By BILL SNIER
Until recently, there were doubts as to whether the Triway High School bowling program would continue.
Following the 2023-24 season, head coach Vince Yoder, who started the program during the 2012-13 season, and girls coach Corby Anderson, who had guided the Titans to the OHSAA Division II state title in 2022 and two subsequent state appearances, decided to step down.
The boys had won or shared National Division titles in 10 of the past 11 seasons in the Stark County High School Bowling Conference, including five in a row; the girls had swept the past five in a row.
That’s when Chriss Steiner, owner-operator of Steiner Lumber in Shreve, decided to take on the challenge.
“We didn’t want to see the program end. We knew they were having problems getting coaches involved, so we felt it was a perfect opportunity to step up and help,” said Steiner, who has been bowling for about 40 years and has a granddaughter, Dana Armstrong, on the team.
But, until Friday night, Steiner was the only one on board. That’s when former three-time, first-team all-conference honoree Karlie Way, who bowled at Wooster, agreed to join Steiner.
“I talked to her several weeks ago hoping to get her involved,” Steiner said. “She was reluctant at first, but agreed to do it. She will be handling the boys team and I will be handling the girls.”
Steiner said Yoder has been a valued resource during the early transition stages.
“He has really been providing a lot of guidance for me,” said the 58-year-old Steiner. “I wasn’t getting much from the school, so being the head of the program, we exchanged a lot of emails and he guided me in the right direction.”
The program already has started open gyms in preparation for tryouts beginning in November at Ballerz Sports Club (the former Triway Lanes). Yoder has returned to operating Strike Zone Pro Shop at the center.
“The changes have been accepted real well. There were a lot of people in the program who were afraid it was going to end because they couldn’t find coaches,” Steiner said.
“I would like to do this long-term. I don’t want to be a one-year coach and just get my granddaughter through the program. I know there are some other girls coming up that are really good bowlers so it would be nice to continue this.”
OTHER COACHING CHANGES
There have been plenty of other coaching moves within the SCHSBC for the upcoming season, which will officially begin Nov. 15.
Among the other changes are:
- Salem, which will be in its inaugural year as both a program and in the conference, has hired Todd Spielman as girls coach and Chris Sommers to run the boys program. ?the Quakers decided to become the conference’s 19th member. See the story on their decision here: https://snieronbowling.com/2024/06/27/h-s-bowling-salem-will-become-19th-schsbc-member-for-2024-25/
- Massillon head boys soccer coach Derrick Mayle has agreed to become the boys bowling coach for the Tigers following the resignation of Brian Mannweiler. Jennifer Fromholz will remain as girls coach.
- Former Alliance girls junior varsity coach Sean Kelly will be the girls head coach with Eric Peters taking over the boys position.
- Joe Phillis, who served as Carrollton’s girls assistant coach, will be the boys new head coach, succeeding Superintendent Dave Davis, with Tom Thompson serving as his assistant. Wendy Russell remains in charge of the girls team.
- Longtime McKinley coach Wiley Currence has returned to the program after a short hiatus to help with the girls team under head coach Kim Heaton.
- Jeff Mowls has taken over the Lake program following the resignation of longtime coach Pat King, with Kassidy Smith helping with the girls team. See the story on his appointment here: https://snieronbowling.com/2024/08/30/h-s-bowling-mowls-named-as-lakes-new-head-coach/
- Mark Boron is the new coach of the Perry boys team under overall head coach Joe Altimore III, who leads the girls team. Tony Confalone also has been brought on as Boron’s’ assistant. See the story on his appointment here: https://snieronbowling.com/2024/06/02/h-s-bowling-boron-named-boys-coach-at-perry/
Several other new assistant coaches also have joined teams during the offseason, with tryouts beginning Nov. 1.
The first major conference tournament is the annual SCHSBC Early Bird tournament, set for Nov. 16 at Park Centre Lanes in North Canton, with a full field of 18 boys and 18 girls teams expected.
Teams will bowl two regular games and then 10 Baker System games on the 2024 OHSAA State Tournament oil pattern. Each respective field will then be cut to the top eight teams for Baker match-play by seed.
The countdown has begun.