GALION — In just its fourth year competing in bowling as a varsity sport, rather than a club, the Galion boys bowling team made its first trip to the OHSAA Division II State Bowling Tournament.
The tournament was at Wayne Webb’s in Columbus.
The DII State Tournament showcased the top 16 teams, but only the top 8 could advance into the finals—Galion came in 8th.
In the first round of the finals, Galion knocked off Peninsula Woodbridge, the No. 1 team in the state, in four games—they play until one of the teams has 3 wins. Galion then moved on to the final four, where they lost to Coldwater in 5 games, with the last game being decided by 8 pins. Galion ended up finishing in 4th place.
Boys bowling coach Brad Fairchild had nothing but praise for his team in their top-four finish.
“I feel great about their season—we’ve bowled our butts off all year,” Fairchild said. “This is just an all-around great team and I hope we get to do it again next year. I feel for our seniors, but the other just bowled a little better than we did, and congrats to them.”
The members of the boys bowling team are Sean Clark, Alan Evans, Jason Guthridge, Trent Hutson, Nathan Najera, AJ Randolph, Austin Rinehart, Brady Dalenburg and Dravin Morgan.
“It feels absolutely amazing to have made it to the final four in my last year, especially to be the first Galion team to make it this far and be in this building—I thought that was amazing,” Evans, a senior, said. “I never really thought I would make it this far because I never really had the greatest or biggest bowling alley to grow up in—I always just came to the local bowling alley, bowled what I could, and here I am in the championship’s final four. From the beginning of the season, to way back freshman year, I never expected to walk into this building or let alone even know the name of it.”
“Making it to final four is just awesome, this team has come so far from the beginning of the year, and it’s just a true accomplishment making the top four,” Guthridge, a junior, said. “This is my first year on the bowling team, and we want to come back next year and hopefully win it all.”
Prior to heading to state, the boys participated in the “walk of fame” in the halls of the high school, and then they received a police escort to city limits before they made their way to Columbus.