There are no side benefits from the coronavirus, but the cancellation of the state basketball tournaments opens a door for recognition of standouts in a different winter sport…and a new state champion in Sidney.
When I got home from the suspended girls state basketball tournament on Friday there was a lengthy list of emails on the Press Pros computer. Many were junk, of course, trying to boost our online traffic through key word placement – an expert from Sydney, Australia, in one case, who just happen to read the site regularly and wondered if we couldn’t use an upgrade of some kind.
But one that stood out was from the OHSAA, with information on the Division I bowling tournament, where the Sidney Yellow Jackets won their first team state title ever, 244 to 193 (team score), over Centerville.
And Rick Hartings, the proprietor of Pla-Mor Lanes in Coldwater, Ohio (as well as bowling coach at Coldwater High School), passed along information about bowling honors for participants in the Midwest Athletic Conference and the Western Ohio High School Bowling Conference (the WOHSBC). Those lists were impressive, as well as the results of some of the individual bowlers at the recent state tournaments.
Nick Alig (New Bremen) was named MAC Conference, WOHSBC Bowler of The Year.
We had written about the Sidney boys team some weeks ago, which featured Jaxson Rickey, a senior bowler averaging 220 that will be attending the University of Northern Ohio next fall on a bowling grant. But Rickey had plenty of help at the Wayne Webb facility in Columbus last month as the ‘Jackets swept through impressive competition from Berea Midpark, Mentor, and Centerville to capture the Division I title.
For instance, ‘Jackets’ sophomore Kaden Abbott placed third, state-wide, in individual scoring with a three game series of 702 (227, 252, 223), just 14 pins shy of state champion Chris Steele, of Wadsworth, who finished with a 716. Rickey finished 21st in individual scoring (out of 58 bowlers) with a 632 (227, 186, 219), and Logan Finke was the third Sidney bowler to finish in the top 50 (38th) with a 581 (184, 196, 201).
Of other Miami Valley League bowlers, Ben French, of Vandalia Butler High School, finished second in the state among Division I bowlers with a 705 series (236, 258, 211)…and James Ridgeway, of Tippecanoe, finished 24th with a 623 (196, 211, 206). Will Yeary, also from Vandalia Butler, finished 43rd, with a 573 (214, 179, 180).
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From out of the MAC Conference, New Bremen sophomore Nick Alig finished 8thin the state in Division II with a 683 (234,225, 224), while Coldwater senior Mike Schoenherr finished 10th with a 668 (243, 202, 223) as Coldwater would go on to sweep the Division II team title, the fifth state bowling title in Cavalier history. Joining Schoenherr for state honors were teammates Caleb Sutherin at #29 (598), Keaton Bruns at #34 (581), and Matt Meinerding at #46 (565).
Elena Bulcher finished 11th in state Div.II , and was named girls Bowler of The Year in the WOHSBC.
In MAC girls competition at state, Ryleigh Brown finished 5th, overall, with a 586 (184, 180, 222), joined by teammates Jasmine Schulze (25th), Alison Fox (26th) and Rachel Miller (30th).
Of WOHSBC bowlers at state, Fort Loramie’s Elena Bulcher vowed to come back to the massive Wayne Webb facility this year and do better…and she did. Bulcher, who bowled a 300 recently to help her qualify for state, finished 11th, overall, with a 553 (154, 191, 208).
In MAC Conference honors this year, Nick Alig also grabbed Bowler of The Year recognition, heading a list of first-teamers that included: Alig, Sam Bensman (Versailles), Maverick Nelson (New Bremen), Landon Henry (Versailles), Derek Wendel (Fort Recovery), John Knapke (Fort Recovery), Mike Schoenherr (Coldwater), and Spencer Alig (New Bremen).
Coldwater’s Rachel Miller was named MAC girls Bowler of The Year.
Among the MAC girls this year, Rachel Miller was named Bowler of The Year, heading a list of first-teamers that included: Miller, Lindsey Cheadle (Versailles), Ashton Ritter (New Bremen), Ashlyn Dilworth (Fort Recovery), Natalie York (Versailles), Kalysta Thobe (Versailles), and Alison Fox (Coldwater).
In the WOHSBC, Elena Bulcher was that conference’s Bowler of The Year, heading its list of first-team honorees: Bulcher, Natalie York (Versailles), Kalysta Thobe (Versailles), Ryleigh Brown (Coldwater), Ashton Ritter (New Bremen), Rachel Miller (Coldwater), Alison Fox (Coldwater), and Emily Sudhoff (Coldwater).
WOHSBC boys first team honorees included: Sam Bensman (Versailles), Maverick Nelson (New Bremen), Landon Henry (Versailles), Zac Longfellow (Mississinawa Valley), John Knapke (Fort Recovery), Mike Schoenherr (Coldwater), Spencer Alig (New Bremen), and Nick Alig (Bowler of The Year).
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Senior Jaxson Rickey and the Sidney Yellow Jackets captured that school's first state title...ever! (Press Pros File Photos)