By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

Bowling season is finally here and teams in the greater Portage County area are just competing in their first tournaments and beginning matches as the month of December arrives.

Portage Sports looks forward to sharing the outstanding results of the student-athletes competing in bowling throughout the season and will preview each of the teams during the next few weeks.

This week, Portage Sports spotlights the Rootstown Rovers boys and girls bowling teams.

ROOTSTOWN GIRLS

The Rovers won their first match and finished third in the Ravenna Ravens’ tournament over the Thanksgiving weekend.

At the Ravens Invitational, Cassie Egli led the team with a high game of 213 and a three-game set of 549.

“Cassie and Olivia Davies won individual awards for high series,” said coach Andy Day. “Olivia was sixth overall, bowling a 536, and Cassie was fourth with that 549.”

The rest of the team included: Kaitlin Hammerschmidt 185-504, Hailie Furry 189, Emma Day 172-493 and Nina Gill 114.

Rootstown was 12-1 last season, won the Portage Trail Conference and finished fourth in the state in Division II.

Day, at the Rovers’ helm for four seasons, has goals for the team to win the PTC for the fourth straight year and make another run at the state tournament during the 2024-25 season.

Returning letterwinners include: seniors Emma Day and Cassie Egli, both three-year letterwinners and junior Kaitlyn Hammerschmidt, a one-year letter holder.

The team is expected to be helped by sophomores Olivia Davies, Hailie Furry and Nina Gill, all newcomers to the team this season.

“We lost seven seniors from last season,” said Day. “Three have continued to bowl in college.”

This year’s team should put up higher scores than last year’s. We just don’t have the depth as last season,” continued Day.

“The three sophomores will get a chance to step up and make a difference. Emma and Cassie are in their final year of solid high-school careers, which started with both making the district tournament. They helped change the culture of the program.”

“Junior Kaitlyn Hammerschmidt is set to have a breakout year,” continued Day. “She improved her average last year by 30 pins, and I expect her average to improve the same amount this year.”

Following a successful start to the season, the Rovers will compete in the Division II State Kick-Off Tournament in Columbus on Saturday.

ROOTSTOWN BOYS

The Rovers finished fifth in the Ravenna Ravens Invitational at Spins Bowl behind the solid bowling of Justin Miller, who was the high-scoring individual, bowling a 277 on his way to a 762.

JUSTIN MILLER

The Rovers finished fifth in the tournament for a fortelling start to the season as the rest of the team included: Elijah Birch 176-445, Anthony Cambarerri 174, Nick Morehead 192, Sean Boveington 184-525 and Caleb Stevens 137.

The Rovers return lettermen Justin Miller, Nick Moorehead, Anthony Cambareri, Elijah Birch and Caleb Stevens to the lineup this season as well as Jonnie Mayes, who has been bowling with the team for two years.

Miller averaged 226 last season and had a high game of 300 as well as a high series of 836. He earned individual first-place honors at the district tournament and was a state qualifier.

Moorehead, a senior, averaged 203. Cambareri averaged 192 and Birch averaged 165 as well as Stevens averaging 189.

“We are the returning PTC regular season and tournament champions,” said Thom Butcher, coach of the Rovers. “We took first place at the Ravenna Invitational and first place at the Rover Invitational and missed going to state as a team by 41 pins.”

The Rovers are motivated to go to state this season.

After a successful start to this year, the Rovers travel to the Ohio Division II Preview Tournament in Columbus on Saturday.

BOWLING PREVIEWS

High school bowling previews will continue this week and next, highlighting the solid bowlers that Portage County has competing on the lanes this season.

If you are a coach who has not submitted your preview, please text or email golffam2@gmail.com or 330-206-9083.

ROVER SECTIONAL PREVIEW TOURNAMENT

The annual Rootstown Rover Sectional Preview Tournament, now in its 19th season, takes place for Division-I teams on Jan. 18 and Division-II teams on Jan. 19, both events at Spins Bowl in Kent.

The Division-I event is at capacity, but there is still a few spots remaining for Division-II teams.

Email golffam2@gmail.com or Keith Waesch, athletic director at Rootstown High School, at waesch@roversk12.org for a registration form or additional information.

The registration form may also be found on the Ohio High School Bowling website.