By BILL SNIER
COLUMBUS — Heading into the final three Baker System qualifying games during Saturday’s OHSAA Division II Girls State Bowling Championships, Rootstown was the odd team out.
The Rovers, who had 2,495 total pinfall during their opening three individual games, stood 36 pins behind Triway for the final qualifying spot for match play.
“We missed some easy spares and we had some bad breaks down the stretch,” Rootstown coach Andy Day said after the Rovers shot 535 during the three-game Baker round. “Our nerves got to us in the first game. But once we shook those off, we did a lot better.”
It was enough to send the Rovers into the cut in their first trip to the state tournament with 3,030, 13 pins ahead of Fort Recovery, which shot just 472 during Bakers after holding a 50-pin lead on Rootstown.
“We finished every game strong. Payton (Curall) had been there before as an individual and told them what to expect,” Day said. “But with the atmosphere and how loud it was, I think it still got to them a little in the first game. They were just excited to make it this far.”
But the excitement grew inside HP Lanes as the Rovers faced No. 1 seed Napoleon, which led the tournament with 3,284 and was making its 10th state appearance without a title.
“They were excited to make it and then to face Napoleon,” Day said. “That’s the team that knocked us out of the Kickoff Tournament so we wanted some revenge.”
The Rovers got just that, sweeping past the two-time state runner-up 166-138, 173-167 and 159-125 to reach the semifinals.
“Emma Day really stepped up big for us. She was lights out in the anchor spot,” Andy Day said.
But in the semifinals against seven-time state qualifier and 2014 champion Mechanicsburg, the Rovers struggled their final two games with 145 and 148 to fall 3-1 and finish fourth overall.
“Even when we shot a big game (236 in Game 2), they still shot 203. They were right there the whole time,” Day said. “Spares became a problem and I think they got a little nervous.”
Senior Maggie Frick led the Rovers with a 534 series. Curall added 508 and Natalie Hammerschmidt had 498.
The Rovers will lose six seniors, many of whom didn’t pick up a bowling ball until their freshmen years.
“We saw an improvement of 60 pins from freshman to senior years and that is huge. Three of them are going to bowl in college,” Day said. “We should be able to retool, but we just won’t have as many options.
“If we can get some more girls coming out, I think we have a good shot at getting back here next year.”
OPENING-ROUND LOSS
Triway, which earned the sixth seed after finishing with 3,081 and preserving their spot in the top eight with a 550 Baker series, fell in its opening match to No. 3 seed St. Marys Memorial 3-1.
The Titans struggled in 177-125 and 145-135 losses in Game 1 and 3, but took Game 2 174-131 from the nine-time state qualifiers and two-time state champions. St. Marys won Game 4 223-169. Triway finished seventh overall.
“When we started out, the approaches were sticky and our girls were having some problems,” Triway coach Corby Anderson said. “The left lane was a little touchy down lane. They won the last game on that lane, but until then, that was the only win.
“You take away Emma (Yoder) and Addy (Meshew) and we’re a young team.”
Despite winning the 2022 state title and reaching the top eight a year ago, Anderson was unsure what he had with the Titans returning just three players.
“When you go into a season like this, you hope to grow before the end of the year,” Anderson said. “And we did that, and that’s what we told the girls.
“This team didn’t feel like a top-eight team in the state at the beginning of the season, but we grew and grew … It wasn’t a dominating year like we’ve had in the past, but we grew together.”
Three of the Titans players had never experienced the state atmosphere before. In fact, some had never bowled before joining the team this season.
“You want to win but in the end you have to ask, did we grow throughout the year?” Anderson said. “No doubt in my mind we grew tremendously.
“But we’re losing Emma and Addy and that’s a hard thing to overcome. We hope we can get some athletes to come out for the team. But if you go to state a bunch of times in a row (five) and you can’t get them to come out, what do you do? You can’t make them do it, and that’s the frustrating thing.”
Yoder earned All-Ohio honors for the third straight year, leading the Titans with 585, and junior Kennedy Finley earned All-Ohio for the first time with 576. Meshew, state runner-up last season, added 524 and freshman Raya Fiesler, who played volleyball before coming out for the team, added 517.
FALLING SHORT
Conotton Valley’s bid to repeat its 2023 title fell short during qualifying.
The Rockets never got above 11th place in the 16-team field, finishing with 2,885, 145 pins out of the cut to the top eight.
“It was just a day of inconsistencies … first balls, spare balls, you name it,” Rockets coach Bria Baxter said. “It almost looked like our kids put too much pressure on themselves trying to follow up on last year.
“We just couldn’t get rid of the tension and have fun today. And it showed.”
Sophomore Delilah Williams led the Rockets with 511, junior Mylie Galigher added 509 and senior Mackenzie Willoughby had 492.
“We left about 20 makable spares out there a game as a team in our first three. That’s 60 easy opens,” Baxter said. “You cut that in half and that’s over 300 pins. We’d be in the top eight.
“Last year, we were just happy we made it and we kind of relaxed and had fun. They were more into it this year.”
The Rockets will lose four girls this season after losing three a year ago.
“We had three returners this season and three of our girls were on JV last year and one had never picked up a ball before November,” Rockets coach Robyn King said. “Coming in and still making it with four girls who hadn’t had that competitive experience before is big.
“At the end of the day would we have liked to make the cut and gone further? Yes, but we’re proud of what these girls did all season and we’ll strive for more next year.”
Fairport Harbor Harding also had an All-Ohio pick in junior Jillian Justinger, who finished fifth overall with 598. But the Skippers also fell short of the final eight by 130 pins (2,900), finishing 10th.
“We had a lot of problems … a couple of key spares that we missed,” Skippers first-year coach Dean Vargo said. “We had a lot of interesting breaks. We just couldn’t string strikes or get big scores. It was one of those days but that’s OK.”
Vargo said Justinger left four 9-pins on solid hits herself.
“We only lose one senior for the girls and we’re not losing any boys, so the program is coming back,” Vargo said. “They all plan to bowl in the offseason, so they are only going to get stronger, and that’s a big piece of the puzzle.”
Sophomore Sophia McLaughlin also had 510 for the Skippers.
Struthers also never got higher than 10th in the standings, finishing 12th overall in their third straight state appearance and fifth overall. The Wildcats finished with 2,426, but shot just 416 in Bakers.
Senior Mackenzie Allen led the Wildcats with 522.