Members of the 2021-2022 Jonathan Alder High School girls bowling team are pictured, from left, front row, Ella Campbell, Jenise Jordan and Taylor Heineman; second row, Daisy Henderson, Haley Henderson, Danielle Phipps and Trisha Lennex; back row, coach Mike Walter, Karlie Gavula, Trisha Hall, Shea Huntington and coach Rusty Walter. Not pictured, Satavia Kempton, Kadie Walter, Kenlee Monnin, Macie Lane and Jalyn Moore. Several members of the team will compete in the national high school tournament this weekend.
(Journal-Tribune file photo)
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Members of the Jonathan Alder High School girls bowling team will be competing during the national championship tournament.
The U.S. High School Bowling National Championship will begin Saturday and run through Monday in Louisville, Ky.
The Lady Pioneers comprise one of four schools from Ohio that will be competing in the girls division.
The others include Wooster Triway, Hillsboro and Lakewood.
Schools are eligible to compete in the national tournament, based in part on their 2021-22 season performances.
All bowlers who qualified for their high school state finals during the previous campaign were eligible to enter after April 1.
The Lady Pioneers were the Division I state runners-up during the tournament that was held March 12 at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl.
Wooster Triway won the Division II state title, while Hillboro placed eighth in the D-I tournament.
All high schools entered in the tournament will compete in the “team event” in their respective divisions during the first day.
The second and third days, all bowlers will compete in the “singles” event, also in their respective divisions.
The format of “team” event and “singles” event will each consist of a qualifying round, leading into the “survivor” elimination rounds.
The “survivor” elimination format was specifically designed to provide maximum opportunity for more bowlers to advance further during each day’s competition.
Winners will each earn national championship rings.
Any bowler winning both the “singles” and “team” events will receive their team ring, along with a specially-designed singles ring showcasing the achievement of winning both championships in a single year.
Lady Pioneer bowlers who will take to the lanes include Shea Huntington, Danielle Phipps, Kadie Walter, Haley Henderson, Satavia Kempton, Karlie Gavula, Jenise Jordan and Daisy Henderson.
Walter, Huntington, Kempton, Gavula and Jordan graduated from JA a couple weeks ago.
They are, however, still permitted to compete in the tournament.
“It’s the last go-around for our graduated seniors,” said JA coach Rusty Walter.
The Pioneer coach is no stranger to the national tournament, as he took the Alder boys to the 2019 event, which was held in Indianapolis.
“I really didn’t know what to expect at the tournment in 2019,” he said. “There were just so many people there, the fire marshal had to tell folks to leave.
“That experience will help me be bett prepared and allow me to tell the girls what to expect this weekend.”
Walter is also no stranger to the Executive Bowl in Louisville, where the tournament will be held.
“I’ve bowled there a lot of times,” said Walter, who travels across the country competing in tournaments.