Indian Valley bowls fifth at districts

Indian Valley’s boys bowling team was looking to grab a berth in the Division II state tournament but the Braves fell a couple hundred pins short and placed fifth in the Coshocton District tourney at Legacy Lanes Feb. 19. The top two spots, which came with automatic state berths, went to Barnesville (3766 pins) and River View (3660). Union Local (3551) was next, followed by the Braves (3469).

Sophomores Miles Blikensderfer and Kenny Welch led Indian Valley, tying for 11th place with 527 total pins. That left each 85 pins shy of what was needed to get one of the top two spots, which resulted in individual berths for Michael Lorello of Conotton Valley (613) and Michael Kovalski of Buckeye Local (612).

Seniors Cale Dinger (497) and Robbie Jones (489) finished 23rd and 24th respectively, among 32 bowlers who competed in all three games for their teams.

Newcomerstown senior Jaxson Mayo finished tied for 13th place with a 524 series. He was the area’s lone individual qualifier.

For Indian Valley’s girls, sophomore Lilly Tristano rolled a 415 series, which put her in 20th place, 71 pins back of the second individual qualifying spot. Tuscarawas Central Catholic senior Isabella Murphy finished with a 392 to land in 28th place. Neither individual qualifier could find the groove she had a week earlier at sectionals.

Carrollton senior Kaylee Russell, who led her team to a state berth, won the individual race with a 500 series.

New Philadelphia and Dover’s girls were set to play in the 14-team East/Southeast District tournament at Shawee Lanes in Chillicothe Feb. 25. One team and one individual not on the winning team will move on to the state tournament at HPL Bowling Center in Columbus March 7. The boys teams from the two schools also were headed to Shawnee Lanes Feb. 25, part of a 12-team East/Southeast District. Likewise, one team and one individual will move on. The boys state competition in Division I is set for March 6.

Swimming

Dover and New Philadelphia’s qualifiers turned in some solid performances at the Cleveland State District meet on Feb. 21 but nobody was able to overcome a field of much larger schools to advance to the Division I state meet this weekend.

For Dover’s boys senior Thomas Perkowski finished eighth in the 50-yard freestyle and ninth in the 100. Sophomore Tanis Handerhan placed 17th in the 100 free and 20th in the 200. Junior Evan Dorenkott finished 16th in the 100 backstroke and 31st in the 200 individual medley.

Handerhan, Dorenkott, Perkowksi and junior Danny Peltz placed 24th in the 400 free relay

The 200 free relay team of Handerhan, Dorenkott, Perkowski and junior Kelvin Flores came in 16th

For Dover’s girls, freshman Ruth Cotlet finished 28th in the district in the 100 breaststroke. Her time of 1:15.56. was about a quarter-second faster than she swam in sectionals.

For New Philadelphia’s boys, the foursome of juniors Jacob Haren, Teagan Zimmerman and Ben Haren, and senior Kasen Jones finished 18th in the 200 medley relay, which was three spots higher than their seed. Jacob Haren came in 29th in the 100 backstroke, slicing .73 seconds off his sectional time.