By BILL SNIER
NORTH CANTON — With the roll the North Canton Hoover High School boys bowling team has been on, senior right-handed two-hander Ryan Dague has been the odd man out.
The Vikings had recorded three 300 games this season in Stark County High School Bowling Conference play — one each from seniors Chase Wensel, Connor Lab and Manny Doerfler, who has alternated with Dague in the Hoover lineup. In addition, both senior Jack Wells and junior Cole Hapstak have rolled 300 games during practice sessions.
But that changed Tuesday in home match against Perry at Park Centre Lanes as Dague joined the Vikings’ 300 brigade with his first, giving the Vikings a conference-record four for the season.
This gives the conference six boys 300s in the same season, with the four Vikings joining Canton South’s Trevor Gore and Massillon’s Nico Fromholtz — also tying the conference mark for 300s set during the 2014-15 season.
The all-time conference mark for 300s in one season of seven came during that season, with Wooster’s Courtney Peck also having one on the girls side.
“I was the only one left not to have one, so that was pretty cool,” said Dague, who didn’t begin bowling seriously until about a year and a half ago and spent last season on the Vikings’ junior varsity team.
“It was just amazing. One, because I really hadn’t been bowling that long, so that was cool, and then to be able to join the club.”
Dague, who also is a relief pitcher and hopes to play some outfield also this season for the Hoover baseball team, basically learned his two-handed skills from teammate and friend Wensel. It also was Wensel who gave him the bowling ball, an Ebonite GB4, that he used for his first bowling milestone.
“I really didn’t practice much in the summer to be honest,” said Dague, who is carrying a 203 average through Week 10 in conference play. “I played baseball so I only went out once or twice every couple of weeks with Chase just to keep me fresh.”
Dague started the match with a 201, but then moved his target mark about one board. He was standing around the 34th board and sending the ball through 16-17, peaking just outside the 10th board.
“I was just going to go shot by shot and just throw it,” Dague said. “I just turned off my brain and just threw it.”
As the strikes continued to come, Dague admitted he felt no nerves until getting into the 10th frame.
“The first two shots in the 10th were the worst,” Dague said, “but I knew what it meant if I stopped now. But with the last shot, I knew I already had at least 290, so I would have been happy with that.”
He admitted his last shot came up light and he was able to blow out a wall shot.
“At that point, it was just luck,” Dague said. “It was a tad light and I was worried about it. I just tried to hit my mark and hope for the best.”
Doerfler and Dague have alternated in the Vikings lineup along with regular starters Hapstak, Lab, Wells and Wensel. Dague has no problem with the situation.
“I can see that we have similar skills,” Dague said of Doerfler, who also is averaging 203 through 13 games while Dague had rolled 17 games as of Week 10. “So it wasn’t a big deal that I wasn’t bowling as much. I trust my coach.
“Both of us are really good bowlers who deserve some time.”
Next up is postseason tournament play. This will be a new experience for Dague, who was not among the players who made the trip to Columbus with the Vikings last season for the state tournament.
“I really don’t know how it will be. I just want to have fun with it,” Dague said. “I just want to hit my mark and bowl the best that I can.”
H.S BOWLING: MATCHES FROM FEB. 8
BOYS
STARK COUNTY CONFERENCE
LOUISVILLE 2,607, MARLINGTON 1,992
(at Eastbury Bowling Center, Canton)
Two-game series: Louisville 2,018 (Grosenbaugh 245-189, Beard 182-161, Geisey 202-257, Emerick 246-195, Glaser 159-182); Marlington 1,536 (Toole 201-191, Clemens 113, Thomas 157-137, Scott 146-118, Mclvain 126-170, McIntyre 176).
Baker System: Louisville 198-224-167; Marlington 189-106-161.
MASSILLON 2,330, LAKE CENTER CHRISTIAN 2,311
(at AMF Hall of Fame Lanes, Canton)
Two-game series: Massillon 1,844 (Smith 170, Fromholtz 178-234, Kohl 187-181, Piorkowski 225-172, Patel 193-167, substitute 137); Lake Center 1,719 (Stirewalt 156, Eiberts 178-175, Yoder 159, Eby 182-204, Conley 193, substitutes 160-152-160).
Baker System: Massillon 192-153-141; Lake Center 192-190-210.
NORTH CANTON HOOVER 2,821, PERRY 2,646
(at AMF Hall of Fame Lanes, Canton)
Two-game series: Perry 2,037 (Harmon 238-206, Goebeler 181, Presutti 204, Nave 224-243, Sanko 232, Parsons 184, Lambes 159, substitute 166); Hoover 2,131 (Wensel 258-226, Lab 193-232, Wells 223-190, Hapstak 213, Dague 206-196, substitute 194).
Baker System: Perry 172-221-216; Hoover 231-193-266.
GIRLS
STARK COUNTY CONFERENCE
LOUISVILLE 2,338, MARLINGTON 1,823
(at Eastbury Bowling Center, Canton)
Two-game series: Louisville 1,646 (Wenger 179, Crock 158-171, Adkins 146-183, Lopez-Cruz 158, Miculan 211-187, Kennedy 160-98); Marlington 1,280 (Wines 150-184, WestCole 161-106, Pate 110, Vigliotti 116-122, Turner 115-91).
Baker System: Louisville 136-182-190-184; Marlington 126-170-130-117.
PERRY 2,297, NORTH CANTON HOOVER 1,928
(at AMF Hall of Fame Lanes, Canton)
Two-game series: Perry 1,784 (King 145-169, Poling 225-212, Wilt 186, Boyer 257-130, Clapper 151-176, DeVore 133); Hoover 1,499 (Bussey 145-160, Eynon 106-170, Allen 130-152, LePelley 105-148, Deihl 157-143).
Baker System: Perry 171-184-158; Hoover 129-147-153.