Sparkman Rolls Through Regional- Qualify For Bowling State Tournament
TUSCALOOSA- The Sparkman High bowling program continues to roll to the elite status in Alabama as the Lady Senators won the North Regional while the boys’ team fell in the Regional semi-finals, but still qualify for the AHSAA State Tournament being among the top four teams in the post-season playoffs.
The Sparkman girls raced through the North Regional, held at Shindig Family Entertainment Center in Tuscaloosa, by rolling to the top seed after the first day individual games and then emerged as the champions as they defeated Northridge 729-410, Spain Park 700-554 and Vestavia Hills 926-686. The boys completed opening round action as second seed after scoring 2,717 points to finish runner-up to Hewitt-Trussville (2,685). In the bracket pairings, the Senators defeated Northridge 804-726, but fell to Spain Park in the semi-finals 823-671.
The top four teams in boys and girls earned spots in the upcoming state tourney. Both Sparkman squads are Class 7A defending state champions winning both titles in 2021.
“We are the team everyone’s looking at,” said Lisa Ivey head coach of Sparkman and Alabama Coach of the Year named by the National Federation of State High School Associations. “The State Tournament will be filled with tough competition especially from the teams in the South Regional. Our teams are young as we have two starters who are new to our team as they moved here for the start of the school year. We have a sophomore and an eighth grader who start for us.”
Both squads were undefeated during the regular season as the girls were 14-0 while the boys were also perfect at 16-0.
In the second day of regional competition a “Baker” format was used as each of the five-member teams roll two frames each. In the first day action, individual bowlers add their three-game series scores for team totals.
The individual leaders in the opening day action included Sparkman senior and University of Pikeville signee Emily Lindsey leading all scorers with games 202-202-242 for a 646 series. Senator teammate Jenna Webber was fourth with a 499 series including game scores of 151-198-150. Her sister, Angela, was fifth with scores of 161-177-156 for a 494 series. Joining those three rollers for the squad were Katy Alexander and Natalie Allsup.
In boys, Zachary Swaim was fourth overall with game scores of 164-225-192 to post a 581 series.
The sixth annual State Bowling Championships will be hosted by The Alley Bowling Center in Gadsden Jan. 27-28. There are 64 schools across Alabama competing in bowling with 20 of those schools hosting both boys and girls teams. The Sparkman girls have won state titles in both 2016 and 2021 while the boys have taken their lone title a year ago.
