CANTON — One champion is looking forward to his first year of high school bowling, while another says “it’s practice, practice, practice to make myself better.”
But a third has decided to complete a successful prep career early to move on to the college ranks — after completing just three years at Wooster High School.
They were part of a 42-player field competing Saturday during the Stark County USBC Youth Challenge at Eastbury Bowling Center.
The challenge was the oil pattern — the 45-foot Kegel Route 66 Challenge pattern — with participants bowling four qualifying games before the field was cut to the top eight in each division (the 13U girls being the exception due to only two entries) for two-game match-play rounds.
“There were a lot of changes after qualifying,” 17-year-old Parma Padua High School junior Brendan Tahsler, the No. 1 seed in the 18U boys division, said. “I didn’t stick with the same ball for more than two games.”
Wade Allen, a 13-year-old Akron two-handed righty who won the title after qualifying fourth in the 13U boys division, was surprised by where he played on the lane.
“I never thought I would be throwing that line with that ball,” Allen said.
Then there was 17-year-old Wooster right-hander Abbie Leiendecker, who finished as the top qualifier overall after topping the nine-player 18U girls field by 197 pins.
“There weren’t really any surprises. It wasn’t a house shot, but it wasn’t so hard where I had to move far left or play the twig (first board),” Leiendecker said. “I was still around eight to 10 (boards) all day.”
East Canton’s Emmalee Ford shot 603 for her four -game qualifier and went on to top Salineville’s Lilly Kruprzak 253-212 to capture the girls 13U title.
HEADING TO COLLEGE EARLY
Leiendecker didn’t plan on completing her high school career early. That is, until she toured Louisiana Tech in December and fell in love with the school and campus.
“Me and coach Matt Nantais were in the room together and I told him that I had a chance to graduate and can come here a year early if you give me the opportunity and you have the money for it,” Leiendecker said. “As soon as I was on campus, I felt that was where I wanted to be.”
The fact that her sister, Allie, will be a fifth-year senior at the college next season was “just the cherry on top.”
“It was a very special moment for me,” Leiendecker said. “I’m over everything right now and I just want to be there. I have countdowns everywhere to my graduation in two months.”
Saturday was just another step along the journey to the season’s conclusion as Leiendecker opened with 255 en route to shooting 893 during the four-game qualifier to top the tourney field.
“It went a little downhill from there, not because of the conditions but because I missed the transitions,” said Leiendecker, who topped Perry sophomore Kiele Poling 402-359 in the title match.
Asked about the status of her game, she said “it’s probably the highest it’s ever been.”
“My first shots today weren’t as consistent as they’ve been the past month, but my spare shooting is at its peak,” Leiendecker said. “My spare shooting had gone up 20 to 30 percent. At this point, they’re not a worry or a mental block anymore.”
HIGH SCHOOL NEXT
Allen eagerly is awaiting his freshman year at Coventry after starting off this season with a 300 during his league play at Spins Bowl Akron.
“I was supposed to bowl league, but I heard that this was going to be a sport shot,” Allen said. “I love the longer patterns and I wanted to try it out to practice for Junior Gold. But it did surprise me.”
Scio’s Micheal Lorello was the top seed in the 10-player division, with Allen sitting fourth. But Allen topped Lorello in the semifinals 506-364 and then went on to stop No. 2 seed Alex Cowper of Brooklyn 447-342 in the title match.
“I started off rough, but I tried to keep my emotions in check, came back and finished strong,” Allen said.
FINDING ANSWERS
Tahsler, another two-handed righty, admitted the shot started “a little tricky for a lot of people.”
“I was able to move in, slow my ball speed down and let my ball do the right shape and go through the pins correctly,” Tahsler said. “I qualified first so I can’t complain.”
Tahsler finished with 869 during the four-game qualifier, to top that division by 85 pins. He then stopped No. 2 seed Landon Plyler of Meadville, Pa., 400-331 in the title match.
“I had to swap out to weaker balls and had to move my feet. The match play just wasn’t the same as qualifying,” Tahsler said. “I probably went through six or seven balls. Just dealing with the angles, getting the ball to do the right thing … that’s what it was about today.”
Tahsler plans on using the summer to “make myself better.”
“I’m going to do more big tournaments and, hopefully come out on top,” Tahsler said. “Right now, it’s about improving my performance over last year. I have a lot of confidence right now. I just want to keep smiling and keep the train going.”
Offseason tournament play is just beginning, and there’s six months until the next high school season.
NOTEBOOK: Scholarship payments to the USBC SMART fund were accorded to all players making the cuts in each division. Payouts in the girls division were $83 and $50 in the girls 13U; $100 to $20 in girls 18U. In the boys division, payouts were $125 to $20 in 13U and $213 to $30 in boys 18U. … The Stark USBC is looking for prospective candidates for positions with the bowling organization. Forms are available on line at the Stark USBC Facebook page or in the tournament office at the Greater Canton Amateur Sports Hall of Fame on Market Avenue in Canton. … The Stark USBC Women’s Championships begin April 14 and the Open is April 24, both at AMF Hall of Fame Lanes. Entry forms are available at area centers or on the group’s Facebook page.
STARK USBC YOUTH CHALLENGE
MATCH-PLAY RESULTS
Girls U18
Quarterfinals—Abbie Leiendecker d. Elena Hughes 408-316; Jillian Treska d. Shelby Worrell 399-307; Kiele Poling d. Brooklyn Krager 384-284; Rylee Dunn d. Chloe Thomas 428-267.
Semifinals: Leiendecker d. Treska 386-303; Poling d. Dunn 419-307.
Championship: Leiendecker d. Poling 402-359.
Boys U18
Quarterfinals: Brendan Tahsler d. Adam Cowper 456-427; Jonathan Waggoner d. Evan Nave 365-347; Landon Plyler d. Connor Lab 457-367; Chase Wensel d. Riley Waggoner 413-389.
Semifinals: Tahsler d. Waggoner 430-390; Plyler d. Wensel 432-431.
Championship: Tahsler d. Plyler 400-331.
Girls 13U
Championship: Emmalee Ford d. Lilly Kruprzak 253-212.
Boys 13U
Quarterfinals: Michael Lorello d. Landon Beach 360-359; Wade Allen d. Aiden Wilson 454-274; Alex Cowper d. Kenneth Ford Jr. 392-263; Jaxon Earley d. Cameron Plyler 305-237.
Semifinals: Allen d. Lorello 506-364; Cowper d. Jaxon 386-344.
Championship: Allen d. Cowper 447-342.
