Cavaliers finish as state runner-up

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

The Coldwater girls bowling team made a great charge to the championship match of the Division II girls state tournament, only to be stopped by Fairport Harding, giving the Cavaliers the runner-up trophy on Saturday at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl.

Coldwater, which entered the tournament as defending state champions, started their run by earning the top seed in the qualifying round and then made the finals of the championship round by beating rival Versailles in the semifinals.

"I'm very happy for the girls," Coldwater coach Rick Hartings said. "Being the top qualifier, I wasn't surprised. We bowled well."

The Cavaliers dominated the first three regulation games of qualifying, tallying 2,709 pins. Fellow West Ohio High School Bowling conference members St. Marys and Versailles were second and third after the regulation games. The Cavaliers bowled well enough in the baker game round to finish with 3,225 pins, 75 pins more than Bryan. St. Marys was third seed with Versailles the fourth seed.

Coldwater faced Hubbard in the championship round quarterfinals. Hubbard won the first game of the best-of-five series 179-175 before the Cavaliers stormed back to win the next three games 195-136, 168-143, 181-167 to advance to face Versailles in the semifinals.

The Tigers, who had defeated the Cavaliers earlier in the regular season to win the WOHSBC South Division, won their opening match in four games over Springfield Northwestern. Coldwater greeted their rival with an 180-141 win in the opening game. Game two was tied 162-162 and forced a two frame tiebreaker, which was won by the Cavaliers 39-33. Versailles took the next set 187-157 and were leading late in the fourth game before Cavalier Emily Fortener picked up two strikes in the 10th frame to give the Cavaliers a 218-213 win.

"They beat us at their place (during the regular season), so there was a bit of a revenge factor," Hartings said. "The girls set it up for Emily to win it in the 10th with the double."

Fairport Harding defeated St. Marys 188-190, 171-159, 177-172, 197-179 in the opening round before beating Bryan 170-136, 193-137, 176-159 to advance to the final.

The first game went to Coldwater 168-147 before Harding came back and took the next three games 187-155, 190-169, 201-166.

"We had a couple mistakes late, but they were a tough team to beat," Hartings said. of Harding. "Overall, I'm pretty excited how the girls bowled today."

The Cavaliers and Roughriders each had bowlers earning All-Ohio honor for individual play. Fortener bowled a 617 series to finish third and earn first team All-Ohio honors. Cavalier teammate Lauren Wenning was right behind Fortener in fourth place with a 601 series to earn first team All-Ohio. St. Marys, which finished fifth overall, had a pair of second-team All-Ohioans in Brittany Freytag (562) and Dorian Regedanz (562) and an honorable mention all-state selection in Jaden Gibson (553).

Versailles added two all-state selections with Morgan Barlage placing eighth for second team and Morgan Heitkamp finishing 12th for honorable mention honors.

Bath's Bryanna Twining won the state individual championship with a 684 series.