Big Walnut boys, Newark girls earn district titles
Two first-time team champions were crowned at the Division I district bowling tournament Tuesday at HP Lanes.
Led by senior Aidan Furukawa’s firstplace series of 743, the Big Walnut boys edged runner-up Jonathan Alder 4,1384,132.
Newark’s girls had a little more cushion in earning their first state berth. Powered by a 684 series from individual champion Jade Gabor, the Wildcats rolled a 3,674 to outdistance secondplace Gahanna Lincoln (3,537).
Big Walnut’s Furukawa wins second straight title
Furukawa rolled games of 253, 267 and 223 to finish 15 pins ahead of runner-up Drew Damron of Jonathan Alder and capture his second district title in a row. Last year, he edged Damron 738734.
Nick Green (608), Garrett Irvin (590) and Dominic Bolton (568) helped to boost Big Walnut, which finished 14th in its state debut last year.
“We knew going into this year that this might be the best team we’ve had all-time,” Golden Eagles coach Connor Liedke said. “We didn’t anticipate winning both sectional and district. We struggled a little bit today, but we really picked it up in Bakers and pulled through.”
Teams bowled three regulation games and six Baker games.
Gahanna (4,113) and Hilliard Davidson (4,088) earned the other boys team berths to state March 8 at HP Lanes, which is hosting the tournament for the first time after it was played the past 13 years at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl.
Individual qualifiers were Pickerington North’s Baylee Becker (fourth, 672), Hilliard Darby’s Isaac Fellner (fifth, 669), Reynoldsburg’s Quinn Dean (sixth, 663) and Blake Woodyard of Jackson (seventh, 661).
Gabor leads Newark to victory
Gabor, a three-time state qualifier, opened with a 231 to take the lead and followed that up with games of 257 and 196 to win the individual championship by 68 pins ahead of Licking Valley’s Olivia Strait.
Makayla Adams (501), Regan Shanaberg (482) and Andy Hupp (458) also contributed for the Wildcats, who ended Gahanna’s three-year run of district titles.
Gabor was 29th at state last year as an individual.
“I saw there was potential here; we just weren’t sure if it would come together,” Newark coach Denise Wiley said. “They bowled as a true team today. We’re very proud. … We’re very excited.”
Gahanna (3,537), London (3,395) and Hilliard Bradley (3,359) will join Newark at state March 9.
Individual qualifiers were Strait (616), Jonathan Alder’s Daisy Henderson (fourth, 597), Pickerington Central’s Emma Pugh (sixth, 582) and Amber Brockway of Worthington Kilbourne (seventh, 559). dpurpura@dispatch.com @dp_dispatch