Local bowling teams participate in championships

Springville-GI’s girls and boys bowling teams finished their 2011-12 seasons by participating in the Section VI championships at Thruway Lanes in Cheektowaga on Feb. 16-17. The girls, who qualified for the sectionals with a 7 and 3 regular season mark, finished 19th out of 48 Section VI squads. The boys, who received a last-minute invitation to the tournament after completing a 3 and 7 regular season, wound up 18th out of 49 teams.

Over the course of 30 games, the Lady Griffs knocked down 4,504 pins for a 150 average. Their pin count placed them fourth in the Class C competition. “Scoring proved to be a struggle under tough lane conditions,” said Head Coach Kevin Farner.

Miranda Clark posted the team’s high score of the tournament with a 194. Mariah Gamel had a 161 average over six games.

The boys, competing as a team from Class C, had a 5,049 pin fall and placed seventh out of 15 squads in their category. The Griffs’ 168 average lead Farner to say, “The boys were a nice surprise! They did a good job.”

Sophomore Nate Sopko lead his team with a three-game session of 208, 213 and 213. His 1,170 total over six games led to a 195 average and 10th place in a field of more than 290 boys.

Both squads participated in the ECIC Rolloffs on Feb. 13-14 with Kyle Belscher’s and Brittany Sullivan’s both bowling the high game in their respective classes. Belscher, a freshman, competed in the boys Class C and rolled a 199. Eighth-grader Sullivan threw a 172 in the girls Class B competition.

Final league results show the Lady Griffs’ Clark as having been the fourth highest scoring bowler in Division III, with a 241. Keeley Eckers’ 611 three-game series placed her fourth among the division leaders.