ROSSFORD – Brandi Roller was one of the best high school bowlers on Saturday at the district tournament
at Interstate Lanes in Rossford.
The Eastwood High School senior advanced to the state tournament next weekend in Columbus.
Roller had games of 199, 169 and 220 for a 588 series and is one of two individuals to advance from the
district from non-advancing teams.
She had the fourth highest total in the event, behind three girls from the champion Coldwater team. More
than 120 bowlers competed on 18 teams, along with 18 other top individuals from the sectional
tournaments.
"I’m very excited, that’s all I wanted," Roller said of her opportunity to go to the state
event. "I just wish my team was going."
The Eagles finished fourth in the contest at 3,545, with only the top two teams advancing from the
district.
Eastwood’s coach, Jay Young, said he was looking forward to going to the state event with Roller.
"She bowled great all day. She did everything I asked of her," Young said.
He complimented her ability to keep the ball in play and make her spares.
Coldwater’s bowlers, Emily Bruns, 625; Crystal Boyer, 613; and Erika Hartings, 611, along with their
teammates easily won the district title at 3,875. Coldwater took the lead after the first game and never
looked back.
St. Mary’s also advanced as the runner-up team with 3,693.
Bryan finished third on the day at 3,636, including the tournament high 6-game Baker total of 1,120.
Bowling Green’s Kelsey Parker led her team to eighth place at 3,431. Parker, a freshman for the Bobcats,
was consistent with games of 188, 187 and 190 for a 565 series. She was seventh overall in the field and
only eight pins behind the other individual advancer, Jessica Parsons from Napoleon, who bowled a 573.
Parker would have needed nine more pins, just one more spare on the day, to secure advancement to the
state. Had she tied Parsons, she would have lost the tie-breaker of high game.
The Bobcats had the second-highest Baker set of the 18-team field with a,1,080, but did not advance from
their eighth-high regular game total of 2,351.
Mikayla Young was second high for the Eagles, and 16th in the event with her 540 series. Denise Miller,
Bowling Green, and Harley Vaught of Eastwood, tied for 33rd at 500.
Roller will bowl at 11 a.m. Friday at Wayne Webb Lanes, Columbus, to compete for an individual state
title. She will compete against all the bowlers from the 16 team finalists and 15 other individuals.
