By BILL SNIER
COSHOCTON — After a solid five-year run to the state tournament, the Hillsboro High School boys ran into a buzzsaw in 2024.
“We were moved to the Southwest District, and that was very tough,” said Hillsboro coach Shane Ison, whose Indians finished sixth in that event in failing to advance.
“But this whole season, we worked on spares, throwing good first balls and staying together as a family. It paid off.”
Hillsboro will be making its ninth state appearance overall while the Indians girls will be heading to Columbus for the fourth time as both teams swept to titles during Wednesday’s OHSAA Division I Eastern District bowling tournament at Legacy Lanes an Lounge.
The Indians also swept both titles in 2021, when the boys were Division II and the girls were Division I.
Hillsboro’s boys finished with 4,293 total pinfall, including a tourney-high 1,183 during the Baker System round (197.16 average), to top the 12-team division by 221 pins over second-place New Philadelphia (4,072), which qualified for its first state trip a year ago out of the Northeast District.
Among the girls, the Indians finished with 3,173 to lead a 13-team field, with Frontier Athletic Conference opponent Miami Trace finishing 116 pins behind (3,057).
The teams bowled three regular team games and six Baker System games with only the top team and top individual not a member of the qualifying teams advancing in each division.
Individually, New Philadelphia junior right-hander Landon LaBiche put the cap on a big season by leading the boys with the lone 700 series to gain the individual qualifying spot — a 724 with a high game of 246.
For the girls, freshman Rylie Ison, the coach’s daughter, was the top individual with 580, but the state qualifying spot went to Miami Trace junior Carlee Hauck with 504.
The OHSAA Division I State Championships are set for March 7 (girls) and 8 (boys) at HP Lanes in Columbus.
QUAKER GOES BIG
It was not the ending Quakers head coach Jeff Locker had hoped for at Legacy Lanes, But his individual qualifier impressed the field.
“They bowled their hearts out. But when you get into real tight competition like this, one game that isn’t where you normally bowl can throw you,” Locker said. “They gave it everything they had.”
After trailing Hillsboro by just 75 pins heading into the Baker round, the Quakers opened with 123 and added 127 in Game 3 to fall back.They did shoot 1,117 in Game 2 of the regular games, a tourney high, to jump up from fourth to second.
But LaBiche remained consistent throughout. Using his Storm Ion Max, the right-hander had games of 246, 235 and 243 to top the field by 42 pins.
“I just found a spot. I got to the break point super early where it was to my spot before everyone else so I was kind of ahead of the move on every pair,” said LaBiche, who shot 533 and finished 58th at last year’s state tournament.
“I was at the break point and my own spot and no one else was there, so I really didn’t have to move that much.”
LaBiche thew a pair of 300 games during Ohio Cardinal Conference competition this season. He admitted the offseason work he put in was the key.
“I was practicing all the time during the summer. I got in touch with a good coach in Jeri Edwards and she helped me a lot and changed my entire game,” said LaBiche, whose previous high game was 288 in competition, but he had a 300 during practice.
“A lot of it was timing issues, and I had a lot of those. I was getting into a lot of bad habits with my backswing … getting a little too high and a little too forced. She helped me a lot with my flow.”
Locker knew his junior was in for a big day.
“He was just on fire and in his zone,” Locker said. “You could see it. He started that way, and when he does, he gets on those streaks. He was just nailing it.”
Junior Jack Fair added 607 for the Quakers, Sophomore Nick Tedesco had 596 and junior Mark Cass shot 584 as New Philadelphia had three juniors and two sophomores in its starting lineup.
INDIAN BOYS RACE TO TITLE
“We have four experienced seniors who have been bowling their whole lives for this,” Ison said of his team’s drive to the title. Three of those seniors were on the 2023 state team.
The Indians were state runners-up in 2017, and Ison said it was a similar situation.
“Each year, they got a little hungrier. The first year it was speculation on how we would do. Then, the second year, we didn’t get to where we wanted to go,” Ison said. “Then, that third year, we were state runner-up.
“That team went in not just being happy to be there. They wanted to win it. I see that in this team.”
Senior Andrew Tomko led the Indians with a district runner-up 682, while junior Camden Lively and senior Zach Burwinkel added 634 and 624, respectively. Senior Aidan Remaster also shot 598.
The Indians shot over 1,000 all three team games.
“That was our goal coming in. When you shoot 4,200, you have a good chance of winning,” Ison said. “We were on (Lanes) 13 and 14 for Bakers, and we had a great line on 13, but 14 was hooking a lot more and we didn’t catch many breaks.
“We missed some spares today, and that is crucial at this time of the year. But, for the whole day, I’m proud of my kids.”
INDIANS GIRLS FIND A WAY
Hillsboro girls coach Jeff Miller termed it a “rough day for us on the lanes really … we usually average a lot higher.”
Hillsboro led the three regular games by 138 pins over Miami Trace, but struggled to 826 in Bakers (137.7 average).
“The lane conditions were really tough, but they persevered all the way through even though we had to use a couple of substitutions,” Miller said. “It was just trying to make great shots, and when they get into their own heads, it’s difficult for them.
“We were just trying to gauge the lane conditions, pair to pair. The shot played a lot longer than what we saw practicing on the other side. They got discouraged right at the beginning.”
Rylie Ison shot 236 her final game to lead individuals overall, with sophomore teammate Madison Nichols adding 502, good for third overall. Sophomore Camille Miller also added 470 for the Indians, who have a freshman, three sophomores and a junior in their lineup with two senior reserves.
“We shot nothing under 800 on the other side during practice,” Miller said. “But we struggled to get 760 on this side.
“We’re a young team, and they let it get into their heads. It was tough to come back from, but we got it done.”
Columbus is next and LaBiche, for one, is not concerned about nerves while going as an individual. After all, he has faced down a pair of 300 opportunities this season and succeeded.
“When I shot those, I really wasn’t thinking about it. I was helping and coaching my team,” LaBiche said. “I look up and I’m throwing the final frame. It was like, “Oh, shoot, I’m getting there.’ And I just threw the shot.
“It’s going to be different this time my myself. I’ll miss the energy the team brings.”
OTHER AREA TEAMS
Dover’s boys and girls and Carrollton’s boys were among area teams in the field.
Carrolton’s boys finished third overall with 3,780, 513 pins out of the cut, after shooting just 861 in Game 2. Senior Brock Oberlin led the Warriors with 576, and junior Noah Hutson added 575, with senior Bryce Taylor shooting 561.
Dover’s boys were fifth overall with 3,653, shooting 879 and 878 out of the gate. Junior Zane Smith led the Tornadoes with 598, while senior Jacob Shanklin, who also shot a 300 earlier this season, had 591 and sophomore Bryce Beckley added 576.
Dover’s girls finished third with 2,935, 238 pins behind Hillsboro. Junior Kaitlin Yoder finished fifth overall individually with 484, senior Kylie Pittman had 425 and junior Jocelyn Steele added 419.
New Philadelphia’s girls finished 12th with 2,559. Señor Grace Reinerts led the Quakers with 429.
NOTEBOOK: Teams bowled two squads per pair during the three regular games, moving a pair after each game. All six Baker games were bowled on the same pair of lanes. … Foul light issues were detected during the Baker portion, with lights not being synched up with scoreboards. … The boys competed on the low site of Legacy Lanes while the girls were on the high side. … The East District Division I is expected to continue in 2025-26, returning to Zanesville’s Sunrise Bowling Center for the event. … Attendance for the midweek event was around 250. … Individually, seven boys shot 600 or higher and three girls shot 500 or higher. … There were no 200 Baker games for the girls, with Dover having the high of 198 in Game 6. … There were six 200 Bakers from the boys, with Hillsboro shooting highs of 245 and 235.