Spain Park Boys, Sparkman Girls Claim AHSAA’s First State Bowling Titles on January 30, 2016 by Marvin Chou
PELHAM -- The inaugural AHSAA State Bowling Championships at Pelham’s Oak Mountain Lanes came down to the top two seeds in the boys’ division with No. 1 seed Stanhope Elmore facing No. 2 seed Spain Park in the finals Friday. The Jaguars built an early lead in the final match, however, capture the first boys’ state championship with a 1,836 score – 260 pins ahead of the Mustangs’ 1.576 total.
Sparkman beat James Clemens in the girls’ finals to win the girls’ AHSAA state title with a winning 1,488 pin total. The Jets had 1,269 in the final match.
Stanhope Elmore eighth grader Josh Wilson rolled as championship match high 254 in the traditional game to lead all bowlers. Coach Wes Dunseith’s Mustangs also got big game from Stormy Stephens, who rolled s 193 in the traditional game. Spain Park, coached by Stephen Hobbs, trailed by 15 pins after the traditional game but rebounded to outscore Stanhope 223-145 in the first Baker game and 203-148 in the second to take the lead for good. Jalen Johnson had a high game of 179 and Devin Dowdle had a 181 for the Jags in the traditional game round.
Sparkman’s Nicole Gilbert rolled a 218 to help Coach Isabella Coffell’s Senators build a 744-596 lead in the traditional game. They closed out with a strong 191 total in the final Baker game to win by by 119 pins. The 191 game was the best of the final match. James Clemens was coached by Anthony Pickard.
Stanhope beat Huntsville by 102 pins, 1,781 to 1,679, in the semifinals and Spain Park downed Mary Montgomery by a slimmer 67-pin margin. James Waller rolled a 228 for the Jaguars in his single traditional game, and Christian McNeeley of Mary Montgomery rolled a 255 for the top single game of the semis.
In the girls’ semifinals, James Clemens beat top-seeded Etowah 1,471 – 1,127, and Sparkman downed second-seeded Scottsboro 76 pins, rolling 1,558 to the Wildcats’ 1,482 total. Sierra Lewis of Scottsboro had the high game (205) and Beth Fowler of Sparkman was next with a 201. She had three 200-plus traditional games on Friday including a 243 in a first-round win over Thompson for the highest individual girls' game of the day.
All matches consisted of one traditional game and five Baker format games.
Friday’s complete Championship Bracket match play results are listed below.
AHSAA STATE BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Friday’s Championship Bracket Results
(All matches consist of 1 traditional and 5 Baker format games)
Boys Final Results
Spain Park 1,836, Stanhope Elmore 1,576
High Tradition Game
254 Josh Wilson, Stanhope Elmore
193 Stormy Stephens, Stanhope Elmore
181 Devin Dowdell, Spain Park
179 Jalen Johnson, Spain Park
Boys Semifinal Results
Stanhope Elmore 1,781, Huntsville 1,679
Spain Park 1,831, Mary Montgomery 1,754
High Traditional Games
255 Christian McNeeley, Mary Montgomery
228 James Waller, Spain Park
Boys Quarterfinal Results
Stanhope Elmore 1,843, Prattville 1,735
Huntsville 1,754, Etowah 1,614
Mary Montgomery 1,735, Vestavia Hills 1,699
Spain Park 1,872, Benjamin Russell 1,654
High Traditional Games
269 Josh Wilson, Stanhope Elmore
259 Myliq Davis, Huntsville
Boys First Round Results
Stanhope Elmore 1,606, Sparkman 1,472
Prattville 1,613, Thompson 1,475
Etowah 1,829, Baker 1,663
Huntsville 1,628, Gadsden City 1,597
Mary Montgomery 1,724, East Limestone, 1.388
Vestavia Hills 1,852, James Clemens 1,543
Benjamin Russell 1,624, Hewitt-Trussville 1,513
Spain Park 1,714, Fairhope 1,507
High Traditional Game
267 Austin Gibbs, Etowah
Girls Finals
Sparkman 1,488, James Clemens 1,269
High Traditional Game
218 Nicole Gilbert, Sparkman
Girls Semifinal Pairings
James Clemens 1,471, Etowah 1,127
Sparkman 1,558, Scottsboro 1,482
High Traditional Game
205 Sierra Lewis, Scottsboro
201 Beth Fowler, Sparkman
Girls Quarterfinal Pairings
Etowah 1,500, Southside-Gadsden 1,488
James Clemens 1,352, Mary Montgomery 1,332
Sparkman 1,511, Hewitt-Trussville 1,283
Scottsboro 1,423, Spain Park 1,390
High Traditional Game
234 Sierra Lewis, Scottsboro
211 Nicole Gilbert, Sparkman
First Round Results
Etowah 1,364, Satsuma 1,152
Southside-Gadsden 1,358, Gadsden City, 1,082
Mary Montgomery 1,349, Northview 1,199
James Clemens 1,377, Thompson 1,260
Hewitt-Trussville 1,342, Pelham 1,173
Sparkman 1,548, McGill-Toolen, 1,097
Spain Park 1,391, Pinson Valley 1,318
Scottsboro 1,430, Beauregard, 1,306
High Traditional Game
243 Beth Fowler, Sparkman