Sparkman Girls Take Third, Buckhorn Boys Take First At State Bowling Championships
PELHAM- Gallant, gutsy and gargantuan efforts many times are just not enough to finish at the top in athletics. For both the James Clemens boys and Sparkman girls bowling teams, efforts certainly pushed them a long way in the AHSAA State Bowling Tournament, but both came up short of their eventual goal of winning the state championships. Meanwhile, Buckhorn stayed the course by winning its first ever bowling title by winning the boy’s championship in the action held at Pelham’s Oak Mountain Lanes.
The Sparkman girls battled their way through the second of the two-day event held in Pelham with victories over Pleasant Grove 1,303-985 and Etowah 1,330-1,214 before falling to No. 2 seed Stanhope Elmore 1,302-1,281 in the semi-finals.
The James Clemens boys, which went through the first day of qualifying games for a No. 8 seeding, fell victim to No. 9 seed Daphne 1,435-1,406 in the first round of the Championship Bracket and were eliminated during day two action.
Sparkman, the 2016 state champion, were led by four bowlers who finished among the top 20 in individual competition. Jacquelyne Beard finished No. 10 with a three-game series 517 (172, 183, 162). Nicole Gilbert was No. 11 with a 514 series (203, 143, 168), Emily Lindsey was No. 12 as she posted a series of 510 (137, 202, 170) and Angela Webber took spot No. 18 rolling a series score of 485 (151, 128, 206).
“We had an amazing tournament as our girls never gave up even when we were down by 35 pins to Stanhope-Elmore in the semi-finals,” said Davis Giambrone head coach of Sparkman. “Stanhope-Elmore opened the door for us several times in the match, but we just couldn’t take advantage. I can honestly say our girls took the loss with dignity and respect and they represented our community well.”
Giambrone had assistance from Diana Lindsey in coaching the Lady Senators this season and he sung her praises after the tournament. “Diana was certainly one of the reasons were so successful this season as she helped focus on the bowling techniques the girls needed help with.”
Sparkman will lose just one graduating senior off this season’s squad as Beard, the squad’s No. 1 player, rolled her final ball for the Senators. In perfect senior style, she rolled a strike on her final ball and began to cry as her indication of her last performance for Sparkman.
In boy’s individual standings, Michael Kosinski led the Jets at No. 11 after a series of 635 (235, 189, 211) as no other James Clemens bowler finished among the top 20.
Madison County rivals Buckhorn Bucks won the boys state championship with a finals victory over Vestavia Hills 1,547-1,493 after being down by 100 pins going into the bracket portion of the tournament. The Bucks were led by Jackson Stiles, Peyton Hughes and Justin Byrd. Stiles finished the state tournament with a 1,578 series total for the seven traditional games, best in the meet, and finished with a 212 in the championship match. The Bucks are coached by Brittney Carnell and defeated Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (1,622-1,333), East Limestone (1,581-1,393) and Grissom (1,477-1,456) on their way to the finals. It was the Bucks’ first state title in bowling.
Southside-Gadsden won the girl’s state championship for the second straight season beating Stanhope Elmore in the championship match 1,408-1,307.
