Cardinals, Warriors earn state berths

By Carol McIntire

Editor

Two area girls bowling teams and one individual are bound for the state bowling championships, slated for Feb. 26 at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl.

Sandy Valley and Carrollton qualified as teams after placing one-two at the district event Feb. 17 at Legacy Lanes in Coshocton. The Cardinals and Warriors also placed first and second at the sectional event one week earlier to qualify for district competition.

Individually, Conotton Valley sophomore Daphne Stuber qualified as an individual.

Sandy Valley claimed the team title with a 3,742, followed by Carrollton with a 3,599. Conotton Valley placed third, just 25 pins behind Carrollton with 3,574. The top two teams and top two individuals not on a qualifying team advanced. It is the first trip to the state tournament for the Lady Cardinals.

Carrollton Coach Wendy Russell, who is taking the team to Columbus for the second time in two years, noted the uniqueness of the one-two finish for the Cards and Warriors.

“It’s really neat that the teams finished that way since both teams call Carroll Lanes in Carrollton their home,” noted the second-year coach.

Sandy Valley senior Hannah DeFord won the individual competition in a field of 39 bowlers with games of 166, 256 and 193 for a 615 series. Teammate Joey Boyer was fourth 578 (225, 197, 156) followed by Miah Delaney in 16th with a 509 (148, 182, 179) and Lilly Shepler one pin behind with a 508 (192, 140, 176) and Sarah DeFord 20th with a 502 (167, 152, 183). 

Stuber earned the runner-up spot with a 597 (203, 169, 225) to qualify in the first individual spot.

For Carrollton, senior Cailyn Bright placed ninth with a 526 (164, 182, 180), followed by senior teammate Carenda Fowler in 11th place with a 524 (180, 200, 144), junior Tara Oberlin 13th with a 521 (171, 172,178), senior Anissa Flanagan 19th with a 504 (200, 146, 158). Nikki Rummell bowled two team games and Kellyn Harsh one game.

“It was pretty intense (district match) but not as intense as it was last year when we knocked Minerva out of second place and earned the state berth by one pin,” Russell said. “After the three regular games we were down 95 points to Conotton Valley. “I told the girls we needed some solid baker games and they pulled it off. We had the best six-game baker series of any team there. We actually beat Sandy Valley by 39 in the baker series.”

In 2020, the Warriors placed 11th in a field of 16 teams at the state tournament.

Russell said this year the team has its sights set on something higher.

“Last week at practice the girls were setting goals and said they wanted to win the state tournament. “I told them that’s a good goal and to go after it. They are a great group of girls who work hard, listen and get along. All the girls are bowling really well, in fact so well that sometimes we have to have a competition to see who will be bowling varsity matches and going to tournaments.”

Carrollton junior Ian Pallaye punched his ticket to the state bowling tournament with a second-place individual placing in the Division II District tournament Feb. 19 at Sunrise Bowling Center in Zanesville.
Pallaye rolled a 647 and finished second behind Nathan Kelly of East Liverpool, who bowled a 760 and qualified with the Potters as a team.
The top team and top individual not on a qualifying team advance to the state tournament, scheduled Feb. 27 at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl.
East Liverpool captured the team title with a 4,043 (2,946 in individual games, 1,097 Baker score), followed by Carrollton in second with a 3,796 (2,702, 1,094). United Local placed third 3,743; Harrison Central fourth 3,724; Minerva fifth 3,537 and Tuscarawas Central Catholic rounded out the field with 3,523.