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Ohio bowlers sweep OVAC All-Star match

WHEELING – The Ohio boys and girls recorded a sweep during the inaugural OVAC All-Star Bowling Match held Sunday afternoon at the Rose Bowl Lanes in Wheeling.

Sixteen girls and 13 boys performed before a packed bowling house with near shoulder-to-shoulder capacity for the events maiden voyage.

Ohio entered the competition with a somewhat decided advantage.

While the Buckeye State has recognized bowling as an official state association sport since 2007, West Virginia has yet to make the jump.

That means most of the Ohio programs have been around longer and faced stiff competition during postseason tournaments.

Ohio programs also outnumber West Virginia schools in the OVAC itself, 18-7.

With the conference’s all-star events slated for seniors only, it was tougher for the West Virginia side to field a full complement of bowlers. The girls’ side managed to find eight, but the boys competed with just six.

That required a few minor adjustments during the alternate shot portion of the competition, but all in all, the first all-star event in bowling went off without a hitch.

The Ohio boys’ roster featured three state qualifiers in East Liverpool’s Nate Kelly and Conotton Valley’s Robet Myer and Noah Caldwell. Caldwell placed individually at 8th while the Rockets finished third overall.

The team also sported two other district qualifiers, which amounted to a strong start out the gate for the Buckeye boys’

Myer and Kelly were battling for high score through the first 10-pin game as the two both eclipsed the 200-pin mark. Kelly nearly struck out in the 10th frame, leaving one pin on his third throw to leave him at 214. Myer held fast to roll a 228.

Not far behind was Kelly’s teammate Gavin Maze at 192. It was Maze who turned in the 200-plus tally in the second game, finishing with 202 to give him the high series for the boys at 394.

West virginia ried to keep pace behind John Marshall’s Tayven Yeater, who led the Mountaineers with a 371, inlcuding a 194 in his first game.

Ohio held an 1812-1545 lead after the 10-pin games, a lead the Buckeye crew expounded on in the Baker rounds as they average 200-plus for five Baker games, including a 266 in the third game.

West Virginia, meanwhile, managed only 796 pins to 1,065 in the Bakers.

The scores were closer in the alternate shot competition, with Ohio on top 722-600.

Girls

Ohio came out on top on the girls’ side as well, but the final pin totals were much closer, 3,253 to 2,900

Like their boys’ team counterparts, the Buckeye girls boasted a couple state placers in Conotton Valley’s Daphne Stuber, who led her team to a state team title whilst also finishing fourth individually in Division II. In Division I, OVAC 4A-5A champion Kaylie Gibson from Dover finished third overall.

No surprise those two had the top performances during the 10-pin games, with Stuber finished with a 439 series, the top score for boys or girls.

Gibson didn’t start out her best, rolling only a 155, but battled back in the second game to fire an afternoon best 234, also the peak performance for boys or girls on the afternoon.

The second-highest series, however, belonged to Parkersburg South’s Allison Curtis, who fiished with a 395 series, thank to a 215 out of the gate.

Ohio led by 198 points after the 10-pin games, and was able to expand its lead thanks to a more consistent performance during the Baker games.

The West Virginia squad had the highest individual Baker score with a 211 in the third round, but the remaining four rounds all came less than 150 pins each.

Ohio, meanwhile, kept all of its scores at 150 or above.

The Buckeyes held the edge the alternate shot portion of the competition, 612 to 544.

Boys

Final Pin Totals

Ohio 3,599, West Virginia 2,941

10-pin Games

Ohio

Maze (EL) 192-202–394; Myer (CV) 228-159–387; Kelly (EL) 214-166–380; Thomas (UL) 143-169–312; Caldwell (CV) 131-171–302; Hall (Barn) 161-136–297; Anderson (StC) 150-146–296

West Virginia

Yeater (JM) 194-177–371; Henderson (WP) 170-163–333; Byers (Weir) 165-140–305; Bloomer (Weir) 138-139–277; Flynn (Lin) 123-136–259; Hartley (JM) 84-84–168

Bakers

Ohio 1,065, West Virginia 796

Alternate Shot

Ohio 722, West Virginia 600

Girls

Final Pin Totals

Ohio 3,253, West Virginia 2,900

10-pin Games

Ohio

Stuber (CV) 225-214–439; Gibson (D) 155-234–389; Nealey (D) 176-177–353; Johnson (Barn) 150-145–295; Basich (HC) 139-147–286; Best (HC) 149-127–276; Scharr (CV) 139-132–271; Porter (UL) 130-138–268

West Virginia

Curtis (PS) 215-180–395; Holmes (JM) 136-188–324; Seivertson (WP) 147-147–294; Moore (Weir) 114-172–286; Mercer (PS) 121-134–255; Watchner (JM) 134-115–249; Tuttle (Brk) 104-126–230; Delong (Lin) 118-86–204

Bakers

Ohio 869, West Virginia 782

Alternate Shot

Ohio 612, West Virginia 544

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