Monday, March 9th, 2015
Cavs make it a clean sweep of state titles
Division II Boys State Bowling Championship
By Gary R. Rasberry
Submitted Photo
Members of the Coldwater High School boys bowling team, front row from left, Trey James, Alex Meyer, Blake Spangler and Joe Wenning, back row from left, head coach Rick Hartings, Tyler Wenning, Cory Whitacre, Ben Schmitmeyer, Jason Wenning and assistant coach Kyle Bruns, celebrate after winning the Division II state title Saturday. They joined the school's girls team as state champions.
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
After the girls' bowling team won their third state title on Friday, Coldwater fans were hoping the boys' team would do likewise on Saturday in the Division II state tournament.
The Cavalier boys not only brought the broom but also left a nearly spotless finish in capturing the program's third OHSAA state title with a 3-0 sweep of Wooster Triway in the championship match at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl.
It's the first championship for the Cavalier boys since 2012, which was the first time the boys and girls teams at Coldwater swept the team titles.
"We would have never have expected this," Coldwater coach Rick Hartings said. "The girls winning, we weren't really expecting that. The boys, we were expecting them having a good chance of winning it. It was kind of reversed rolls from 2012."
The Cavalier boys won the title in dominating fashion, beginning with the qualifying round. Coldwater's bowlers combined for a three regular game score of 2,901 heading into the baker round. The Cavaliers slowed a bit in the baker games but still came out with the best overall score of 3,488 to take the top seed in the eight-team championship bracket.
The opening match of the round proved to be the most challenging against Pemberville Eastwood. Coldwater won the first game 184-141 before the Eagles took game two by one pin at 173-172. The Cavaliers snapped back by winning the final two games 213-190 and 199-138 to advance and face Napoleon.
"I think they were really a little tight in the first match," Hartings said. "I told them 'The way things are going, if we stay like we are, we're not going to win this thing. You have to get relaxed and throw the ball better.' "
The momentum continued to build in the semifinals as the Cavaliers rolled three straight 200-plus games to sweep the Wildcats 202-147, 200-188, 225-167. At the same time, Triway was defeating Versailles, Coldwater's rival in the West Ohio High School Bowling Conference, in three straight games to make the finals.
"The biggest thing about Napoleon was they were trying to get revenge for what we did to the girls," Hartings said, referring to the Lady Cavs beating Napoleon in the state title match on Friday. "When we won that one, I told them I felt really good about (the state final). ... They were more relaxed and you could tell they had confidence."
There was no stopping the Cavaliers in the final match. Coldwater won the opener 193-176 and took game two 177-160. The coup de grâce came with the Cavaliers rolling seven straight strikes to take the third game 229-186 to set off the celebration.
"Triway has only had a program for three years, but they have a good program," Hartings said. "I kind of had a feeling in the morning that we would see them sooner or later.
"Blake (Spangler) double struck (two strikes) in the 10th (frame) to lock it up. It was awesome to see Blake get emotional after getting that first strike because he knew he locked up the state title."
For sophomore Trey James, it was a double celebration as he won the individual state title with a 652 series, two pins better than Triway's Chace Cogar.
"It was awesome winning the individual title, but it wouldn't have meant anything without the team title, too," James said. "After I found out I won, I went back and told my teammates 'Well, we still have one more to go.' We went back and got it done."
Senior Blake Spangler, who earned his sixth state title as a Coldwater student (three football, two bowling, one baseball) and classmate Alex Meyer earned honorable mention All-Ohio honors with series of 590 and 585 respectively.
"Trey probably bowled the best in his life with the pressure of being the individual champion," Hartings said. "Then Alex and Blake getting honorable mention was huge."
Versailles' Alex Groff placed fourth with a 636 series to earn first team All-Ohio honors.
Submitted Photo
The Coldwater girls bowling team pose with their Division II state championship trophy after winning the title Friday for the third time in four years. Members of the team are, front row from left, Madison Fox, Shannon Osterfeld and Emily Fortener. Back row from left, are head coach Rick Hartings, Brianna Wenning, Paige Hartings, Jessica Butler, Carlie Schoenherr, Kailey Niekamp and assistant coach Wes Stienecker.
Submitted Photo
Blake Spangler helped the Cavaliers lock up the state title with two strikes in the 10th frame on Saturday. File Photo.
