The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Clipper, Longhorn heading to state
Dominguez, Schabel qualify for first time
For some, this time of year can be another disappointing close call.
Not for Clearview’s Kelsey Dominguez and Lutheran West’s Brandon Schabel.
For them, it’s a moment they’ve dreamed of since they were kids. Why? Dominguez and Schabel are heading to Columbus after both seniors individually qualified for state with a stellar showing in the Division II District Tournament at Austintown.
The boys state bowling tournament at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl is on March 2, while the girls will take the lanes March 3.
Dominguez turned out a solid first two games, tallying a 209 and 190. The strong start propelled her past the cut line as she finished with a 563, clinching her first trip to the state tournament and becoming the first Clipper to ever qualify for state in the program’s six-year history.
“When I found out I was going to state I was just honestly shocked,” Dominguez said. “I just kept thinking during that last game, ‘Well, this is going to be my last time bowling.’
“I saw all the other scores of all the other competitors and I was just like, whoa!”
Dominguez, who comes from a family of bowlers, has always leaned on her father, Joe Dominguez — 2008 Lorain Bowling Association Hall of Fame inductee
and Clearview assistant coach — to help sharpen her knowledge and skills as she looks to carry on the family legacy.
“He has been a big inspiration to me because I have seen him bowl for so many years, and him just being the assistant coach for Clearview, it has really helped me out,” Dominguez said.
Now treading in uncharted waters, the senior will look to calm her nerves as she takes her shot at a state championship.
“I’m just going to have to try to keep calm. If I stress about it, I know I won’t do too good,” Dominguez said. “I’m just going to try to stay
calm until the event comes. It’s a big surprise! I didn’t think I was going to make it to state.”
Clearview coach Scott Sloboda believes Dominguez’s breakthrough is a culmination of her desire to be the best she can be, not only for herself, but for her teammates as well.
“I have never heard a negative comment or a complaint about her,” Sloboda said. “She is the athlete that really picks her teammates up and she really elevated everyone around her this year.
“The impact she has had on this program has been pretty much immeasurable.”
Some of the Clearview records Dominguez holds include:
• Girls total pinfall in a season (4,821) • Girls high game (254) • Girls high two-game series (452)
• Pinfall in career (not including conference, sectional or district tournaments) — 18,293
Dominguez will not be the only area kegler making the trip to state.
Lutheran West’s Schabel used a sensational secondgame score of 226 to catapult himself into contention at the district tournament. The boost was enough to get him past the cutline as he finished with a score of 593, earning his first trip to the state tournament.
“I started jumping up and down and hugging my teammates,” Schabel said.
“I have never gotten this far, that’s crystal clear. I just can’t wait to get down there and start practicing.”
With so much on the line, and knowing he had a chance, nerves were clearly visible between player and coach heading into the third and final game.
“He could tell, he asked me after the second game and asked, ‘Where am I sitting?’ I said, ‘It’s so crowded (over by the leaderboard) I have no idea. If I could find out I will, just keep hitting your marks and it’ll take care of itself,’” Lutheran West coach Bob Magee said.
He was informed of the good news from friend and Padua team captain, Michael Tatorowicz.
“He said, ‘You did it, you made fourth individuals.’ I was like, ‘No way!’ ” Schabel said.
Always willing to ask questions and find the insand-outs of the game, Schabel’s hard work and determination throughout the season brought him to a point where few Longhorns have reached.
“He is very inquisitive,” Magee said. “He absorbs information. He is a really good leader of the team, too. He has been our anchorman ever since he started, even as a freshman. He was always a little bit better than the other kids at Lutheran West.”
Schabel credited Magee’s continued encouragement for his memorable run.
“He has been such a great coach,” Schabel said. “I had been struggling for about four weeks. The fifth week I just nailed it. I had like a 632 series and, man, he is such an inspiration to look up to.”
Schabel’s career highlights at Lutheran West include:
• All-Star for freshman, sophomore and junior year on Greater Cleveland Interscholastic Bowling League (GCIBL)
• Highest average was a 205 in 2016-17 season
The furthest a Longhorn has gotten in the state tournament was Rodney Bassett’s state-runner up in 2010. Schabel hopes he can rewrite Lutheran West history one frame at a time.
“I’ve just got to stay focused,” Schabel said. “I’ve got to stay calm and worry about what my coach is saying and not look up to my parents or my friends. I have just got to keep focused and block all of that out.”