State bowling wrapup: Baker games push Pleasant to title as does fast start for Manning

COLUMBUS — As the strikes mounted, Pleasant junior Nolan Ludwig noticed something.

"There are 39 boards on the lane, and it feels like you have 40," he said of the zone the Spartans entered.

Pleasant picked the right time to put together some of their best Baker games of the season, getting hot in the eight-team, best-of-five, bracketed championship rounds to win the Division II boys bowling state title Friday at HP Lanes in Columbus.

"It’s electric and outstanding. It’s something you always want to feel," Pleasant junior Jonathan Maran said of the vibes he and his teammates experienced in their final push for a state crown.

Check out Manning's day: Wrap of the Week: RV's Alexis Manning earns a state bowling medal to highlight the area

Look back at Pleasant's state title win: How did Pleasant's hot streaks lead to a state championship trophy in bowling?

Third trip a charm for Spartans

Pleasant was making its third straight trip to the state tournament, but Friday was its first time qualifying for the finals after finishing ninth in 2022 and next-to-last in 2023. The Spartans solidly made the final eight by placing third in the qualifications to become the No. 3 seed.

With top seed and state champion favorite Coldwater and No. 2 seed Benjamin Logan both upset in the first round, the Spartans sensed an opening if they could handle themselves well enough in the Baker games.

"The big thing mentally is to keep them upbeat and focused," Pleasant coach Bill Ludwig said of his message during the break between qualifications and the Baker rounds. "It’s the first time Pleasant ever made it to match play. I said, at this point, everybody is zero and anything can happen. Go out and perform. You don’t have to win by 50, you can win by one; so just win."

As good as Pleasant was this season with five guys averaging 200 or better, going undefeated in the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference and winning the MOAC, sectional and district tournaments with ease, Baker games were a mixed bag for the talented bunch.

In the format of Baker games, the five-man lineup each bowls a frame, cycling through the lineup in the game so that each person competes in two frames.

"After the first series in matchup, we were all looking hot and were in a good spot," Pleasant junior Carter Colby said.

Pleasant dominated, going 9-1 in the finals, finishing off Hanoverton United 3-0, Warren Champion 3-1 and Akron Coventry 3-0 to take the gold trophy. Among those 10 Baker games, the Spartans shot 200 or better seven times with high games of 267, 256 and 242.

"When you’re dialed in, it’s so hard to get out of it, especially when you keep winning matches against these tough teams," Nolan said.

A desire to repeat

Moments after they accomplished the ultimate in high school bowling, the Spartans were asked about a possible encore.

"All of us will practice over the summer and probably do two leagues a week," Nolan said. "We’ll keep bowling and try to get better and critique some stuff and hopefully do the same thing next year: defend the title."

Added his younger brother Tucker Ludwig, who finished as a second-team All-Ohioan by ending in ninth overall as an individual: "We have to defend it well and bowl as we did today or even better. Next year, I hope the pattern is close to this because if it is it’s going to be easy."

All eight varsity members saw action in the state tournament including junior twins Christian and Jayden Miller and freshman Bryan Brandt. All eight return next year to go for the repeat.

"They are all back, so learn and grow and get better," Bill Ludwig said. "I challenge each of these kids daily. We’re going to try to get sharper on our spare shooting. Next year, I want four of these kids to average 220. How do you get there? You make more spares."

Manning ends as a state runner-up

The key to Alexis Manning's day at the Division II girls bowling state tournament at HP Lanes on Saturday was a fast start. And a 246 in the first game was Top Fuel dragster fast for the River Valley senior.

"That was what we needed," River Valley bowling coach and her mother Cheryl Manning said. "We needed her to throw some good numbers up on the board early, so that way in case things started to fall apart at the end, she was still sitting high enough that we didn’t have to worry about it."

Competing as an individual, Alexis Manning was matched up with Lakewood, a fellow Central District squad, at the north end of HP Lanes. It was a fortunate draw.

"You never know what’s going to happen," Alexis said. "You could have to play a completely different line based on how their balls move the oil around. Luckily, I didn’t have to do that because I was able to play the same line all day. That definitely made it easier. It was nice to have that carryover throughout the first and second game for sure."

She followed up her big first game with another one, scoring a 234 to remain in first place heading into the third and final individual game.

"It wouldn’t carry," Manning said of the pair of lanes she competed on to finish. "I was throwing good shots, but I was just getting bad breaks, which it happens. It wasn’t anything I was too shocked about. I was just glad I had a big first and second game, and it wasn’t a horrible third game."

She persevered enough to shoot a 182. Carrollton's Kaylee Russell, who was competing on the lanes next to her, shot a 231-241-193 to edge Manning by three pins, 665-662, as Manning settled for the state runner-up medal and a first-team All-Ohio nod.

"I’m so proud of this kid," Cheryl Manning said. "I’m so glad she finished up her season the way she did. That was what I was hoping for for her."

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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Pleasant boys, RV's Alexis Manning shine at Division II state bowling