Hillsboro wins Team USA Experience Tournament
By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press
Hillsboro outscored Beavercreek in the championship round in the Team USA Experience tournament in Centerville for a first-place finish on Saturday, Dec. 20.
Hillsboro entered the tournament as a number-six seed and had to bowl a total of 15 games in order to capture the championship. There were a total of 22 teams in the tournament, with the top eight advancing to the championship round.
Sophomore Hunter Lowe, the Indians' anchor bowler, made the All-Tournament team with a total score of 402.
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Overall, Hillsboro defeated four teams that had qualified for state last year.
In the championship round, the Indians defeated Mentor, Northmont Clayton and Beavercreek.
"They did something very special this weekend, that's for sure," Head Coach Jeff Miller said. "Nobody in the tournament knew who we were or where we were from, but everyone was saying our name after the tournament."
Miller said the Indians had to contend with different oil patterns on the lanes, similar to the professional bowling tour, which make each lane unique.
They also bowled in the Baker Format, in which all five teammates bowl toward one score.
With five-person teams, the first bowler will bowl frames 1 and 6. The second bowler will bowl frames 2 and 7 and so on, with your fifth bowler bowling frames 5 and 10.
When team captain Jaxsun Miller connected on a strike in the ninth frame, the Indians had outdistanced Beavercreek for the championship – without bowling the 10th frame.
The Indians' starting five bowlers include Lowe, Miller, sophomore Tyler King, senior Chris Karnes and sophomore Sajoun Jones. Alternates include Chris Jeter, Travis Carter and Garrett McCoppin.
Team USA Experience was held at Poelking Lanes South in Centerville.
Hillsboro will host its first South Central Ohio League match on Jan. 5 at Highland Lanes against Miami Trace and Washington. This is Hillsboro's third year of high school bowling competition.