Trib HSSN rewind: A look back at the 2018-19 WPIBL bowling season

By: Michael Love
Tuesday, July 9, 2019 | 5:45 PM

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Competitors from the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Bowling League made an impact at all levels during the 2018-19 season.

Small is big at states

Plum’s Shannon Small led the WPIBL with a fourth-place finish (202.5 average/six games) out of 24 in the girls singles qualifier at the Pennsylvania High School State Championships. She landed in fifth overall after the stepladder finals.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart’s Jacob Benzinger fronted the WPIBL in the boys singles qualifier at states with a seventh-place finish (204.7 average).

In the team competition, the Norwin boys led the WPIBL with a third in both the qualifier and stepladder playoffs, while the Burrell girls placed fifth in their qualifier, one spot away from the stepladder playoffs.

Norwin boys take 3rd at state team bowling tournament #TribHSSN @norwinathletics https://t.co/9wXUyQ3PeW

— TribLive HSSN (@TribLiveHSSN) March 17, 2019

Western Regionals

Norwin claimed the boys regional team title with a 2-1 victory over Plum in the bracket finals, while Penn-Trafford won the girls regional crown with a 2-0 triumph over McDowell.

Armstrong’s Jesse Halutick captured the boys regional singles title with a 231-213 win over Hempfield’s Austen Greco in the bracket finals.

The girls regional singles crown went to Small with a 207-177 finals win over Conneaut’s Brooke Garvey. Small entered the playoffs seeded sixth.

Plum bowler Shannon Small wins regional championship https://t.co/s5BAMztP8m #TribHSSN pic.twitter.com/17L6wBa5Cy

— TribLive HSSN (@TribLiveHSSN) March 10, 2018

Crowning the WPIBL’s best

The Franklin Regional boys won the WPIBL team title for a second year in a row with a 2-0 victory over North Allegheny.

Blackhawk teammates clashed for the boys singles title as Jordan Wright defeated Adam Scruci, 202-167, in the finals.

On the girls side, Burrell captured the team championship by avenging a finals loss to Butler from the 2018 tournament.

Greensburg Salem’s Mattie Mae White outlasted 90 other bowlers to win the girls singles title. She topped Norwin’s Rachel Lundy, 209-192, in the finals.

League standouts

The top five individual scorers from each WPIBL team tournament were selected to the All-WPIBL teams.

Making the boys list were Greco (617), Franklin Regional’s Alex Smith (703), Beaver Falls’ Trevor Knopp (617), Central Catholic’s Chuck Zihar (612) and Butler’s Jordan Reges (608).

The top girls finishers were Lundy (549), Small (579), Penn-Trafford’s Taylor Sarhoenhich (579), Butler’s Reegan Malis (557) and Elizabeth Forward’s Raven Gorman (541).

Section champs

Hempfield (Southeast), Butler/North Allegheny (North), Plum (East), Beaver Falls (Northwest), Norwin (Center), Moon (West), Carlynton/Central Catholic (Southwest), Thomas Jefferson (South) and Armstrong (Northeast) captured boys section championships.

Winning girls section titles were Greensburg Salem (Southeast), Butler/Shaler (North), Penn Hills (East), Ambridge/Blackhawk/Beaver Falls (Northwest), McKeesport (Center), Moon (West), Montour (Southwest), Elizabeth Forward (South) and Burrell/Armstrong (Northeast).

Perfection

On Feb. 4, Norwin’s Ethan Dutka rolled a 300 game, the only perfect game in the WPIBL the past two seasons, and tallied an 825 series (275 average) to help the Knights beat Propel Braddock. The series was the highest in the WPIBL’s 43-year history. He was presented rings for both his 300 game and his 800 series.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Ambridge, Armstrong, Beaver Falls, Blackhawk, Burrell, Butler, Carlynton, Central Catholic, Elizabeth Forward, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, McKeesport, Montour, Moon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Plum, Propel Braddock Hills, Shaler, Thomas Jefferson