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Lynchburg-Clay bowling teams compete at 2024 OHSAA State Bowling Championships

The Highland County Press - Staff Photo - Create Article
The Lynchburg-Clay girls and bowling teams are pictured at the 2024 OHSAA State Bowling Championships. (Photos courtesy of Lynchburg-Clay Local Schools)
By
Caitlin Forsha, The Highland County Press

The Lynchburg-Clay varsity bowling teams concluded their successful season at the 2024 OHSAA State Bowling Championships at HP Lanes in Columbus, where the boys were 16th and the girls were 14th overall.

The Mustangs competed March 1 in the Division II state tournament, where they finished regulation games with a total of 2,496 pins. They started out with a 794 game, then had their best game with an 888, followed by an 814 game.

In the Baker games, the Mustangs had a total of 486, including a 168 game and then two 159 games, bringing the team total to 2,982 and 16th place overall.

LC was led by senior Layne Ellis, who bowled a 570, with games of 162, 212 and 196. He was 40th place overall as an individual.

Junior Frank Bullins was 51st with a 554 (151, 190, 203), and junior Damien Fry was 57th with a 523 total (182, 225, 116). 

Rounding out the LC scoring were junior Noah Bitzer and senior Oakley Lewis in 83rd and 84th place, respectively. Bitzer bowled a 432 (155, 136, 141), and Lewis bowled a 417 (134, 125, 158).

On Saturday, March 2, the Lady Mustangs competed in the Div. II tournament, where they bowled a 2,251 in regulation games. That included 703, 778 and 770 games.

In Baker games, the Lady Mustangs’ total was 439, with games of 161, 126 and 157, for a total team score of 2,690 for 14th place.

The Lady Mustangs had one bowler in the Top 20 individual results, that being freshman Kylee Chaney, who was 18th place overall. Chaney had a score of 547, with games of 177, 204 and 166. 

Senior Sarah McKinney followed in 59th place, as she had a 487 score (171, 144, 172).

Leanna Wallace, a senior, and Madison Baker, a sophomore, were 81st and 82nd overall, respectively. Wallace bowled a 418 (138, 145, 135), and Baker was next with a 398 (110, 146, 142). 

Also representing LCHS at state was sophomore Maddie Brault, who bowled a 107 in the first game.

The Div. II boys tournament was won by Coldwater and the girls championship was won by Napoleon. The top individual bowlers were Hanoverton United senior Ethan Hively, who bowled a 726, and Carrollton sophomore Kaylee Russell, who bowled a 665.

Also this season, the Mustangs were Southern Hills Athletic Conference runners-up, sectional champions and district champions. The Lady Mustangs finished as SHAC champions, sectional champions and district champions. Chaney was also the individual winner of the SHAC and sectional tournaments. 

The LCHS bowling teams are coached by Sean Ison and Shawn McLaughlin.

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