Cavaliers finish second in state

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

The chance for a fifth state boys bowling title looked good for Coldwater, leading defending Division II champion Mechanicsburg 2-0 in the best-of-five championship match.

But the Indians battled back and took the final three games to defeat the Cavaliers for a second straight state title on Friday at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl.

"The guys are real bummed right now," said Coldwater coach Rick Hartings. "But it stings for just a little while. Still proud of these guys, as hard as they fought all day. All the matches were tough."

Qualifying went exceptionally well for the Cavaliers as they went through the regulation game series with a score of 2,950 to take first going into the three baker games. The Cavaliers kept up the hot rolling with a 672 to finish as the top seed in the eight-team championship round with a final tally of 3,622.

Coldwater opened up head-to-head play against Fairport Harding, the team that knocked the Cavaliers out in the semifinals last year. Coldwater and Harding split the first two games 192-171 and 170-160 before the Cavaliers won the last two games 182-161, 207-150 to win the best-of-five baker game series 3-1.

Next up was Liberty Center, which defeated Coldwater's MAC rival Versailles 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Liberty Center won the opener 182-156 before Coldwater came back to take the next two games 203-181, 201-139. The Tigers took the fourth game 179-178, but the Cavaliers had its best baker of the round with a 227-145 win to reach the final against Mechanicsburg in a rematch of the 2020 final where the Cavaliers won state.

Coldwater came out hot, winning the first two games 207-181 and 206-189. Mechanicsburg came back to win the next two games 187-154, 170-164 to force a fifth game. The Indians were up 20 pins early in the rubber game and held off the Cavaliers 200-182 to claim the title.

"Going up 2-0 against that great team loaded with seniors (who bowled) last year, I'm thinking I like our chances," said Hartings. "We made some changes, putting Caleb Sutherin at lead-off, switched a few things around and went 207-206 and win. We just did not execute those last couple of games."

The Indians and Cavs also went 1-2 in the individual honors. Mechanicsburg's Peyton Leeson was individual state medalist with a 684 series. Coldwater's Nathan Snook came home as runner-up with a 662 series to earn first team All-Ohio honors.

"Nathan had a great day," said Hartings. "He's bowled well down the stretch."

Coldwater's Carter Bertke earned 11th place to receive All-Ohio honorable mention with a 609 series.

St. Henry's Peyton Thomas, competing as an individual, finished 23rd overall with a 571 series.

Versailles, which qualified fourth for the championship round, was led by Landon Henry's 589 series.

The Division II girls state tournament takes place today in Columbus. The St. Marys girls will look to win the program's third state title while Coldwater's Jasmine Schulze competes as an individual.