Jada Baker leads the way in Ashland's sweep of Mount Vernon

ASHLAND — The pins continue to fall in big numbers for the Ashland High School bowling teams.

Led by a 238-244-482 series in single match play by junior Jada Baker, the Ashland girls won 1,730-1,439 in singles over Mount Vernon on Thursday at Luray Lanes in Ohio Cardinal Conference action, before taking three Baker games, 203-151, 214-182 and 180-137.

“I think I did pretty good today. I had a 238, 234 so, hopefully, that will make my average go up,” Baker said. “As a team the lanes were pretty difficult, but we still pulled together.

“I think we’re really good at cheering each other on, and keeping each other in a positive attitude,” Baker said, adding the team’s long-term goal is to make it back to the state tournament at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl. “I think as a team for Bakers and stuff, we’re really good.”

Also performing well for the Ashland girls were senior captain Makayla Dreibelbs (164-176-340), sophomore Aubrie Cooke (139-169-308), senior MacKenzie Kauffman (174-129-303) and sophomore Haaley Rowe (145-152-297).

“My first game, I was throwing really well but the lanes started drying out a little, and my ball hooks so much, so that second game I started falling apart a little, and it wasn’t very good,” said Kauffman, who made up for it in the Baker games. “Those lanes were not as dry as the ones I was bowling on, and I found my mark again, and I did pretty good on those ones.”

As one of two seniors on the team, Kauffman says she tries to set a good example for the younger bowlers.

“You try to bowl your best every time because everybody else looks up to you,” she said. “And make sure we’re upbeat, especially during Baker games because we’re always cheering for everybody, being nice to everybody.”

Ashland girls coach Michele Baker said the team bowled well, with kudos to her daughter.

“Jade, I think if that doesn’t beat the school record for the girls, it’s a very good two-game series,” she lauded. “The other girls were struggling a little bit on these other lanes, and then when they came over to 19 and 20, they said those lanes were a lot better. They said they think there’s something with the oil, but I don’t know. Maybe it was just that or it may have been mental.”

The Ashland boys also dominated in strong fashion, besting Mount Vernon in singles play 2,117-1,707, and winning two Baker games (221-141 and 223-121).

Pacing the Arrows boys were senior Garren Ward, whose 212-243-455 set nudged an equally outstanding set by freshman Landon Dreibelbis, who twirled a 244-210-454 series.

“The team kind of struggled a little bit, and I saw that and I needed to step up and I thought I did,” said Ward, the team’s captain. “I didn’t necessarily bowl the best but I grinded it out. When you miss a spare or you don’t shoot good, you have to focus on that next ball

“When we’re in tournaments and it’s tough, you have to focus on the next ball. If you don’t, you get down in a hole, and it’s hard to come back from that.”

Dreibelbis, one of four upstart freshmen on the varsity to pair with four seniors, felt he bowled respectably.

“I didn’t do bad. The first game was a lot better than the second game; I kind of lost my rhythm, I guess,” Dreibelbis said. “The lanes were a little tricky, but they weren’t too bad.

“The varsity team mainly being four freshmen and four seniors, it’s almost like it's two different teams sometimes. It was a lot worse at the beginning of the season than now. I think we’re starting to jell a little bit better.”

Also bowling well for the Arrows boys were freshman Max Oeken (201-207-408), freshman Mikey McKinney (218), senior Brayden Long (213), freshman Luke Rhine (199) and senior Parker Grissinger (170).

“They bowled well today. They learned a little bit about what the wet weather does to the lanes,” noted first-year Ashland boys coach Jim Brown. “Obviously, the oil carries down in the cold weather. But you learn something new every day. They did adapt, adapted well, came together in the Baker games, and they bowled really well, as they continue to do.”

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Bowling: Ashland sweep Mount Vernon