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Coldwater's Brittany Burden bowled a 640 series to win the individual state title at Saturday's Division II state girls bowling tournament. The Cavaliers finished as state runner-up.
File photo.
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
After several lean seasons, the Coldwater girls came close to winning another state bowling title.
Competing in their first Division II state tournament since 2021, the Cavaliers reached the championship match, losing in three straight games to Napoleon on Saturday afternoon at HP Lanes in Columbus. The runner-up finish is the fourth in program history, having finished runner-up in 2020 before winning the program's fifth title a year later.
The run to the final was huge for a Cavalier program that last season was struggling to find the minimum five bowlers needed for team competition.
"When (Brittany Burden, the lone senior on the squad) was a freshman and sophomore and not knowing if we'd have enough bowlers was nerve-wracking," said Coldwater coach Rick Hartings. "Last year we only had five girls and a couple of times a couple girls had the flu. To add the three freshmen to the roster was huge."
Much like Friday in the Division II boys tournament, the Midwest Athletic Conference was well-represented in the eight-team championship bracket. All three conference representatives - Coldwater, Fort Recovery and Versailles - were joined by St. Marys in the field.
The Cavaliers shrugged off a so-so first game in the three regulation game round to finish with 2,694, just 21 pins back to Napoleon. In the round of five bakers, the Cavaliers posted a 918 total score to slip past Napoleon by 15 pins, tallying 3,612 to the Wildcats' 3,597. St. Marys was locked into third place with 3,325. Versailles had a strong baker round to move into fourth with 3,309 while Fort Recovery, which had barely missed making the final eight in its first two trips to state, bowled well to take the fifth seed with 3,286.
"The way we qualified and bowled really well was surprising. I knew we could make the top eight," said Hartings. "We got better each game."
Coldwater's Rachel Moeller finished as state individual runner-up with a 621 series.
File photo.
Coldwater faced Warsaw River View in the quarterfinals. River View won the opening game of the best-of-five baker game series 172-123 before the Cavaliers came back to win the next three 142-117, 150-111, 165-160 to advance to face Versailles. The Tigers were paired with Fort Recovery and the teams engaged in a battle. Versailles won the opener 182-163 before the Indians came back to take the next two games 143-132 and 157-147 to take the advantage. The Tigers came back to win the final two games 165-141 and 210-140 to advance.
In the bottom of the bracket, St. Marys faced Kenton Ridge in the quarterfinal, winning the first two games 173-134 and 190-140. Ridge won game three 190-152 before the Roughriders reached the semifinals with a 180-144 score to advance to face Napoleon, which defeated Mechanicsburg in four games to move on.
Versailles jumped out quickly against Coldwater, winning the first two games 154-137 and 179-168. Backs against the wall, Coldwater responded by winning the final three games 173-127, 193-128, 170-139 to reach the title match.
St. Marys fell behind 0-2 to Napoleon in its semifinal as the Wildcats won 148-147 and 226-134 before the Roughriders took game three 219-213 before Napoleon won the fourth game 187-181 to set up the final.
Napoleon kept the hot hand from its final semifinal game, winning the first two games 192-132 and 192-165 before taking the final game 189-144 to give the Wildcats their first state title after finishing second in 2015 (to Coldwater) and 2022.
"We knew (Napoleon) had five seniors and it wasn't going to be easy," said Hartings. "It's exciting to get back to state after five years."
The Cavaliers did bring home the individual state title as senior Brittany Burden and teammate Rachel Moeller had great performances in the regulation game rounds. Burden bowled 198-229-213 to finish with a 640 to win medalist honors, the first for Coldwater since Erika Hartings took home the top honor in 2013. Moeller was close behind, bowling a 621 to match the 2013 season when Erika Hartings and Kelsey Koesters finished 1-2.
"Those three regulation games, they were bowling well," said Hartings of Burden and Moeller. "They were lined up. Very consistent and threw the ball great."
Fort Recovery's Lilah Thien tied for 11th at the state bowling tournament.
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Fort Recovery's Lilah Thien tied for 11th with a 576 and St. Marys' Kallie McKinley bowled a 569 to finish 14th, earning each honorable mention All-Ohio honors.
St. Marys' Ali Kable was 21st with a 540 with Fort Recovery's Deanna Brown taking 22nd with a 538. St. Marys' Kylee Smith bowled a 515 to take 28th.
Versailles was led by Alayna Bartram's 552 to finish 18th. Lydia Ward rolled a 490 for 36th.
St. Marys' Kallie McKinley finished 14th at the state bowling tournament.
File photo.
