Hillsboro boys bowling team earns trip to state for 2nd straight season
On Thursday, Feb. 18, the Hillsboro High School boys bowling team competed in the East/Southeast OHSAA district finals held at Park Lanes in Heath, winning the district championship and stamping their ticket to the state tournament for a second consecutive season.
Hillsboro came out firing with a strong 1,117 first game to lead the field, led by senior Jaxsun Miller with a 276 game and Tyler King with a 244.
As the lanes started to transition, the Tribe fell off their scoring pace and shot an 860 game.
After some equipment changes, the boys got back on track in the third game, topping out at over 1,000 pins for that game. Going into six baker games, Hillsboro had a small lead on Minerva.
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After the first four bakers, the Indians increased their lead to over 100 pins, but they gave many points back in the final two bakers due to extremely dry lane conditions.
The tournament ended well, and the Indians held on and won the district championship by six pins with a total of 4,223 over second-place Minerva, scoring 4,217. Third was Maysville at 4,174, and fourth place went to Zane Trace with 4,163.
Carrollton was fifth (3,937), and Claymont was sixth (3,924). Seventh place went to New Lexington (3,662), and the final spot was the Washington Blue Lions (3,552).
“We are very proud of all the boys have accomplished this year,” HHS coaches Shane Ison and Jeff Miller said. “Our goal was to try to improve on a great season last year, finishing fifth in the state, but to do what we have done this year is simply incredible.
“First place in the SCOL, first in sectionals, now first in districts. Going back to the OHSAA State Tournament was a goal from the start, but to go undefeated all the way, there is a huge advantage mentally for our boys.
“Last year, we walked into the state tournament unknown by most. This year, we are known by every team there. We are not walking into Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl on Friday to just make an appearance or to put up a good fight. We are going to hit them with everything we have got. I believe we will go very deep and have a shot to win it all.”