By Susan Junior

Staff Writer

Success was found on lanes throughout Northeast Ohio as Portage County bowling teams competed at the high level they have worked towards all season.

From Baker style events to sectional tournaments, most teams found themselves looking up at the greater Portage County teams they were bowling against.

FIELD FALCONS SET THE MARK

The Field Falcons won the Division II Tri-County Sectional at Spins Bowl in Kent by 404 pins over runner-up Triway.

But among the bowlers high games and high series, including Peyton Hover’s first-place 741 series, and three-team games that only fell shy by 19 pins of hitting 3,000, was an amazing Baker game series that locked the team into their championship.

Bowling six Baker games that totaled 1,477, the team knocked down six 200 games: 258-280-221-238-256 and 235.

Anyone that has watched high-school bowling realizes that that consistency in the Baker style games that see each bowler roll two frames, one in the first half of the game and one in the second half, is not a regular occurrence.

It truly is a team effort that means each bowler has to be on their game the entire way through to boost their teammates.

With a little research, the 1,477 total is among the top series in the nation and the second-highest high school Baker series in Ohio.

The Falcons are only in their third year sponsoring bowling as a varsity sport.

“The team would not be where it is if not for the support we get from the students, parents and greater community,” offered Scott Bower, coach of the Falcons.

“I want to personally thank all of the parents, relatives and supporters for continually showing up to cheer on the Field Falcons and this young team’s journey as we develop the program even more.

“The boys absolutely earned this decisive victory at the sectional, and we look forward to the future of this team,” concluded Bower.

ADDITIONAL SECTIONAL SUCCESS

Division II area sectionals are this weekend with the Tri-County girls competing Monday at Spins Bowl in Kent.

So far, the Springfield boys, the aforementioned Field boys, and two individuals representing Rootstown — Tycho Smolk and Caleb Stevens — have all qualified for the Division II district that will be held at Rebman Lanes in Lorain.

ROUGH RIDERS READY FOR SECTIONALS

Kent Roosevelt bowls in the Division I Sectional at Roseland Lanes in Oakwood on Feb. 15, but they are on a roll as the regular season comes to an end with consecutive victories in matches and a solid performance at the Superbowl Baker Bash that included 15 Baker games at Spins Bowl in Akron on Sunday.

The team earned second place after losing to Medina Highland by 30 pins in the final game of the head-to-head final.

The Rough Riders had finished in fourth to make the cut and moved up to take the runner-up spot.

“The boys fought and never gave up on a really tough sectional pattern,” said Al Petrosino, Kent Roosevelt coach. “I am very proud of them, making quality shots to get into match play and also defeating Nordonia when we were down 52 pins into the first game of match play. They came back to beat them and take on Medina Highland.”

OHSAA SECTIONAL TOURNAMENTS

DIVISION II

Field, Garfield, Ravenna, Rootstown, Southeast, Akron Springfield @ Spins Bowl, Kent. Feb. 9—Girls. 10 a.m. start. (Four girls teams advance to Rebman Lanes in Lorain.)

DIVISION I

Ravenna, Kent Roosevelt and Streetsboro boys and girls teams travel to Roseland Lanes in Oakwood to compete on Feb. 15. Boys @ 9 a.m.; Girls @ 1:30 p.m. (Five boys teams and four girls teams advance to District at Rebman Lanes, Lorain.)

Ticket information will be available on the link for OHSAA Tournament Tickets prior to the tournament.