Boys Best of the Week: Pleasant earns first-ever MOAC regular season title in bowling

MARION — It's another first for the Pleasant's boys bowling team. The Spartans, which have broken all the records at the school this season, added an undefeated championship to its resume.

Pleasant has qualified for the Division II state tournament the last two years, but went 10-0 to claim the regular season title for the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference, its first-ever league crown in the sport.

In a 2,341-2,044 win over Marion Harding, the Spartans got a 222-220 444 series from Nolan Ludwig, a 211-207 418 from Dawson Hall, a 196-202 398 from Carter Colby and a 333 from Tucker Ludwig. For Harding, Gaven Stoll shot 231-189 420, while Allan Eaches had a 361, Kadin Sabin 353, Dallas Hubbard 336 and Noah Daigneau 309.

The Spartans completed the regular season with a 2,240-1,657 victory over Shelby at Dynasty Lanes in Willard. Bryan Brandt went 200-212 412 followed by 251-159 410 from Hall, 192-210 402 from Nolan Ludwig and 226-160 386 from Tucker Ludwig.

The MOAC Tournament will be Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. at Victory Lanes in Galion.

Here are some other highlights from around the area during the last week in boys winter sports:

More to look at: Gallery: Champions crowned under the spotlight at Pleasant's Sally George Invitational

Another gallery: Photos: Sold-out crowd watches Marion Harding, River Valley in boys basketball action

More Bowling

● The Northwest Central Conference, in its first season organizing league bowling, held its tournament at Bluefusion in Marion with Crestline winning the team title with a total of 7,256, which was 450 pins better than Perry and 453 better than North Baltimore. Ridgedale was fourth at 6,372 and Elgin sixth at 5,716.

● Individually in the NWCC, Perry's Caiden Mort was the champion with a 1,181 (196.83 average over six games), while Hunter Gibbons of Crestline was runner-up with a 1,149 (191.5). Finishing third was Ridgedale's Jayden Reynolds at 1,096 (182.67) followed by teammate Trey Moore in fourth at 1,074 (179). The top six made first team in the league, while the next seven were second-teamers. Hayden Hamm was Elgin's top bowler with a 919 over six games.

● Sandusky edged Marion Harding 2,122-2,119 to take the Route 4 trophy. Stoll led the Presidents with a 193-212 405, while Eaches added a 224-153 377, Daigneau and Hubbard 343s and Sabin 318.

● North Union's Logan Otten shot twin 192s for a 384 series in a 2,618-2,060 loss to Benjamin Logan. In a 2,450-2,280 loss to Indian Lake, Braden Rhodes carded a 200-183 383 followed by Otten's 148-224 372, Zach Howald's 358 and Owen O'Reilly's 317. Rhodes and Otten had 342s and Howald a 316 in a 1,984-1,785 loss to Fairbanks.

● Highland fell to Galion 1,748-1,426 with Jacob Anthony leading the Scots with a 165 game.

● River Valley rolled to a 2,117-1,702 win over Highland. Andrew Karrick paced the Vikings with a 256-202 458, and Anthony led Highland with a 177 game and 278 series.

Swimming

● Mount Gilead competed with Colonel Crawford, Upper Sandusky, Wynford, Ada, Bluffton, Fostoria and McComb at the North Central Ohio Swimming League Championships at CC, and Luke Frazier was the lone MG competitor to win all-league honors, finishing third for honorable mention in the 100-yard breaststroke. Making the podium for the Indians was the 400 freestyle relay in fourth, the 200 free relay in fifth and the 200 medley relay in fifth.

● In a sprint meet earlier in the week at the Marion Family YMCA, Frazier won the 50 breaststroke, while Hayden McClelland was second in the 50 free, and the 200 free and medley relays were also runners-up.

Wrestling

● River Valley won the 12-team Centerburg Invitational, scoring 216 points to beat Olentangy Berlin's 205. Cardington was ninth.

● Winning titles for RV at Centerburg were Karson Jenkins at 106, Darren Triplat at 113 and Porter Rick at 190. Drew Goldberg at 285 was a runner-up as was Hayden Kittles at 157. Other River Valley placers were Aiden Jordan (sixth, 120), Coben Reser (fifth, 126), Owen Rogers (third, 138) and Carter Creeden (fourth, 165).

● Placing for Cardington were Wyatt Denney (second, 165), Carter Sherman (fourth, 175), Dylan Compton (fifth, 120), Bryce Hartley (sixth, 138) and Wyatt Davis (sixth, 190).

Basketball

● River Valley's Ayden Kenney recorded a triple-double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, while making four 3-pointers and shooting 11-for-14 from the field during a 92-71 win over Bloom-Carroll. Carson Smith backed him with 26 points, knocking down six threes, while Chase Smith had 13 points and Chase Ebert 11 points.

● North Union handled Jonathan Alder 53-44 with Max Parish getting 16 points, Miles Hall 12 points and Mason Bright nine. In a 68-32 victory over Graham, the Wildcats got 16 from Nolan Draper, 14 from Tyler Krebehenne, 13 from Parish and nine each from Bright and Rylan Keever.

● Elgin's Donaven Stith scored 17 and Jacob Brown nine in a 56-44 loss to Cory-Rawson. The Comets' Stephen Castillo-Carey dropped five 3-pointers and ended with 23 points in a 61-57 loss to Waynesfield-Goshen as Nate Freshour had 14 and Nash Lust nine. In a 70-58 loss to Wynford, Castillo-Carey put up 21 points, Freshour 19 and Stith eight.

● Northmor rolled in a 72-46 win over Mount Gilead. Grant Bentley and Hunter Fulk both scored 20 points and Jax Wenger 18 for the Knights, while Jake Wilt and Rowan Fitzpatrick both scored eight for the Indians. In a 61-44 win over East Knox, Bentley had 21, Wenger 18 and Drew Hammond 10.

● Highland's Toby Rogers scored 24 points and Dane Nauman eight in a 96-53 loss to Shelby. Kadyn Reichenbach scored 16 and Rogers 12 in a 70-58 loss to Mansfield Christian.

● Mount Gilead earned a 48-45 overtime victory over Centerburg with Gage Baker scoring 19, Hayden Somerlot nine, Wilt eight and Cam Vickers eight. Somerlot had 16, Baker 12 and Wilt nine in a 55-49 loss to East Knox.

● Ridgedale beat Madison Christian 69-43 with Eric Gottfried recording 18, Brogan Weston 12, Landon Murphy 10 and Evan Ricketts eight.

● Gilead Christian's Talan Blankenship scored 14 points and became the program's all-time leading scorer in a 60-43 loss to the Marion Hawks where teammate Denim Myers added 13 points. In a 61-43 win over Faith Christian, Blankenship tallied 20 points, Brayden Hunter 10 and Myers nine.

Coaches and statisticians are encouraged to send their results to the Marion Star's Rob McCurdy at rmccurdy@gannett.com, 419-610-0998, X @McMotorsport and Instagram @rob_mccurdy_star.

Vote: Marion Star Boys Best of the Week Performer Poll

● Fans are encouraged to vote in this week's Marion Star Best of the Week Performer Polls at MarionStar.com and its app now through early Sunday morning to determine the next winners.

● Elgin's Colton Long won the 144-pound class at Pleasant's Sally George Wrestling Invitational.

● Northmor's Carson Campbell won the 157-pound class at Pleasant's Sally George Wrestling Invitational.

● Pleasant's Sam Mentzer won the 165-pound class at Pleasant's Sally George Wrestling Invitational.

● Gilead Christian basketball's Talan Blankenship became the program's all-time leading scorer after putting up 14 points in a loss to the Marion Hawks.

● Mount Gilead swimmer Luke Frazier earned honorable mention in the eight-team North Central Ohio Swim League Championships at Colonel Crawford with a third in the 100-yard breaststroke.

● River Valley basketball's Ayden Kenney recorded a triple double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, while making four 3-pointers and shooting 11 of 14 from the field.

● In last week's boys poll, Pleasant bowler Carter Colby who rolled the school's first-ever perfect game earned 471 of 991 votes (48 percent) to win it. Other nominees were Ridgedale basketball's Eric Gottfried, River Valley swimmer Chase Osborne, Northmor wrestler Cowin Becker and North Union basketball's Max Parish.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Boys Best: Pleasant clinches in bowling; RV wrestling wins tourney