2015 Preview: Hillsboro bowlers want to return to state tournament
Both the Hillsboro Indians boys and girls bowling teams have very high expectations for the 2015 season.
They will not be satisfied until they reach their ultimate goals of returning to the state tournament for the boys, and for the girls, getting past the district round and to the state tournament as a team for the first time.
Last season, the Indians boys bowling team placed fifth overall in Division I of the OHSAA State Bowling Tournament. Last year at the state tournament, Hillsboro was the No. 1 seed entering the Final 8 tournament but lost in the opening round to eventual state champion Beavercreek by scores of 179-135, 232-143 and 209-154. HHS did win frames three and four at 173-171 and 160-156.
This season, a change is the boys team will be in Division II, not Division I.
Coaching the boys bowling team this season is Shane Ison, and the Indians have already begun the year with two solid wins against quality opponents, but there is still a lot for the Indians to achieve, and Coach Ison and his team know that.
"So far, the kids have been bowling great," he said. "Our first match, we went against McClain and Chillicothe, and our second match was against West Union, Lynchburg-Clay and McClain, so we've done well so far."
The boys team has 12 bowlers this season, with six on varsity and six on the JV team. On the boys team are: senior Jaxsun Miller, junior Sajoun Jones, junior Tyler King, senior Travis Carter, senior Chris Jeter and junior Hunter Lowe.
"All of those bowlers are back from the state final team," Ison said. "We lost Chris Karnes from last year’s varsity team to graduation."
Last season, Karnes placed 10th overall in Division I with a 603 Baker score at the state tournament, but returning is King, who was 11th with a 608 score, which earned him honorable mention All-Ohio for last season.
Miller was 29th at state last season, while Lowe and Jones each placed in the Top 50. After two matches this season, Miller has a 215 average, and King has a 215 average as well.
The expectations are the same as last season, but maybe even greater.
"I think we can make it to back to the state finals again," Ison said. "We have high expectations for the boys. They are doing really well."
In the South Central Ohio League, seven of the eight schools in the league have bowling (East Clinton does not), and it will be a tough battle once again for the Indians.
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As for the Lady Indians bowling team, they were just a few pins away from reaching the state tournament as a team, though last season they did have one bowler reach the state tournament as an individual.
This season is already off to a great start for the Lady Indians, as after two matches, they are also 5-0.
"The girls scores are so strong right now, they are beating most of the opponents’ varsity boys teams’ scores," HHS girls bowling head coach Jeff Miller said. "The only score they didn't beat was our boys team.
"The girls are strong and were fifth in Division I District last year, missing it by just 56 pins, and I expect us to get past that this year. We are already much stronger, and there is no reason why we shouldn't make it this year."
The Lady Indians placed fifth last season, one spot away from making state, at the district tournament with a score of 3,411. Fourth-place Whitehall-Yearling scored 3,463.
There are five starters on the varsity team, and the tournament team will consist of eight bowlers for the Lady Indians.
The varsity starters are sophomore Madalyn Miller, junior Alexis Bailey, sophomore Mary Herman, senior Keely Bennington and sophomore Aleigha Tarbutton. Besides the score from Miller last year at districts, others who were on the team last season had district scores of: Bennington (504), Tarbutton (339) and Bailey (191).
Miller was 63rd in the state last season as a freshman.
"They are our top bowlers, our Top 5," Coach Miller said. "The girls have been working hard and are looking overcome some close losses from last season. They've been in here working hard all summer, and I can't speak enough about the work ethic of these girls.
"I want to see us finish first in the SCOL, as that is our first goal of the season. We are going to take it one step at a time, and when we go into the districts, our goal is to make state this year. We are working for that, and with the scores the girls are putting up already, there is no reason we can't."