LCC win vs. Bluffton girls

By Cort Reynolds

LIMA__The visiting Bluffton High School boys bowling team comfortably defeated Lima Central Catholic in a dual match at 20^th Century Lanes on Saturday, December 20.

The Pirate boys won their overall match by a wide margin of 2,352-1,620 to improve to 2-1 this season.

“It was a nice win today, but conditions were tough,” said Pirate head coach Ben Nye. “There was not much room to miss on the lanes, and any small error showed in that it was very hard to make spares all day. 

“I am still very proud of the whole team for working hard, asking questions and trying to find the best line to have a good game,” Nye continued. 

“It was great to see Weston Johnstone put up a hard-fought two-game series and step in at our anchor position for the Baker games,” he added.

Bluffton handily won the first game of the opening round, 836-461. The Pirates also took a closer game two 716-618 to easily win the first round by 473 pins, 1,552-1,079.

INDIVIDUAL BOYS RESULTS
Wes Johnstone bowled a 204-183=387 opening series to lead the Pirates.

Emmitt Kidd bowled a 171-115=286 set. Joziah Salazar rolled a 164-123=287 series. 

Elijah Nye rolled a 152 in game one to go with Xavier Navarro’s 154 in game two for a combined series of 306.

Coby Dailey bowled a 145 opening game, followed by Brady Montgomery’s 141 for a combined 286 series.

The Pirates also won all five games of the Baker Series to easily capture that set by 259 pins.

The Pirates rolled a 139-150-143-231-137=800 Baker set. LCC bowled a 119-114-125-100-83=541 Baker Series. Johnstone bowled four big strikes and converted two spares in the Baker 10^th frames to pace the victors.

Nye contributed five consecutive eighth frame strikes in the Baker Series games.

GIRLS RESULTS

The Bluffton girl bowlers tallied their highest score of the season but lost to the Thunderbirds by a 1,923-1,674 total.

LCC narrowly won the first game 621-612, and also took the second regular match, 635-528. The T-Birds thus captured the opening round 1,256-1,140 to seize a 116-pin lead after the opening series.

In the Baker Series, the Pirates rolled games of 96-74-123-107-134 to total 534 pins. LCC rolled a Baker set of 158-120-168-114-107=667 to take the series by 133 pins. 

The Pirate girls won the fifth Baker game as they converted four big spares in the last six frames. But Bluffton lost the other four Baker contests. 

“It was not a win, but this team showed a ton of good bowling,” said Nye. “Natalie Richards had her best game and best series of the year. The final Baker game was one of the best they have put up all season.  

“The first (game) team total of 612 was the best of the season, and the girls final score of 1,674 was their best of the year by 200 pins,” he noted. “This team's scores have been trending up every week and can't wait for what they put up in the future.”

Charlotte Kidd bowled a 161-139=300 opening two-game series to pace the Pirate girl rollers. Kidd also rolled a 10^th frame strike in the first Baker game.

Laney Kiene bowled a 146-102=248 set. She rolled two strikes and five spares in the Baker Series. Natalie Richards rolled a 135-101=236 series, and added one strike and one spare in the Baker frames.

Elana Navarro rolled a series score of 98-99=197. Savanna Grossman contributed a 72-87=159 series. Grossman added three ninth frame spares in the Baker Series.

The Bluffton boys varsity team is scheduled to play in the Kenton Holiday Baker Bash tournament on Tuesday, December 23 at Hillcrest Lanes.

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