By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

The Rootstown High School girls bowling team at the Ravenna Invitational. Susan Jenior/Portage Sports

The Rootstown Rovers varsity girls team didn’t just start their season, they are demonstrating they are a team to beat.

Competing in the Ravenna Ravens Invitational at Spins Bowl in Kent on Saturday, Rootstown finished in fourth place following the stepladder finals, losing only to Nordonia in three Baker games (2-1).

The Rovers, a Division II team, didn’t blink against Nordonia, the girls champion in the recent Ohio High School bowling Division I kickoff tournament in Columbus.

“It’s a great warmup for next weekend,” said Rootstown head coach Andy Day.

The Rovers’ girls head to the Division II Ohio High School bowling kickoff tournament on Saturday.

Finishing fourth overall in the Ravenna Invite, the Rovers were led by Maggie Frick’s 174-488 and last season’s state qualifier, Payton Curall (179-486).

In case Day is looking for substitutions, the Rovers’ junior-varsity team won the Ravenna JV Invitational. Mallory Butcher led Rovers, bowling a high game of 202 on her way to a 544 series.

RAVENNA INVITE

For Portage County teams at the Ravenna Invite, the Rover boys also finished in fourth place, landing two bowlers on the all-tournament team.

Sean Boveington rolled a 677 series, with a high game of 245, good for fourth-individual high series.

Justin Miller tossed a 247 high game and earned sixth place with his 660 series.

The Ravens also competed in their own tournament as the boys earned eighth place in the team standings and the girls 13th.

Struthers was the overall team champion for the girls and Twinsburg earned the trophy among the boys teams.

RECORD-SETTING DAY

The Ravenna Ravens won a Metro Athletic Conference match against Streetsboro at Spins Bowl in Kent, easily topping the Rockets 2,371 to 1,733.

Carson Schueller, not only bowled the high game and the high series for the Ravens in the victory, he set a new high-series record.

Schueller started his two-game set with a 263 game, then proceeded to throw 11 strikes to add a 279 game to his total 542 series, a new record for a two-game set.

BOWLING SCOREBOARD

RAVENNA RAVENS INVITATIONAL

(at Spins Bowl, Kent)

BOYS CHAMPION: Twinsburg 3,937

MEDALIST: Eddie Krofcheck, Fairport 692

TEAM STANDINGS: Twinsburg 3,937; Cuyahoga Falls 3,904; Norton 3,874; Rootstown 3,867; Wadsworth 3,835; Nordonia 3,790; Mansfield 3,666; Ravenna 3,594, Woodridge 2,680; Copley 2,671; United Local 2,606; Struthers 2,601; Austintown 2,546; Tallmadge 2,505; Fairport 2,237.

ROOTSTOWN (3,867): Sean Boveington 245-677, Justin Miller 247-660, Caleb Stevens 181-506, Elijah Birch 124, Nick Moorehead 218-566, Xavier Miller 213-380.

GIRLS CHAMPION: Struthers 3,542

MEDALIST: Jillian Justinger, Fairport 753

TEAM STANDINGS: Struthers 3,542; Nordonia 3,534; Fairport 3,477; Rootstown 3,074; Norton 3,001; Tallmadge 2,948; Wadsworth 2,921; United 2,744; Cuyahoga Falls 2,700; Austintown 2,399; Copley 2,3909; Mansfield 2,319; Ravenna 2,184; Twinsburg 1,944; Woodridge 1,942.

ROOTSTOWN (3,074): Natalie Hammerschmidt 171-481, Elli Campbell 174-475, Maggie Frick 174-488, Emma Day 173, Payton Curall 179-486. Sub games — 105, 116.