By BILL SNIER
UNIONTOWN — Seven 300 games, two individual state champions, three unbeaten division champions.
To say it was a banner season for the Stark County High School Bowling Conference would be an understatement.
The conference held its 23rd annual recognition banquet Sunday at Raintree Golf and Event Center with 280 in attendance representing the best of the 18-team league.
Members of the first and second teams in each of the conference’s three divisions for both boys and girls — American, National and Federal — were invited to the event along with championship teams, sponsors, guests and board members.
In addition to the honorees, the third class into the SCHSBC Hall of Fame was honored, with former North Canton Hoover player Nick Harrison, former Perry player Adam Kutz, former Perry coach Roger Webb and former coach and conference board member Jim Heighway increasing the hall’s overall membership to 12.
A total of seven 300 games — a record for one year for the conference boys — were rolled during the season, including four by Hoover players: seniors Connor Lab, Chase Wensel, Ryan Dague and Manny Doerfler. Also hitting the 300 mark were senior Trevor Gore (Canton South) and juniors Jonathan Waggoner (Canton McKinley) and Nico Fromholtz (Massillon).
That total ties the all-time conference mark set during the 2014-15 season when one girl and six boys hit the milestone. It did set the boys mark.
The conference claimed a pair of Division II OHSAA state individual champions this season, with United Local senior Ethan Hively, also the American Division’s player of the year, and Carrollton sophomore Kaylee Russell, a second-team all-conference member, earning honors.
This marks five overall state individual champions for the conference, with Triway senior Emma Yoder being the last Division II champion in 2022.
Yoder joined Triway twins Addy Meshew and Aeron Meshew, also a pair of seniors, in earning special awards as four-time all-conference first-team performers.
TOP AWARDS
Yoder along with a pair of juniors — Minerva’s Jadynn Thompson and Green’s Madison Perrine — were named girls players of the year in their respective divisions in a vote of division coaches. Yoder had the high girls average overall of 210.56
Among the boys, Aeron Meshew, Hively and North Canton Hoover senior Chase Wensel earned top player honors in their respective divisions, with Wensel turning in the high overall boys average of 228.76.
Coach of the year honors, also voted on by division coaches, for the girls went to Triway’s Corby Anderson (American), Minerva’s Dana Keister (National) and Perry’s Joe Altimore III (Federal), with each team claiming division titles.
In the boys division, there was a tie for the first time in voting for coach of the year in the American Division, with United’s Gary Herold and Carrollton’s Dave Davis sharing honors. Other top coaches were Hoover first-year coach Nicole Wells (Federal) and Triway’s Vince Yoder (National).
The conference also presented its inaugural Scholastic Awards to the teams compiling the best combined grade-point averages. Marlington’s girls topped that division with a 3.69 cumulative GPA, while Canton Central Catholic topped the boys with 3.75.
The conference also honored all student-athletes with GPAs of 3.25 or higher with President, Golf, Silver or Bronze designation.
For more conference information, go to schsbc.org
STARK COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL BOWLING CONFERENCE
2023-24 ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
BOYS
American Division
First team: Trevor Gore (Sr. Canton South) 209.60 average; Ethan Hively (Sr., United Local) 205.53; Bryce Taylor (Jr., Carrollton) 201.24; Jaden Johnston (Sr. Carrollton) 198.18; Michael Hoffee (Sr. United Local) 196.92
Second team: Owen Frazier (Soph. Minerva) 193.25; Noah Hutson (Soph., Carrollton) 191.77; Josh Hawkins (Soph., United Local) 188.46; Jeremy Toole Jr. (Sr., Marlington) 186.14; Hunter Smith (Sr., Canton South) 194.61
Honorable mention: Lane Hawk (Soph., Minerva) 183.00; Jace Eckinger (Soph., Carrollton) 181.21; Randy Meadows (Sr., Minerva) 177.80; Patrick Bryan (Sr., United Local) 177.41; Preston Furlong (Sr., United Local) 170.03.
Player of the year: Ethan Hively (United Local)
Coach of the Year: (tie) Gary Herold (United Local), Dave Davis (Carrollton)
Special awards: High game—Trevor Gore (Canton South) 300; High series—Trevor Gore (Canton South) 565
Final team standings: Carrollton 9-1; United Local 8-2; Minerva 5-5; Canton South 5-5; Marlington 2-8; Alliance 1-9
National Division
First team: Aeron Meshew (Sr., Triway) 220.50; Michael Emerick Jr. (Sr., Louisville) 210.97; Owen Fiesler (Sr., Triway) 206.78; Landon Geisey (Jr., Louisville) 203.72
Second team: Jacob Yoder (Sr., Triway) 203.23; Nicol Fromholtz (Jr., Massillon, 201.21); Zeke Conley (Soph., Lake Center Christian) 190.55); Maxton Fiesler (Jr., Triway) 188.45
Honorable mention: Logan Gawlak (Jr., Central Catholic) 188.15; Zach George (Jr., Triway) 178.88; Tim Short (Sr., Central Catholic) 178.55; Jonathan Horn (Jr., Louisville) 178.50
Player of the Year: Aeron Meshew (Triway)
Coach of the Year: Vince Yoder (Triway)
Special awards: High game— Nico Fromholtz (Massillon) 300; High series— Aeron Meshew (Triway) 556
Final standings: Triway 7-1; Lake Center Christian 4-4; Louisville 4-4; Central Catholic 3-5; Massillon 2-6
Federal Division
First team: Chase Wensel (Sr., North Canton) 228.76; Anthony Bordonaro (Jr., Green) 217.66; Connor Lab (Sr., North Canton) 215.53; Zac Abbott (Jr., Lake) 215.19; Jack Wells (Sr., North Canton) 213.38; Anthony Bacardi (Jr., GlenOak) 210.56
Second team: Nick Harmon (Sr., Perry) 207.69; Xzavier Gerdener (Jr., GlenOak) 207.31; Ryan Dague (Sr., North Canton) 207.00; Jonathan Waggoner (Jr., McKinley) 206.56; James Tucker (Jr., McKinley) 203.23; Cole Hapstak (Jr., North Canton) 202.25
Honorable mention: Braxton Burns (Fr., GlenOak) 201.57; Eli Nave (Soph., Perry) 200.86; Angelo Pallotta (Sr., Green) 199.75; Logan Hamrick (Jr., Lake) 199.67; Riley Waggonner (Sr., GlenOak) 198.50; Brady Tompot (Jr., Lake) 197.90
Player of the Year: Chase Wensel (North Canton)
Coach of the Year: Nicole Wells (North Canton)
Special awards: High game: (tie)Ryan Dague (North Canton), Connor Lab (North Canton), Chase Wensel (North Canton), Jonathan Waggoner (McKinley) 300; High series: ConNor Lab (North Canton) 536
Final standings: North Canton Hoover 12-0; GlenOak 9-3; Perry 6-6; Green 5-7; Lake 4-8; Jackson 4-8; Canton McKinley 2-10
GIRLS
American Division
First team: Jadynn Thompson (Jr., Minerva) 189.50; Shelby Worrell (Sr., Minerva) 187.36; Zoey Elliott (Sr., Carrollton) 183.66; Kayla Henderhan (Jr., Minerva) 181.12; Hailee Ulman (Jr., Carrollton) 177.95
Second team: Izabelle Genet (Jr., Minerva) 176.43; Abby Natcher (Sr., Carrollton) 169.66; Kaylee Russell (Soph., Carrollton) 167.95; MacKenzie Rummell (Sr., Carrollton) 167.71; Brooklynn Herold (Soph., United Local) 158.86
Honorable mention: Makayla Frederick (Sr., United Local) 156.97; Cora Wines (Jr., Marlington) 155.44; Paige Swogger (Sr., United Local) 142.19; Courtney Swogger (Zr., United Local) 140.75; Karlaysia WestCole (Jr., Marlington) 138.44
Player of the Year: Jadynn Thompson (Minerva)
Coach of the Year: Dana Keister (Minerva)
Special awards: High game— Zoey Elliott (Carrollton) 266; High series—Kaylee Russell (Carrollton) 463
Final standings: Minerva 10-0; Carrollton 8-2; United Local 6-4; Marlington 4-6; Alliance 1-9, Canton South 1-9
National Division
First team: Emma Yoder (Sr., Triway) 210.56; Addy Meshew (Sr., Triway) 207.94; Kennedy Finley (Jr., Triway) 170.59; Jessica Jenkins (Soph., Central Catholic) 160.50
Second team: Noel Crock (Sr., Louisville) 159.78; Janel Zink (Sr., Lake Center Christian) 154.30; Estrella Lopez-Cruz (Jr., Louisville) 150.31; Kennedy Woodberry (Sr., Lake Center Christian) 150.02
Honorable mention: Eliza Adkins (Sr., Louisville) 149.27; Audrey Miculan (Jr., Louisville) 147.82; Abigail Wenger (Jr., Louisville) 147.82; Raya Fiesler (Fr., Triway) 144.87
Player of the Year: Emma Yoder (Triway)
Coach of the Year: Corby Anderson (Triway)
Special awards: High game—Emma Yoder (Triway) 279; High series—Emma Yoder (Triway) 538
Final standings: Triway 7-1; Lake Center Christian 4-4; Louisville 4-4; Central Catholic 3-5; Massillon 2-6
Federal Division
First team: Madison Perrine (Jr., Green) 204.53; Rylee Dunn (Soph., Jackson) 194.74; Kathryn Chech (Sr., GlenOak) 193.95; Kiele Poling (Jr., Perry) 192.72; Elena Hughes (Sr., Green) 192.06; Ami King (Sr., Perry) 189.16
Second team: Haleigh Leggett (Jr., McKinley 184.17; Arielle Clapper (Soph., Perry) 183.68; Kaylee Holler (Sr., Lake) 182.00; Jenna Boyer (Jr., Perry) 173.12; Brooklyn Krager (Soph., Green) 171.24; Maria Wise (Jr., McKinley) 166.83
Honorable mention: Sara Mohr (Sr., North Canton) 165.43; Lindsey Gotham (Sr., Lake) 164.39; Abby Meffert (Sr., Lake) 164.31; Carmelina Foster (Sr., North Canton) 164.0; Eden Bussey (Sr., North Canton) 163.72; Madison Paxton (Jr., Lake) 162.50
Player of the year: Madison Perrine (Green)
Coach of the year: Joe Altimore III (Perry)
Special awards: High game—Madison Perrine (Green) 290; High series—Madison Perrine (Green) 524
Final standings: Perry 11-1; Green 10-2; Lake 7-5; GlenOak l6-6; North Canton Hoover 5-7; Canton McKinley 3-9; Jackson 1-11
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS
High game: Manny Doerfler (Sr., North Canton) 300. Academic excellence (team): Marlington (girls) 3.69 grade-point average; Central Catholic (boys) 3.75 GPA. Four-year awards: Addy Meshew (Triway), Aeron Meshew (Triway), Emma Yoder (Triway)