By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

Portage County’s high school bowling teams are looking toward the end-of-season conference tournaments as regular-season schedules are almost complete.

The first postseason tournament is the Portage Trail Conference as teams will roll-off in three regular games and six Baker games on Saturday at Spins Bowl in Kent.

The Rootstown Rovers girls and boys teams are currently undefeated in the PTC and look to again repeat at the top of the conference following the conclusion of bowling on Saturday.

Both individual series and high-game honors, as well as team trophies, will be presented.

The PTC includes Portage County teams Rootstown and Southeast.

The Chagrin Valley Conference, Suburban League and Metro Athletic Conference all compete the first weekend in February as scheduled:

• Feb. 3: Metro Athletic Conference at Spins Bowl in Akron (Ravenna, Field and Streetsboro);
• Feb. 3: Suburban League Conference at Riviera Lanes in Akron (Kent Roosevelt);
• Feb. 4: Chagrin Valley Conference at Sky Lanes in Garrettsville (Crestwood).

The Portage Trail Conference begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, with spectators permitted to enter at 8:15 a.m. and teams at 8 a.m.

Admission for spectators is $7 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens.

GIRLS: FIELD FALCONS EDGE RAVENNA

It is the first year the Field Falcons have included varsity bowling on their schedule and the teams have been improving throughout the season.

This week, Field’s girls team edged Ravenna in a close match 1,366 to 1,304.

Leading Field was Thea Amorett with a 312 series, which included a high game of 167.

Ravenna’s best was bowled by Alannah Raffa, tossing the high game of the match, a 184 and finishing with a 310 two-game set.

GIRLS: SOUTHEAST VS. WARREN JFK 

The Pirates found themselves in a close match with fellow PTC member Warren JFK, when Southeast traveled to Champion Lanes in Warren last week.

Southeast ended the match in the win column, beating Warren JFK 1,446 to 1,415.

Rebakah Wood rolled a 156 high game for Southeast to give the Pirates a notch in the win column.

The Pirates followed that match with a loss to the Rovers at Spins Lanes in Kent.

Rootstown’s Kaitlyn Hammerschmidt and Natalie Hammerschmidt both topped the 200 mark, with games of 228 and 211, respectively.

Southeast’s Abby Smith tossed the high game for the Pirates, a 192.

PLAN AHEAD

Sectional and District tournaments leading to the state championships for bowling are set for February.

• Division 2 Tri County — Crestwood, Garfield, Ravenna, Rootstown, Southeast. (Feb. 8 — boys teams, Feb. 12 — girls teams at Spins Bowl, Kent).
• Division 1 Tri County — Kent Roosevelt, Streetsboro (Feb. 19 — boys and girls teams at Roseland Lanes, Oakwood).