Holmes County bowling preview: West Holmes rebuilds, Garaway leans on experience, Triway eyes growth

The high school boys and girls bowling seasons begin Nov. 14. Here are season previews for area schools.

West Holmes boys and girls

The boys will be young this season with only one returning letter-winner in sophomore Ryan Rowland.

He’ll be joined by a big group of promising freshmen: Cameron Young, Cole Rusk, Sean Klutz, Clayton Beckett, Dominick Saxton and Grayson Hoxworth.

“(We) lost a lot of seniors, but we have many freshmen bowling this year,” said fourth-year coach Chris Young, whose boys team finished 6-14 overall and 1-9 in the Ohio Cardinal Conference last season.

The girls, on the other hand, will be experienced, returning five letter-winners from last year’s team that won the OCC Championship Tournament. Those returnees include seniors Aubree Young and Lily Galehouse, junior Kennedi Frazier, and sophomores Madison Brenneman and Hallie Maurer. Senior Adrienne Stump also will be in the mix this season.

“Both teams so far work extremely well together,” said coach Young, who also leads the girls team, which finished 11-7 overall and 3-7 in the OCC last year.

Competing for the league title remains the goal for both teams.

“We always strive to be on top, and that’s how we coach,” coach Young said. “The season will tell as well as time. Don’t count us out.”

Garaway boys

Losing only one bowler to graduation, the Pirates will be a more experienced bunch this season.

“Last year we were a very young team with three of our six bowlers being freshmen with little to no bowling experience,” 10th-year coach Todd Page said. “We spent a lot of time early in the season just teaching those young men to not only be comfortable on the lanes, but also the necessary skills associated with the game of bowling. We only lost one senior from last year’s squad (Blaine Lintern), but he was a big loss. He was a four-year letterman and leader of our squad the past few years and holds several Garaway boys bowling records.”

Returning letter-winners include senior Tyler Troyer, junior Ethan Specht, and sophomores Preston Weaver, Corbin Clymer and Jake Nichelson. Freshman Graem Wallick is a promising newcomer.

“The strength of this team will be to be able to start the season with four returning lettermen that gained a ton of experience by bowling in every match last year,” Page said.

A lack of upperclassmen will lead to some challenges for the Pirates.

“We have one senior and one junior returning,” Page said. “Our young guys gained valuable experience last season, and we will need them to continue to work hard and hone their skills for us to be successful.”

Garaway finished 3-16 overall and 3-13 in the Inter-Valley Conference a year ago.

“I look for the three teams (Claymont, Indian Valley and East Canton) at the top of the conference last year to fight it out again this year with an edge to Indian Valley, although I think there are three or four teams that fall in the middle, us included, that could be a surprise at the top at the end of the year,” Page said.

Garaway girls

The Pirates are coming off a strong season but have to replace a few key pieces.

“For a team of six to graduate three seniors, we will look very different,” 11th-year coach Troy Page said. “On the plus side, our three returning starters are each very experienced.”

Those returning are senior Harmony Clymer and juniors Erin Meek and Greta McNutt.

“Our team’s strength will have to be leaning on our experience, as all three of our returners have played a big role in their past years, preparing them for this moment,” Page said.

Putting together the other pieces could cause some problems early in the season.

“We have four new girls joining the team this year, a senior and three freshmen, so how quickly we can get them up to speed will be the challenge,” Page said.

Garaway finished 16-3 overall and earned a share of the IVC title with a 13-3 record.

“The ladies from East Canton have to be the favorites this year,” Page said. “Craig Linerode and his team does an amazing job with their kids, and Madison Lint, last year’s Player of the Year and state qualifier, is returning and has a talented group around her. Our goal will be to get our young kids up to speed as quickly as possible to make a run going into the IVC tournament.”

Triway girls

Triway lost Kennedy Finley, who finished 26th in the state a year ago, and Dana Armstrong to graduation. The Titans have two returning letter-winners in team captain Alexanderia Wallace, whom head coach Chriss Steiner said will be the team’s anchor, and Kadence Duncan, whom Steiner said will miss time early on with a knee injury.

Otherwise, Steiner will turn to a fivesome of sophomores: Kinsley Merkle, Cadence Shilling, Aubriegh Banfield, Savannah Starcher and Ellen Holmes.

If there’s one thing about that age distribution that is cause for good vibes, it’s the youth movement indicates more interest in the program and represents a potential foundational group as the Titans look to the future.