By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

Portage County’s presence at the OHSAA’s bowling state championships will be strong.

For the third day in a row, a county team punched their ticket to the state final.

On Friday, the Rootstown boys.

On Saturday, the Rootstown girls.

On Sunday, it was the Ravenna boys’ turn, advancing to the Division I state championships by qualifying out of the district tournament.

Ravenna finished fourth out of the five qualifying teams to advance to the state.

The Ravens were only 54 pins out of third place, setting themselves on solid footing as they advanced to compete against the best in the state.

“This team is scrappy,” said Kelly Champ, the Ravens varsity boys coach. “They never give up. After the first game, we were 77 out of the cut line. I told them that was low game and it’s up from here.

“They didn’t make me a liar. We shot 1,119 the third game and that catapulted us into third,” Champ added. “We’ve worked really hard on Bakers the last month and it showed. This is the most complete team I’ve had. My seniors did what needed done after I had guys come off the bench that made big impacts.
“This was a whole team effort. We said from the beginning if we make it, we make it as a team and they did just that.”

Ravenna was led by seniors Jacob Stefansic and Carson Schueller, each in a tie for 12th with their outstanding 672 series. Stefansic’s high game was a 266, Schueller’s best was a 257.

The rest of the team was solid: Sophomore Alex Tucker 169, senior Mark Jones 240-606, Jeriah Miller 222-563 and Matt Fuller 191.

The Ravens will travel to Columbus to bowl at H.P. Lanes to compete on March 7.

BOYS BOWLING SCOREBOARD

DIVISION I DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

(At Roseland Lanes, Oakwood)

Note: The top-five teams and five individuals not on a qualifying team advance.

TEAM STANDINGS

Boardman 4,580; St. Ignatius 4,548; North Ridgeville 4,266; Ravenna 4,212; Cuyahoga Falls 4,090; Lake 4,081; Olmsted Falls 4,012; Steele 4,001; Wadsworth 3,992; Glenoak 3,935; Highland 3,895; Medina 3,882; Twinsburg 3,845: Mentor 3,653; Lakeside 3,569; St. Edward 3,564; 3,555; Austintown-Fitch 3,540; Stow-Munroe Falls 3,521; Green 3,500.

QUALIFYING INDIVIDUALS

Zachary Mayne, Padua Franciscan 716; Eli Nave, Perry 713; Alex Lovas, Jackson 703; Trent Tucholski, Stow-Munroe The Falls 699; Bennett Ernst, Avon 687.

PORTAGE COUNTY RESULTS

RAVENNA (4,212): Jacob Stefansic 266-672, Alex Tucker 169, Mark Jones 240-606, Carson Schueller 257-672, Jeriah Miller 222-563, Matt Fuller 191, Sub game 170.

STREETSBORO: Connor Stevens 205-553.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT: Braden Latacki 204-569.