The Field boys bowling team, in its first year as a varsity sport, were champions at Saturday’s Metro Athletic Conference Tournament.

By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

Both the Portage Trail Conference and the Metro Athletic Conference held season-ending conference tournaments on Saturday.

The PTC was held at Spins Bowl in Kent, while the MAC invited teams to Spins Bowl in Springfield.

The end of each tournament was spectacular, with the Rovers boys and girls both earning their fourth straight victory in the tournament and conference, while the Field boys surprised the MAC with a victory at the postseason tournament.

ROOTSTOWN’S FOUR-PEAT

It was the Rootstown Rovers sweeping the match play and the tournament for their fourth straight tournament victory for both girls and boys teams and their fourth straight PTC championships.

Rootstown girls medalists Kaitlyn Hammerschmidt and Emma Day.

It was a celebratory win for the Rovers, as they leave the PTC following the end of the 2024-2025 season and move to the Chagrin Valley Conference’s Valley Division.

For the Rovers’ girls, the season has included a series of successes, including winning the state Division II Kick-Off Tournament in Columbus to start the season. Boasting a 12-2 overall record and an undefeated record in the PTC, the team has celebrated success while working hard to continue to improve.

“Our first goal this season was to four-peat as PTC champions,” said Andy Day, coach of the Rovers. “Especially with it being the last year the Rovers are in the PTC.”

The players on the team have made the difference.

“Seniors Cassie Egli and Emma Day were the force behind this latest run we had, including Cassie in the matches and Emma in the tournament,” said Day.

Rootstown boys medalists Caleb Stevens and Justin Miller.

“Kaitlyn Hammerschmidt and Olivia Davies have been battling injuries this season and they toughed it out to finish off the year. Hallie Furry has stepped up to be a consistent presence especially in the Baker games,” Day added.

Day was the medalist of the PTC Tournament, while Hammerschmidt earned second-high series.

The Rovers’ boys also earned their fourth straight conference tourney win and championship victory.

“All the bowlers have improved their focus and concentration since the beginning of the bowling season,” said Thom Butcher, coach of the Rovers.

“We’ve worked on relaxing in pressure situations and they have responded well.”

The Rovers’ boys shot over 2,800 in a match with the team averaging 200 each.

“The boys are a great and experienced group of seniors that will be sorely missed next year,” said Butcher.

“Justin Miller is probably the most talented teenage bowler I’ve ever coached. Sean Boveington has made improvements in his game each year and has been a tremendous leader the last two years,” said Butcher added.

“Nick Moorehead is very steady and consistent and Caleb Stevens has switched from one-handed to two-handed and has steadily improved each week. Anthony Cambareri is almost back to where he ended last year.”

Miller earned high game and second-high series, with Stevens earning third-high series at the tourney for the Rovers.

Both teams have high expectations for their tournament runs in the postseason OHSAA events on their way to the state tournaments.

PORTAGE COUNTY TEAMS IN THE MAC

The Metro Athletic Conference finished the league season at Spins Bowl in Akron on Saturday, with the Field boys and the Norton girls earning the tournament titles.

Overall titles in the MAC were won by the Coventry boys and the Norton girls.

However, the Portage County teams did very well at the tournament.

For the boys, the Field Falcons won the tournament, the Ravenna Ravens finished second and Streetsboro Rockets landed in sixth place.

For the girls, Streetsboro earned a top-three spot, with Ravenna and Field bowling their way to a fifth and sixth place finish, respectively.

The Rockets’ girls were led by Kendall Clark, who bowled the third-high series, a 554 and Ravenna’s Julia Stratton joined the top-seven series, rolling a 481. Clark also had the high game, a 236.

Joey Dilworth of Field helped his team to the winning slot, bowling a 656 high series. Ravenna’s Jeriah Miller (632) was fourth, Peyton Hover of Field (587) had the sixth-high series and Carson Schueller of Ravenna (578), eighth-high series.

POSTSEASON TOURNAMENTS

It is on to the OHSAA tournament trail for teams across the state as each hopes to qualify through the sectional and district tournaments to earn a berth in Columbus at the beginning of March.