By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The Boone County girls’ bowling team returns to the state tournament this week in Lexington with a roster that includes three veterans who were on the 2015 state runner-up team.
The Rebels won the Region 6 championship for the fifth straight year to qualify for the state tournament. The team leaders are Taylor Evans and Kara Strong, who placed first and second in regional singles. The other bowlers in Boone County’s lineup that won the regional team title are Corina Mazur, Skylar Brinkley and Kaylee Austin.
Evans, Strong and Mazur were on the Boone County team that lost to Pleasure Ridge Park, 3-1, in the championship match of the 2015 girls’ state tournament. Last year, the Rebels made it to the quarterfinals and lost to eventual state champion Taylor County.
Simon Kenton won the Region 5 girls’ team title to qualify for this week’s state tournament. The regional runner-up teams in the competition include Highlands and Notre Dame.
On the boys’ side, the local state qualifiers are Campbell County and Brossart from Region 5 and Covington Catholic and Beechwood from Region 6.
The state tournament begins Thursday at Collins Eastland Lanes in Lexington with boys’ and girls’ singles competition. After two qualifying rounds, the top four bowlers based on scores will compete in a stepladder bracket to determine the champions.
In the team competition on Friday, qualifying rounds will determine seeds for a 16-team single-elimination bracket in both boys and girls. Teams will then compete in matches leading up to the championship finals.
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association has added Unified Team competition to this year’s state tournament. Teams consisting of one bowler with intellectual or physical disabilities and a partner without disabilities will participate in a doubles format.
A schedule for the 2017 state bowling tournament is available on the khsaa.org website. Here is a complete rundown of the local state qualifiers:
BOYS TEAMS
Region 5 – Campbell County and Brossart
Region 6 – Covington Catholic and Beechwood
GIRLS TEAMS
Region 5 – Simon Kenton and Highlands
Region 6 – Boone County and Notre Dame
BOYS SINGLES
Region 5 – Johnathan Cummins (Simon Kenton), Cameron Bechtold (Campbell County), Hunter Kolb (Highlands), Gary Tipton (Dayton).
Region 6 – Adam Zimmerman (CovCath), Nathan Hooper (Dixie Heights), Andrew Blood (Cooper), P.J. Rump (Beechwood).
GIRLS SINGLES
Region 5 – Mirena Combs (Newport), Katelyn Schneider (Highlands), Savannah Corwin (Simon Kenton), Amanda Connell (Scott).
Region 6 – Taylor Evans (Boone County), Kara Strong (Boone County), Alecia Radford (Notre Dame), Sierra Brandt (Cooper).
UNIFIED TEAMS
Region 5 – Parker Thomas & Maddie Shelton (Highlands), Nick Blacketer & Mitchell Kreidenweis (Simon Kenton)
Region 6 – Anna Mimms & Hannah Day (Cooper).