Cavs repeat as state champs

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Not only was it a repeat, it was a clean sweep for the Cavaliers.

Coldwater's girls successfully defended their state bowling title by winning the 2013 championship in five games over Hubbard on Friday at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl. It's the third straight year a Grand Lake area team captured the girls title as St. Marys won the title in 2011.

Not only did the Cavaliers take the team title, Coldwater junior Erika Hartings won the individual state title, rolling a 648 series to narrowly beat teammate Kelsey Koesters by 30 pins.

"It's a great feeling," said Coldwater coach Rick Hartings via telephone. "We've been talking all year about staying focused, trying to get to the show again. We led qualifying this morning. We bowled really well this morning and got lined up quick."

The Cavaliers dominated the qualifying round, standing in first after the first three regular games. Coldwater then pulled away in the baker games to earn the top seed.

First up for Coldwater was Versailles, a team that defeated the Cavaliers in the regular-season finale to capture the West Ohio High School Bowling Conference crown. The Cavaliers won the first two games of the best-of-five series before losing game three. The Cavs then captured the fourth game 189-148 to advance and face Zanesville.

The same pattern held in the semifinal, with Coldwater winning the first two games, then allowing Zanesville to take game three before rolling to victory in game four, 212-173. Coldwater then faced Hubbard in a rematch of last year's championship match.

Hubbard struck first, winning game one 182-150 before Coldwater came back to take the next two games 194-151 and 222-181. Hubbard then defeated the Cavs 211-184 in game four to send the match to a decisive fifth round. Coldwater and Hubbard battled back and forth before the Cavs earned the repeat state championship with a 180-171 victory.

"We bowled great in the right game, with a 222 in game three," said coach Hartings. "Then we went back to the left lane and (Hubbard) bowled well. We knew the right lane was a better lane. ... We had some girls make some key spares to give Kelsey and Erika a chance to win it (in the 10th frame). Lauren Sanning had a couple of huge spares the last game. Kelsey and Erika had career games. They just came through."

In the individual competition, Erika Hartings, daughter of the coach, rolled a 231 in the first game of the three-game series to determine the title. Koesters, though, stormed back with a 248 in game two - the highest game of the day - to take the lead going into the third game. Koesters bowled a 196 in game three, but Hartings rolled a 244 to earn the title.

Erika Hartings became the second Cavalier to win an individual state bowling title (Crystal Boyer did so in 2011).

"It was awesome!" said Erika Hartings. "That was a start in what we wanted to do today."

It was a great day for all the Cavaliers, according to Koesters.

"It was crazy. We both tried to bowl good," said Koesters. "It just turned out good, we got gold and silver. We had a blast doing it."

The other local team at state, St. Marys, struggled in qualifying and finished 12th with a total of 2,888 pins. The Roughriders missed the top eight that advanced by 86 pins to WOHSBC rival Versailles.

The boys tournament gets underway this morning in Columbus with St. Henry looking to win its first state championship in bowling.