High school bowling preview: Talented freshmen ready to make mark

Keep an eye on the freshmen. While all five girls and four of the five boys who earned first-team All-Gazette honors in 2022-23 have graduated, four extremely talented ninth-graders are ready to explode onto the Medina County high school bowling scene. Heading the list is Wadsworth's Aubrey Masuda, who is approximately 5-foot-1 and weighs around 100 pounds. A move-in from Hawaii, the conventional right-hander hasn't bowled that long but already has competed in national tournaments. Masuda averaged around 200 while trying out for the girls team — she asked some teammates if they thought she would make it — and has a legitimate chance to reach the Division I state tournament in her first season of high school bowling. Highland also has a talented freshman in Gracie Dunne, who will bowl with the boys team because the Hornets don't have a girls squad. She is the younger sister of two-time reigning Gazette MVP and four-time All-Gazette choice Kyle Dunne. Wadsworth also will add two talented freshmen to a boys team that already had a solid core of returnees. Hayden Eagon-Mohlmaster and Alex Espie averaged well over 200 while trying out for the Grizzlies and, like Musada and Gracie Dunne, appear ready to make some noise when the Medina County Tournament is held Sunday morning at Medina Lanes. In a season where many county squads will be rebuilding, the Buckeye boys team returns a solid core led by All-Gazette choice Edwin Ortiz and honorable mention pick Wyatt Kunz and figures to make noise in D-I of the North Shore Bowling Conference. The Medina boys team also should be solid up and down the lineup and is among the favorites in the Greater Cleveland Conference. Here's a look at the 12 county teams: Boys Black River Coach: Dave Mate II (2nd season). Career record: 2-15. Last season: 2-15 overall, 2-15 in North Shore Bowling Conference Division II, 9th place. Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Ryan Graves (178, jr.), Hunter Mate (157, so.), Ben Strelau (146, sr.). Newcomers: Brody Duhon (so.), Quinn Hoelk (so.), Troy Porter (so.), Troy Jenne (fr.), Dominic St. Clair (so.), Braydon Scarbrough (so.), Logan Davis (so.). Noteworthy: Graves, a left-hander, will miss the start of the season due to a left wrist injury sustained in the Pirates' last football game. * Hoelk and Duhon, who were on the team last season but didn't bowl varsity, will likely join the three returnees in the starting lineup, with St. Clair the top alternate. Brunswick Coach: Greg Bentkowski (2nd season). Career record: 8-6. Last season: 8-6 overall, 5-3 in Greater Cleveland Conference, league champion. Key letterwinner lost: Alex Brooks (2-time All-Gazette). Letterwinner: Trevor Horman (sr.). Newcomers: Mason Checovich (jr.), Ben Watkins (jr.), Braedon Iacobacci (fr.), Matthew Valenzeno (fr.), Normand Fournier (jr.), Charles Hennon (fr.). Noteworthy: The Blue Devils will have to make up for the loss of five seniors who contributed heavily toward a GCC championship. * Horman will lead the way until the younger bowlers get their feet wet, with Valenzeno capable of making a huge step forward as the season progresses. Buckeye Coach: Nancy Tinney (15th season). Career record: 133-93. Last season: 15-3 overall, 15-2 in North Shore Bowling Conference Division I, 3rd place. Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Edwin Ortiz (All-Gazette, 203, sr.), Wyatt Kunz (HM All-Gazette, 189, sr.), Caleb McDonald (189, sr.), Michael Baeppler (183, sr.), Dylan Traylinek (181, sr.). Newcomers: Kevin Miller (so.), John Ambrose (fr.). Noteworthy: Kunz raised his average 49 pins from his sophomore to junior year, while Ortiz improved by 44 pins. * Ortiz, Baeppler, Traylinek and Miller are two-handed bowlers. Cloverleaf Coach: Don Koval (1st season). Last season: 1-11 overall, 1-11 in Metro Athletic Conference, 7th place. Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Shane Hlavaty (169, jr.), Joe Deyling (128, jr.), Austin Brooks (sr.), Jackson Wahl (so.). Newcomers: Alex Back (so.), Trevor Courie (jr.), Jayden Senz (so.). Noteworthy: Koval, who served as a Cloverleaf assistant for four seasons, takes over for Dennis Huffman. * The Colts aren't ready to compete for a MAC title, but should be improved and could finish toward the middle of the league standings. Highland Coach: Brian Esterle (2nd season). Career record: 8-6. Last season: 8-6 overall, 6-6 in Suburban League, 9th place. &emsp;&emsp; Key letterwinners lost: Kyle Dunne (2-time Gazette MVP, 4-time All-Gazette), Dylan Esterle (Gazette MVP in 2021, 4-time All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Tyler Oboy (172, jr.), Gabe Kasper (169, jr.), Stephen Stupecki (120, jr.). Newcomers: Gracie Dunne (fr.), Davis Slatkovsky (fr.), Thomas Nhok (jr.), Lucas Less (fr.). Noteworthy: The Hornets will have to make up for the loss of Kyle Dunne and Dylan Esterle, who combined to win three Gazette MVP awards and eight All-Gazette honors in their four-year careers. * Nhok, a move-in from Idaho, could be the Hornets' top bowler, while Gracie Dunne has the potential to average 180 as a freshman. Medina Coach: Jarrod Rodriguez (5th season). Career record: 31-12. Last season: 11-1 overall, 7-1 in Greater Cleveland Conference, 2nd place. Key letterwinners lost: Chase Gordon (2-time All-Gazette), John Coyne (HM All-Gazette), Kara Teubl (All-Gazette girls team). Letterwinners: Aidin Neubauer (HM All-Gazette as so., 187, sr.), Kaden Rodriguez (186, jr.), Jake Krahe (185, jr.), Austin Krahe (170, jr.). Newcomers: Billy Beach (jr.), Tucker Guynn (so.), Cameron Lupica (jr.), Kyle Steffes (jr.). Noteworthy: Despite the loss of Gordon, Coyne and Teubl, Rodriguez expects the Bees to be better this season than they were in 2022-23, which should make them one of the favorites — if not the favorite — in the GCC. * Neubauer won't be with the team to start the season. Wadsworth Coach: George Steele (10th season). Career record: 124-100. Last season: 5-11 overall, 4-8 in Suburban League, 11th place. Key letterwinners lost: Bradley Triplett (HM All-Gazette), J.J. Zakikian (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Aiden McAnalley (HM All-Gazette, 190, so.), Cayden Sponsler (185, jr.), Thor Nagel (170, so.), Nathan Weyand (181, so.), Owen Hauenstein (sr.). Newcomers: Hayden Eagon-Mohlmaster (fr.), Alex Espie (fr.), Ian Daveduk (fr.), Mason Friedt (so.). Noteworthy: Former D-I state champion Chris Steele, the nephew of boys coach George Steele and son of girls coach Heidi Steele, is serving as an assistant coach for both teams. * The key for Wadsworth, which has a number of bowlers who can throw strikes in bunches, will be staying mentally tough and converting spares when things aren't going perfectly. Girls Black River Coach: Dave Mate II (2nd season). Career record: 5-12. Last season: 5-12 overall, 5-12 in North Shore Bowling Conference Division II, 9th place. Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Sarah Racut (134, sr.), Kaydence Kinder (115, so.). Newcomers: Charlotte Falsone (jr.), Michaela Kinder (fr.). Noteworthy: The Pirates are looking to add a fifth bowler so they can field a complete lineup, as well as a sixth in the event of illness. * Racut remains the team's best bowler, with Kaydence Kinder also showing improvement. Brunswick Coach: John Gibbons (1st season). Last season: 5-7 overall, 3-3 in Greater Cleveland Conference, 2nd place. Key letterwinner lost: Rae Duck (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Grace Mullen (HM All-Gazette, 144, jr.), Elaina Hanshaw (137, jr.), Emily Molnar (115, jr.), Judy Dong (114, jr.). Newcomers: None. Noteworthy: Gibbons take over for Kirstie Hegedus, who compiled a 33-25 record in five seasons. * The Blue Devils are actively searching for a fifth bowler to complete their starting lineup. Buckeye Coach: Nancy Tinney (15th season). Career record: 96-113. Last season: 12-5 overall, 12-5 in North Shore Bowling Conference Division I, tie 4th place. Key letterwinners lost: Taylor Radon (2-time All-Gazette), Bella Anzevino (2-time All-Gazette), Ava Shell (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinner: Karlie Cesarski (139, jr.). Newcomers: Lydia Beck (jr.), Grace Miller (jr.), Aubrey Reuter (so.), Jillian Kollar (fr.), Leah Kaczmarski (so.), Rachel Kostohryz (jr.). Noteworthy: The Bucks graduated their top four bowlers, with Cesarski the lone returnee with extensive varsity experience. * Tinney has coached the Buckeye boys and girls teams since their inception. Cloverleaf Coach: Don Koval (1st season). Last season: 8-2 overall, 8-2 in Metro Athletic Conference, 1st place. Key letterwinners lost: DeLayna Harvey (2-time Gazette MVP, 4-time All-Gazette), Rae Ann Hlavaty (All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Abby Fijalkovich (148, sr.), Medora Pittman (124, jr.). Newcomers: Roz Hoff (sr.), Kasen Shieff (sr.), Destiny Grayshaw (so.), Nina Spry (fr.). Noteworthy: The Colts graduated four bowlers who earned some type of All-Gazette honors in their career, so Fijalkovich will be counted on to lead an inexperienced group. * Cloverleaf will be hard pressed to win its third straight MAC title, but should be able to finish in the middle of the pack. Wadsworth Coach: Heidi Steele (5th season). Career record: 26-32. Last season: 3-11 overall, 3-8 in Suburban League, 11th place. Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Jordan Zakikian (139, sr.), Addy Martin (139, so.), Amelia Lutz (138, jr.), Cece Craig (137, jr.), Jade Moehring (132, sr.), Peyton Looper (128, sr.), Sarah Innocenti (120, sr.), Kloe Wagner (jr.). Newcomers: Aubrey Masuda (fr.), Athena Craig (fr.). Noteworthy: The Grizzlies finished next-to-last in the SL last season, but with an extremely talented newcomer in Masuda and a solid group of returnees, they are out to capture the 12-team league this season. * Martin is much improved, Zakikian has new equipment and Lutz practiced with a personal coach in the offseason, so all are expected to improve their averages. Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com. Follow him @RickNoland on X.