By BILL SNIER
CANTON — When Savannah Starcher goes through a practice session, it’s not an enjoyable experience.
“Practice always sucks,” the 15-year-old Triway High School sophomore two-handed right-hander said. “I’m a very competitive person, so I always seem to do better with the nerves and something on the line.
“I throw like 160s in practice, but at tournaments, I can throw 220s.”
Saturday was nothing different for Starcher in a 23-bowler field during the Stark County USBC Halloween Youth Singles at Strike Zone Lanes..
Starting with 192 in Game 1 of the four-game event, Starcher went on to add 212, 181 and 222 for an 807 actual series, 919 with her handicap, to top the 16U girls division.
“The lanes were a little hard to figure out at first. I thought they were overhooking. But, instead, they were way underhooking and I had to make an adjustment,” said Starcher, who reached the OHSAA Division II State Championships a year ago and made second-team All-Ohio with a ninth-place finish after shooting 577 at HP Lanes.
“I had to move five to seven boards right to go straighter.”
Top overall scratch series of the day belonged to Green junior Carson Oakes, who had the day’s high game of 262 en route to an 896 series, 937 including his handicap, to top the 18U boys division. Rootstown senior Olivia Davies shot 740 scratch and finished with 861 (including handicap) to top the girls 18U division.
TWO-HANDED MOVE
Starcher first moved to a two-handed delivery about two years ago.
“I would mess around with it after youth bowling and I just decided to switch,” said Starcher, who received advice from older bowlers along with coach Michael Burns. “I’m such a competitive person that I always want to do better.”
Starcher used a combination of her Storm Pitch Purple and Storm Equinox during the event.
Now her attention turns to the high school bowling season after her Triway team fell just short of a district berth a year ago in Division II — with five freshmen starters.
“My expectations are a little higher this year. We picked up two new freshman and we really think we can make it past districts,” Starcher said. “For me, hopefully, I can get top three or five at state.”
DAVIES LOOKS FOR RETURN
Davies has made trips to state the past two years with Rootstown as the Rovers are on a three-year state streak. Their best finish was seventh in 2025, but they did not make the cut to match play in 2026, finishing 11th.
“We had a few seniors graduate so right now I’m just looking forward to meeting my new teammates and hopefully, we have another solid team,” Davies said. “I just enjoy the Rootstown bowling community so much and, hopefully, we can get back to states again.”
Davies picked bowling as a way to celebrate her 18th birthday Saturday.
“I bowled in the Halloween Doubles last year and I just wanted to spend my birthday bowling,” Davies said. “I thought the lanes were pretty good for me. My equipment (she threw a Motiv Subzero Forge) was doing what I wanted it to do, so I had no complaints.”
In addition to team expectations, Davies has some personal goals as well for the upcoming high school season.
“I want to win the CVC (Chagrin Valley Conference), make first team in the CVC and get honorable mention at state,” Davies said.
NEW SITE WORKS OUT
Oakes, who captured the Stark County USBC’s August doubles event with his brother, Jayden, at Park Centre, had never been in Strike Zone before Saturday. He will see it again this season as it is the home center for Federal League opponent Canton McKinley.
“I realized pretty quickly that the shot hooks way more than the usual house shot,” said Oakes, a two-handed righty who transferred to Green this season from Akron Hoban.
“I was trying all my equipment. My Zero Mercy hooked way to much so I changed a couple of times. I used the IQ Tour for half of game and then I went to the Storm Concept and it worked really well.
“I just shot it at the 9-pin and I started striking and carrying. I really did way better than I thought I would.”
Oakes is excited for a new season with his new team.
“We’ve had some open gyms and I’m ready for the season to start. I feel well prepared,” Oakes said. “We look pretty good right now and the team morale is really good. I think we have a good chance to win the Fed (Federal League).”
Oakes claimed the seven-bowler 18U division by 22 pins over Lake High School senior Andrew Venus (915).
OTHER WINNERS
Champions also were crowned in other divisions during Saturday’s event.
* Mia Kercenneck won the girls 8U division with 798.
- In the 10U boys, North Canton’s Jett Heighway finished with 853 to win his division by nine pins over Jasen Goodwin.
- In the 12U boys, Massillon’s Colton Keller turned in the high handicap series of the day with 958 to win the 12U boys division by 38 pins over Massillon’s Marvin Shipley III.
- Canton’s Karina Fornaciari won the girls 12U division with 752.
- North Canton’s Evan Murphy topped the boys 14U division with 713.
- New Franklin’s Gentry England topped the girls 14U division with 837, just six pins ahead of North Canton’s Paisley Heighway (833).
- Perry High School’s Lukas Gatschet won the boys 16U division with 927, 160 pins ahead of second-place Matthew Murphy.
NOTEBOOK: The event was bowled on Strike Zone’s house oil pattern. … Results posted are unofficial at this time. … The tournament format was four qualifying games, with handicap being 80 percent of 210 in all divisions. … SMART scholarships were awarded to winners in each division.n… In addition to Oakes’ 262, other high games included Andrew Venus’ 246 and 236 from Dylan Lint and Gatschet. Starcher had the high girls game of 222 along with 212, followed by Davies’ 206.
