By BILL SNIER
COSHOCTON — For three teams, the OHSAA East District Division II high school bowling tournament marked the end of a journey — and the start of a new one.
But for the fourth, it was the continuation of a period of consistency that now has increased to eight seasons.
The Indian Valley and Claymont boys along with the East Liverpool and Carrollton girls will be representing the district during the OHSAA Division II State Championships following top-two finishes during Thursday’s event at Legacy Lanes and Lounge.
The Braves and Mustangs, both out of the Inter-Valley Conference, battled for league honors all season with the latter earning the conference title, but the Braves getting the edge during the conference tournament.
“We battled these guys all year long. It was a touch match,” Indian Valley coach Brice Miller said. “It does make this a little sweeter. But it’s great that two T-County teams both get to go and out of the same conference.”
The Braves finished with 3,813 total pinfall to take the district title by just 13 pins over their rivals (3,800). But the Mustangs easily captured the second state qualifying spot by 235 pins over third-place Minerva (3,565) in the six-team field.
East Liverpool led throughout the girls tourney, finishing with 3,250 — 54 pins ahead of the runners-up Warriors, who will be making their eighth straight state trip.
The top two teams and top two individuals not on advancing teams qualified for the state tournament, with the girls event set for Feb. 28 and the boys for March 1 at HP Lanes in Columbus.
The format was three regular games and six Baker System games.
BOYS DOWN TO THE WIRE
Claymont led after Games 1 and 3 of the regular games, holding a 34-pin lead heading into Bakers. But a 244 by Indian Valley during Game 3 of the Bakers gave the Braves back the lead as they finished with a tourney-high 1,095 Baker block (182.5 average) to earn just their second state berth and first since 2020.
“We didn’t get too many breaks down the stretch, but it was the same for everyone,” Miller said. “We managed to score 13 more pins than they did. But other than that, we struggled all day.”
Seniors Brendan Irwin and Colton Long led the Braves with 604 and 598 series, respectively. But Miller cited the play of freshmen Kenny Welch (574) and Miles Blickesderfer (455) for playing key roles in the title run.
“My big boys struggled all day here, but the freshmen really stepped it up. This place has been tough on us,” Miller said. “We came down to practice and practiced on the other side (Lanes 1-14). It’s different on this side. You can see it’s difficult by the scoring.
“But our guys fought through it all day and we won. That’s the main thing.”
It has been a six-year drought for the Mustangs, since making three straight appearances from 2017 through 2019.
“I’m just so proud of these kids. They started out as freshmen and got their butts kicked the last couple of years,” an emotional Claymont coach Bill Young said. “This was our goal at the beginning of the year.
“They worked so hard in the offseason and they stuck with it. I’m just proud of the hard work they did.”
Junior Nate Downing, a transfer from Conotton Valley, finished as district runner-up and led the Mustangs with a 636 series, with senior Tyson Shetler adding 616 and senior Riley Milburn with 560.
After a tourney-high 982 in Game 3 of the regular games, the Mustangs averaged just 174.6 during Bakers, including a 154 in Game 3 and 168 in Game 6.
“There were a couple of teams that got to 200, but we just couldn’t get there. We had some rough Bakers, but everyone did,” Young said. “This side was totally different then what we had in practice on the other side.
“But everyone had to hit all the pairs. We got down after some bad breaks, but they just kept fighting.”
A third-place finish was not what Minerva coach Nick Embrogno was hoping for at district. Junior Owen Frazier led the Lions with a 584 series.
“It was a very tough day and that showed in everyone’s scores,” Embrogno said. “This played completely different than the sectional shot. But I did expect us to advance.”
RUDIBAUGH LEADS POTTERS
Two-time state individual qualifier Addison Rudibaugh led the Potters to the district title with a tourney-leading 549 series as East Liverpool will make its first state appearance since 2016.
“We just picked up more spares that the other teams,” Potters coach Brian Rudibaugh said. “We bowled pretty consistent today, getting to 800 in Game 3 on a pretty tough shot.
“It played a lot better for us here than at St. Clairsville. It was a little closer to what we practiced on at our home house.
“It was little bit easier and there was more friction outside, which was nice.”
Senior Mollie Petrie added 474 for the Potters and junior Danni Riggle had 448 along with 445 for senior Jenna Jones.
Addison Rudibaugh, who finished third overall individually at state a year ago to earn All-Ohio honors, was not thrilled with her performance despite the win.
“I started out OK, but the second game I left a whole bunch of 10-pins and had a couple of splits,” Ashley, now a senior, said. “I made a ball change and the last game was better. I’m not real happy with myself, but it is what it is.”
Ashley and her father know this will be a new experience for the Potters.
“Spares are what is going to separate the good teams. We have a couple of minor things to work on with some of the girls,” Brian Rudibaugh said. “But the main thing we have to work on is confidence and not getting down on themselves. There are things you can get away with on a house shot that you can’t at that level.”
“It’s going to be different … it’s an eye-opening opportunity for them to experience,” Ashley Rudibaugh said. “For me, I have to stay focused … get back to figuring things out in my mind and stay consistent.”
Inexperience won’t be a problem for Carrollton. The Warriors advancing also gives 2024 Division II individual state champion Kaylee Russell the opportunity to defend her title.
“You can really never expect this, but you have to take it one step at a time. The first was to make the top six at sectionals,” Carrollton coach Wendy Russell, who has led the Warriors to their last six state trips, said. “I’ll take second all day long if it means we get there. It’s a great accomplishment.”
Russell led the Warriors with a third-place individual finish of 537, with junior Zara Bullock adding 460, and seniors Ivy Slyutz and Hailee Ulman with 447.
“They’ve meshed well and bowled well together and that’s huge, win, lose or draw,” Wendy Russell said. “They had fun and stayed in it together, which is 90 percent of the battle.”
What about the pressure on her daughter as she returns to Columbus?
“She is her own worst critic and very hard on herself. She had a tough time at sectionals but bowled well today,” Wendy Russell said. “I told her, ‘You have that title forever … it’s not going anywhere.’
“It’s one step at a time. She had to stay in the here and now, and she did that.”
Kaylee Russell, now a junior who shot 665 to win the 2024 state title, echoed her mother’s thoughts on returning.
“I knew we were going to be underdogs coming in, but I was thinking about spares, and that’s what we needed to get there,” Kaylee said. “My title is not going to go away. I’m just going to have fun and hopefully knock some pins down again this year.”
The Warriors never led, as East Liverpool outscored the Warriors 937-919 in the Baker block.
“We missed some spares, but we also stepped up in our spare shooting,” Wendy Russell said. “The big thing I told them was every ball, get some pins. Even if you miss a spare, get some pins. It’s like I’ve told them, strikes win matches, but spares win tournaments.”
INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIERS
Joining the teams in Columbus will be four East District individual qualifiers.
In the boys division, Philo sophomore Charles Himes led the individual field with 650 after topping the sectional at Boulevard Lanes with 742 — his first 700 series.
He will be joined by Buckeye Local freshman Michael Kovalski, who finished with 627, to earn the spot by 11 pins.
In the girls division, Garaway senior Ava Starrner finished second overall to earn the top qualifying spot with 539, and Buckeye Local junior Olivia Takach also advanced with a 525.
The Warriors have seen what bowling in a state tournament is like. The other three teams will learn on the fly.
“It’s really an awesome experience, and I want them to have fun,” Ashley Rudibaugh said.
“They’ve never seen crowds like those down there. You have 16 good teams there,” Young said. “I don’t want them to get discouraged while they are there. Bowl and have fun.
“What they’re doing is just so amazing.”
NOTEBOOK: The girls teams bowled on the low site of the center, while the boys were on the high side. With two teams on a pair, each moved after every game and every two Baker games. Individuals bowled all three games on the same pair. … The OHSAA sectional-district oil pattern again was used for this event. … East Liverpool was the lone girls game to shoot an 800 team game. No girls team shot a 200 Baker game, with River View turning in the high game of 191. … Indian Valley and Claymont each had two 900 games, with Minerva having the fifth. The Mustangs had the high team game of 982. … Indian Valley’s 244 was one of three 200 Baker games. The other two were by Maysville. … Starner posted the high girls individual game of 211. Himes had the high boys game of 241. … There were seven 600 series by boys and seven 500 series by girls. … The East District Division I district is set for 10 a.m. Feb. 26 also at Legacy with 12 boys teams and 14 girls teams vying for just one team and one individual state berth in each division.