By Rhonda Hutchison
On January 29-30, the PCHS Bowling teams were on the lanes at the Region 5 tournament held at Bellewood Lanes.
The tournament started off with the Unified teams competition. Each team of two bowlers bowled two baker games for seeding. The Wildcats had three teams competing: Jordan Ewers/Kree Brewer seeded sixth with a 212 total pin count, Dylan Beckett/Kroy Brewer seeded fourth with a 238, and Brian Lynch/Branden Brann seeded fifth with a 216. All three teams had a bye the first round. In the second round PC#2 took out Scott #6 73-56, PC#3 took out Highlands#1 96-47, PC#1 took out Scott#4 181-82. In round three PC#2 and #3 found themselves facing each other. After a close game PC#2 edged out PC#3 108-94 eliminating Lynch/Brann. PC#1 took out Scott#3 135-82 moving both PC1 & 2 to the final four. Beckett/Brewer took on Campbell County in this round and wasted no time taking control of the match to eliminate Campbell 146-99. Ewers/Brewer took on Highlands #8 who gave them a run for their money. PC#1 ended up winning the match in the 10th frame 131-126. Once again, two Pendleton teams found themselves bowling their fellow teammates. Neither team was willing to go down without a fight. Several spares, strikes and cheering later, PC#1 Ewers/Brewer defeated PC#2 Beckett/Brewer 167-93. With this win Ewers/Brewer had become the Region 5 Unified Champs with Beckett/Brewer taking the Region 5 Unified Runner Up spot. Both teams are advancing to the state competition on February 11 in Louisville.
Later that afternoon, the boys/coed team event took place. Each team bowled eight bowlers in a regulation game for seeding Pendleton County bowler and seeding game as follows: Adam Straus 171, Ethan Wright 97, Braden Brann 174, Kree Brewer 202,Mitchell Ryan 122, Elias Biddle 102, Dawsyn Wright 153, Kroy Brewer 220, Hunter Bowman and Raelyn Thomas. The Wildcats seeded #2 with a 1042 behind Simon Kenton with a 1174. Pendleton had a bye the first round. In the second round the Wildcats faced off with Highlands. In this round the first to win three baker games moved on. Highlands came out hot and took the first game 198-148. After a brief pep talk the Wildcats jumped into action taking the next three games 200-160, 190-124, 175-126 to move on to the final four against Campbell County. PC bowlers were hot and took the first two games 159-137, 156-136. However, they were unable to take down the Camels losing the match 201-173,206-173, 172-140 eliminating them from the competition. Team head coach Amber Brewer stated "I am so proud of this young team. We plan to work hard and come back next year even stronger."
The singles competition took place on January 30. The format is as follows: each player bowls three regulation games for total pin fall, cut to top eight scorers which bowl two more games that are added to their first score, cut to top four scorers that move to head to head competition. In the boys division the Wildcats sent the following four bowlers, total pin count and seeding after three games: Braden Brann 572 seeded fifth, Adam Straus 602 seeded second, Dawsyn Wright 504 seeded 13th, Kroy Brewer 536 seeded ninth. Out of 36 total bowlers PC had all four Wildcats in the top 13. With only the top eight advancing Wright and Brewer were eliminated with Brewer missing the cut by one pin. Straus was eliminated after two more game found him in sixth place with a 964. Brann advanced in the top spot with a 1049. With the top four starting the stepladder round Brann waited until his turn to take the lane. With victory in sight Brann took on Blume from Simon Kenton and burned up the lanes. Brann became the Region 5 Boys Singles Champ with a 232-181 victory.
In the girls singles, PC had two bowlers compete in the 36 girl field: Raelyn Thomas 215 seeded 30th and Kree Brewer 602 seeded first. After two more games Brewer remained in first with a 1034 and moved into the stepladder round. With nerves and the desire to keep her title Brewer stepped on the lanes to face her opponent Mullins from Dayton. Brewer kept cool and focused to win the match 174-134 and become the Region 5 Girls Singles Champ for the third year in a row.
Brewer and Brann will advance to the State Singles on February 9-10th in Louisville.