “I saw us getting this far, but I didn’t know if we had a good chance to do this.
“But the girls wanted it. They got that second chance and they brought it.”
Nordonia stopped seven-time state qualifier Kettering Fairmont in three games during the best-of-five Baker System championship round. The Knight won 173-152, 214-197 and 191-188, getting three strikes late into the 10th frame to clinch it.
But the Knights don’t get the opportunity unless they pull out a 3-2 win over third-seeded Perry in their opening match.
After splitting the first two games of the best-of-five Baker match, it came down to the 10th frame in Game 5. Nordonia chopped a 6-10 split to give the Panthers an opening.
Perry responded by leaving a 2-4-5-8 spare. But just as Nordonia did, the Panthers failed to convert with another chop, leaving the 5-pin.
“I really thought we were done,” said Lachowksi, who took over as coach of both the boys and girls teams for the first time this season. “I just pulled them all together and told them they just got second life, something that doesn’t happen very often. They took it from there.”
The Knights, who finished with 3,099 total pinfall during qualifying, faced Plain City Jonathan Alder, an eight-time state qualifier, in the semifinals.
This one went four games,, as Nordonia won 221-193, 193-204, 148-137 and 194-174 to reach the title match.
Fairmont, the No. 8 seed, had barely reached the match-play rounds, making the cut by just five pins over ninth-place North Olmsted. It came despite the Firebirds shooting just 128 and 141, respectively, in their final two Baker games of the qualifying round.
But sophomore two-handed righty Danica Roseberry was the key for the Birds, winning the individual state title with a 661 series and personally striking out in the 10th on all three opportunities for a first-round sweep of top-seeded Green.
Then, in an emotional semifinal match against Greater Western Ohio Conference rival Centerville, she played a key role again during the Birds’ 3-2 win, including a 182-157 win in Game 5.
But that match took its toll on Fairmont.
“I think there were a lot of nerves there that got into the girls,” said Fairmont coach Heidi Sanders, whose team is state runner-up for the second time without a title. “We made some rough shots and tried to get back into it. But we couldn’t get anything going our way that last match.”
Sanders felt the emotional toll of the win over Centerville also showed.
“Absolutely it was a factor,” Sanders said. “We were on such an emotional high and coming back off of that was tough.”
It showed early as Fairmont had opens in two of its first three frames. The Birds then added missed spares in the seventh and eighth frames.
Meanwhile, the Knights had two splits in the third and fourth frames of Game 1, but stayed clean the rest of the way for the win.
In Game 2, Fairmont put a three-strike run together late, but Nordonia matched it and did not have an open frame. The Birds had a split and missed spare.
Fairmont made its best run in Game 3 when they struck on three straight shots into the fourth frame. But, again, the Knights had just one split in the seventh, ran off three strikes of their own into the 10th frame, and emerged with the sweep.
Roseberry, who had terrorized the Birds’ first two opponents, had just three strikes in the final match.
“She had an amazing day, an amazing year and an amazing career so far,’ said Sanders, who will lose five seniors off her team. “She’s only a sophomore so expect much more from her to come in the future.”
Backing up Roseberry was senior Natalie Benvenuto with 507.
Nordonia did not have a player make All-Ohio. Junior Kolbey Lewin was high with 570, sophomore Grace Bzdafka added 533, sophomore Kaitlyn McNutt had 505 and senior Hailey Whitten had 498.
But little of that matters. The Knights, who have just one senior, are state champions.
“This is my first year running both programs. But the two assistants they brought in knew what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it,” Lachowski said. “They and the girls bought into it. This has just been awesome.”
Saturday, Nordonia’s boys, who are making their ninth state appearance and fourth straight, will be attempting to duplicate the girls feat. The Knights were the No. 1 seed a year ago before falling to Marion Harding 3-1 in the semifinal round.
“This will have a big influence on the guys. You saw the guys here today, rooting for these girls,” Lachowski said. “This is a whole team, and it’s just awesome that they support each other.
“Most of the girls will be here tomorrow hoping the boys can do the same. They got their second chance and I’m just so proud of them.”