Staff report
Both Sidney High bowling teams will compete in the Division 1 District meet in Beavercreek next week after qualifying out of sectional meets held at Poelking Lanes in Dayton.
The top nine teams in the sectional advanced to the district, and the Sidney boys placed sixth on Wednesday. The Sidney girls were eighth on Thursday.
The girls will bowl in the district on Wednesday and the boys on Thursday, and both tournaments will be held at Beaver-Vu Bowl in Beavercreek.
“It was an up and down day for the boys, basically right from the start,” said Sidney coach Trent Knoop. “I found out we were bowling on one of the toughest oil patterns I have ever seen at a high school tournament. This was probably tougher than half of the patterns I bowled on in college. I knew this was going to be a spare shooting contest, and I was right. We shot team games of 798, 851, and a 766. There were only two 900+ team games all day long. Not one single 1000 game, which is unheard of in high school boys bowling. We bowled a 1073 for our 6 baker games. It wasn’t pretty, but we got the job done. Spare shooting wasn’t very good. We were able to get by this time, but we have to be better in all areas next week if we want to get to state. Sidney boys have never had a team make it to state, and we are ready to change that this season.”
Austin Simon had a 556 to lead Sidney. He rolled games of 177, 202 and 177. Josh Abbott had a 140, 172 and 225 for a 537 series. Matt Elliott had a 173 and Sean Martin 170.
“The girls showed grit, and a resilience I haven’t seen all year,” Knoop said about his Lady Jacket squad. “We also started off rough, rolling a 728 game, then an 810, then finishing with an 808 game. We were sitting in 12th place after the three regular games, and about 50 or so pins out of ninth. We have bowled very well all season in baker, and I knew the girls had a shot to gain some ground. I told the girls to just focus on each game one at a time, and to just fill frames and pick up your spares. I knew if we could do that we would make it. There were so many missed spares today, from every team. We rolled fantastic in baker with games of 231, 158, 181, 173, 182, and a 188. That got us into eighth place and we are heading to districts next Wednesday.
Heather Gold led Sidney’s girls with a 572 on games of 147, 201 and 224. Jenna Beatty had a 489 on games of 153, 166 and 170, and Emily Reid had a 464 on games of 167, 137 and 160.
“Heather (Gold) was as good as ever in baker today,” Knoop said. “She rolled tow or three strikes every baker game except one. She was a huge reason we gained those pins back. Freshman Erin Fultz bowled great in baker. She didn’t bowl at all in the team games, but she had a good practice session before baker, and I gave her a shot. She came through big. Jenna (Beatty) had many big strikes in the ninth frame to set up Heather in the 10th. Kathryn Saunders came off the bench and made a few key spares for us. All of our bowlers bowled well today, and it was a great team victory.
