Bowling: Lady Cougars finish third in WBL

VW independent sports/submitted information

ST. MARYS — Van Wert roared back in the baker portion to place third in the Western Buckeye League girls bowling tournament held Monday at Varsity Lanes in St. Marys.

St. Marys Memorial won the tournament and Wapakoneta finished second.

Lorrie Decker, Hanna Say and Makenna Nagel led the girls in the traditional portion of the tournament, with Decker placing 11th, Say 21st and Nagel 22nd, and they found help in teammates Ryleigh Hanicq and Tiarra Rhodes coming off the bench.

After the first two traditional games the Lady Cougars found themselves in fifth place, but managed to move up to fourth after the last traditional game behind St.Marys, Wapakoneta and Celina.

Entering the six baker game portion, after the first game of 125 they fell behind Celina by 207 pins with five games left to make up the pin count, but Van Wert rallied behind seniors Katie Hauter and Makenzie Bowers with the support of senior Kayla Papke, lighting up the lanes with games of 204, 199, 142, 245 (school record) and 175.

The Cougar girls led all WBL teams in the baker portion of the tournament besting the 2019 defending state champion St.Marys by 59 pins and the 2020 WBL regular season champions Wapakoneta by 149 pins in the six baker games.

Van Wert will begin the postseason (sectionals) at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, at Community Lanes in Minster.