COLUMBUS — A three-time individual state qualifier reached the mountain top and a team was able to avenge its lone previous appearance in a title match.
OHSAA State High School Bowling Championships competition opened Friday at HP Lanes with the Division II boys starting the action with 16 teams and 16 individuals vying for honors.
The format, for the second season in a row, was three regular games and five Baker System games on the OHSAA state oil pattern.
COWPER TAKES TITLE
Brooklyn senior two-handed right-hander Adam Cowper, who was making his third straight state appearance, topped the individual field, claiming the state title with the lone 700 series of the day — 729. He finished 33 pins ahead of second place Coldwater sophomore Andrew Myers (696). Coventry senior Aidan Jensen took the third spot with 689.
Cowper, who earned All-Ohio honors in 2024 by finishing seventh overall with a 675 series, followed an opening 235 with a 279 in Game 2 while bowling as an individual — the high game of the day. He then finished with 215 for his final total.
Cowper, who earned the fifth and final qualifying spot in the Northeast District tournament at Rebman Recreation, crossed with the Versailles team. Each pair of lanes had one team and one individual.
The top 15 individuals were named All-Ohio, with the top five being first team. Champion senior Mario Humenik gained the final spot with a 662 series. Area players on the second team were Mentor Lake Catholic sophomore Mason Panhorst (657), Conotton Valley sophomore Michael Lorello (656) and Southington Chalker sophomore TJ Williams (645), who broke a tie for the final spot due to his higher game (255). Lorello and Williams also bowled as individuals.
ST. HENRY TOPS TEAMS
St. Henry, making its seventh state appearance overall after finishing sixth a year ago, claimed its first state title by stopping perennial power Coldwater 3-2 in the best-of-five Baker System title match.
The Redskins, the No. 6 seed entering match play, took Game 5 180-169 to avenge its 2007 title match loss to Coldwater in the first state tournament operated by the OHSAA.
St. Henry had to go five games to stop No. 3 seed Napoleon in the opening round and Fort Recovery in the semifinals.
For the Cavaliers, making their 17th overall state appearance, including four state titles, it was their third runner-up finish.
A pair of Northeast District teams — No 4 seed Coventry and No. 5 seed Mentor Lake Catholic — squared off in the quarterfinals of match play, with the latter earning a 3-0 sweep (178-173, 231-178, 226-221). The Cougars fell to Coldwater in the semifinals 4-1, dropping the final game 213-147.
The Comets, state runners-up in 2024, finished seventh while the Cougars were third.
Jensen led the Comets while junior Wade Allen, the Northeast District individual champion, added 582 and freshman Riley Butler had 556.
NOTEBOOK: Coldwater led after the opening three games with 3,081, 240 pins ahedsa of second-place Springfield Shawnee. … Northeast District teams missing the cut to the top eight for match play were Fairport Harbor Harding (12th, 3,504) and Warren Champion (14th, 3,421). … The two East District qualifiers — River View and Barnesville — finished 15th and 16th, respectively. … Shawnee turned in the high Baker series with 986. … Heath shot 152 and 171 during its final two Baker games to miss the cut to match play by just 23 pins as Versailles took the final spot with 3,578. Springfield Northwestern made a late charge with 207 and 192 its final two Bakers, but fell. Into a tie with Heath for ninth (3,555). … Defending champion Marion Pleasant finished 11th, missing the cut by 42 pins. … The Division II girls take the stage at HP Lanes at 10:30 a.m. Saturday for their state finals. Tickets must be purchased online, with no cash being accepted at the door.