Carrollton boys bowling a mix of experience, newcomers in repeat bid

By virtually any metric, last year was a success for Carrollton boys bowling coach Joe Phillis. After four years as assistant coach for the Lady Warriors, he took the wheel of the boys’ squad, leading Carrollton to a 12-6 mark and 7-1 in the Eastern Buckeye Conference, earning the Warriors the conference crown and Phillis Coach of the Year honors.

In the Stark County High School Bowling Conference’s American Division, Carrollton finished just ahead the Lions with a 9-1 first-place mark, while Phillis shared Coach of the Year honors with Hanoverton United’s Gary Herold.

Entering his second season, however, Phillis has some patchwork to do. True, Carrollton will return four letter winners, but the Warriors also said goodbye to Bryce Taylor, who was first team in the EBC and second team in Stark County’s American Division (195.07 average), as well as Levi Crider and Brock Oberlin, who each received EBC honorable mention status.

That’s not to say Carrollton is starting over. Not at all, as there are four returning letter winners ready to lead the Warriors into battle on the lanes, led by Jace Eckinger, a second-team selection for both the EBC and Stark County’s American Division (191.07 average). Eckinger also recorded the high game in the American Division last season by rolling a 289. Joining Eckinger are fellow seniors Noah Hutson and Khalen Green, as well as sophomore Colton Rummell.

To the mix will be added four promising newcomers, including junior Jason Cline, sophomore Jaden Logan, and freshmen Caleb Jurkiewicz and Wyatt Karlosky.

One hurdle that the Warriors will again have to contend with is their likely competition come tourney time. While the Lady Warriors remained in Div. II, the boys were bumped up to Div. I last year and are destined to slog it out again there in 2025-26. Last season, Carrollton was assigned to the OHSAA Div. I Eastern District bowling tournament alongside the likes of eight-time state qualifier Hillsboro and New Philadelphia, which advanced to state from the Northeast District in 2024.

The Warriors rolled the ball well during the tourney, but finished third behind the Indians and Quakers as Hillsboro punched its ninth consecutive ticket to state. Still, Phillis believes his squad will be ready to take on all comers again this year.

“I feel this team again will be very competitive this year,” Phillis says. “You can never count this team out."

Carrollton flexed against GlenOak in an early season Stark County matchup of teams from the American and Federal Divisions. The Warriors dispatched the Golden Eagles 2,423-1,917 as Eckinger paced all bowlers with a 406 series after rolling games of 204 and 202. Meanwhile, Jurkiewicz posted a 395 series (195-200), and Green may have started slow with a 148, but he threw the top game of the night with a 222 for a 370 series.

These scores allowed Carrollton to cruise to a 1,807-1,443 lead and it only got worse for GlenOak as the Warriors swept all three Baker format games, 223-161, 193-151, and 200-162.