London’s unlikely run tops state storylines

Eight teams and eight individuals will represent central Ohio in the Division I state bowling tournaments Friday and Saturday at HP Lanes, and there is a decided contrast in their stories.

Two of the four area boys teams, Big Walnut and Hilliard Davidson, are at state for the second time – and the second year in a row. The other two, Gahanna Lincoln and Jonathan Alder, have combined for 11 appearances.

Gahanna is the veteran program on the girls side, although its three-year string of district titles was snapped Feb. 27 at HP Lanes. The 2018, 2020 and 2021 state champion Lions have advanced to the season’s final event for the fifth consecutive year, but the other three Central District qualifiers – Hilliard Bradley, London and Newark – have advanced as teams for the first time.

The boys compete Friday, followed by the girls Saturday.

Here are some storylines entering the state tournament:

London girls make unlikely run

With a chance to win the school’s first girls team championship, the Red Raiders are set to finish a season they never saw coming.

London has been through three coaches, the first two having left for personal reasons, and despite a 9-14 regular-season record reached its first district tournament. The Red Raiders finished third (3,395) to Newark (3,674) and Gahanna (3,537) and just ahead of Bradley (3,359), thanks in large part to freshman Abbie Wheeler’s fifth-place series of 591.

Seniors Riley Colestock and Lauren Peters and freshman Breanna Baldwin comprised the rest of the district lineup. Peters will bowl at Ohio Northern and Colestock, whose father is coach Ed Colestock, will run cross country and track at The Citadel.

Wheeler bowled a program-record 267 game Feb. 12 against New Carlisle Tecumseh.

Big Walnut boys ride depth

With senior and two-time reigning district champion Aidan Furukawa and classmate Nick Green atop the lineup, the Golden Eagles edged Jonathan Alder by six pins (4,138-4,132) to capture the district title.

Furukawa bowled a 743 series at district. He was fourth in the Central Ohio High School Bowling Conference in average (214.7) during the regular season, two spots behind Green (224.7).

Senior Garrett Irvine and juniors Dominic Bolton and Tino Tucci have been the other regulars.

Jonathan Alder is led by junior and 2023 state runner-up Drew Damron, who was second to Furukawa at district by 15 pins and averaged 225 during the regular season.

Several girls mark returns

Newark senior Jade Gabor is coming off a 68-pin victory at district, 684-616 over Licking Valley senior Olivia Strait, but the Wildcats’ first district team title meant Gabor – who was 29th at state last year, 73rd as a sophomore and had the highest district series statewide – did not take an individual berth.

Those went to Strait, Jonathan Alder senior Daisy Henderson (fourth at district, 597), Pickerington Central junior Emma Pugh (fourth, 582) and Worthington Kilbourne senior Amber Brockway (seventh, 559).

Strait was Division II district champion in 2022 and placed 31st at state.

Pickerington North’s Becker leads boys individuals

The district’s four individual qualifiers finished fourth through seventh at district, led by North senior Baylee Becker (fourth, 672).

He was followed closely by Hilliard Darby sophomore Isaac Fellner (fifth, 669), Reynoldsburg sophomore Quinn Dean (sixth, 663) and Jackson freshman Blake Woodyard (seventh, 661). All are making their state debuts.