High school bowling preview: Wadsworth, Medina boys to lead county

When it comes to high school bowling in Medina County, this could be the year of the Grizzlies and Bees. Wadsworth returns plenty of talent on the boys and girls side and both teams should challenge for the Suburban League championship — the SL doesn't have the traditional American and National conferences in bowling — as well as advance in the postseason, possibly to the state tournament. The Grizzlies return All-Gazette pick Hayden Eagon-Mohlmaster and a host of others on the boys side, while the girls team features All-Gazette selections Aubrey Masuda and Amelia Lutz, talented move-in Cassidy Myers and several other quality bowlers. A deep Medina boys team, which returns All-Gazette pick Jake Krahe, looks like the favorite in the Greater Cleveland Conference, while Highland will hold its own in SL competition. Buckeye is looking to replace its entire starting lineup, Cloverleaf should be improved and Brunswick and Black River are hoping to develop depth behind quality bowlers at the top of the lineup. Among county girls teams, Brunswick has three solid bowlers but does not yet have a full squad, Buckeye is looking to add depth behind All-Gazette pick Karlie Cesarski and Black River and Cloverleaf are hoping to show steady improvement. Highland and Medina don't have girls teams. The following is a look at the county's 12 bowling programs (7 boys, 5 girls): Boys Black River Coach: Dave Mate II (3rd season). Career record: 5-29. Last season: 3-14 overall, 3-14 in North Shore Bowling Conference Division II, 9th place. Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Hunter Mate (181.3, jr.), Brody Duhon (111.2, jr.), Quinn Hoelk (117.2, jr.). Newcomers: Troy Porter (jr.), Brayden Scarbrough (sr.), David Edmonds (sr.), Wyatt Kneuss (fr.), Tristan Smith (fr.), Dominic Paschall (so.). Noteworthy: Hunter Mate is clearly the team's top bowler, but the Pirates will need to improve elsewhere in order to compete on a consistent basis. * Duhon and Scarbrough bowled over the summer and should add depth to the lineup. Brunswick Coach: John Gibbons (2nd season, 1st with boys). Career record: 3-8. Last season: 7-7 overall, 5-5 in Greater Cleveland Conference (4th). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Mason Checovich (182.0, sr.), Matthew Valenzeno (155.3, so.), Dillon Mitchell (152.8, sr.), Charles Hennon (134.8, so.). Newcomers: Collin Bodle (so.), Normand Fournier (jr.), Zackery Tokarcik (fr.). Noteworthy: Gibbons, who coached the girls team a year ago, takes over for Greg Bentkowski. * The Blue Devils had two returning lettermen decide not to come out for the team. Buckeye Coach: Nancy Tinney (16th season). Career record: 145-99. Last season: 12-6 overall, 12-5 in NSBC D-I (5th). Key letterwinners lost: Edwin Ortiz (Gazette MVP, 2-time All-Gazette), Caleb McDonald (All-Gazette), Wyatt Kunz (honorable mention All-Gazette), Michael Baeppler (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Kevin Miller (jr.), John Ambrose (so.). Newcomers: Alex Marconi (jr.), Hunter Uehlein (so.), Sean Chambers (jr.), Gavin Onyx (jr.), Lucas Edenfield (jr.), Jamason Bricker (sr.). Noteworthy: Ambrose had the highest average in tryouts at 183, followed by Marconi at 171, Miller at 165 and Uehlein at 161. * This will be a rebuilding year for the Bucks, who had a lot of talented bowlers graduate. Cloverleaf Coach: Don Koval (2nd season). Career record: 2-12. Last season: 2-12 overall, 2-7 in Metro Athletic Conference (7th). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Shane Hlavaty (178.8 sr.), Joe Deyling (149.3, sr.), Alex Back (144.0, jr.), Trevor Courie (145.5, jr.), Alex Wershing (132.3, jr.), Jackson Wahl (jr.). Newcomer: Dane Bray (fr.). Noteworthy: Hlavaty is clearly the top bowler for a team that should be much more competitive than last year. * If the bottom portion of the lineup improves, the Colts could finish in the middle of the MAC. Highland Coach: Brian Esterle (3rd season). Career record: 15-12. Last season: 7-6 overall, 7-6 in Suburban League (7th). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Gabe Kasper (199.0, sr., HM All-Gazette), Tyler Oboy (175.3, sr.), Gracie Dunne (167.6, so., All-Gazette girls team), Thomas Nhok (190.4, sr.), Lucas Less (159.9, so.), Davis Slatkovsky (143.4, so.). Newcomer: Andrew Talpas (jr.). Noteworthy: Highland bowlers practiced all summer and Esterle hopes the Hornets can finish in the top half of the highly competitive 14-team SL. * Dunne finished in the top 20 at the Junior Gold Tournament over the summer. The event begins with approximately 4,000 participants. Medina Coach: Jarrod Rodriguez (6th season). Career record: 41-14. Last season: 10-2 overall, 8-2 in GCC (2nd). Key letterwinner lost: Aidin Neubauer (All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Jake Krahe (208.2, sr., All-Gazette), Kaden Rodriguez (181.2, sr.), Austin Krahe (179.7, sr.), Billy Beach (180.6, sr.), Tucker Guynn (179.8, jr.), Cameron Lupica (206.4, sr.), Kyle Steffes (183.4, sr.). Newcomers: Matthew Paffumi (jr.), Shane Rodriguez (fr.). Noteworthy: The Bees are favored to win the GCC and have a good chance of advancing from sectionals to districts, with a state team berth also a possibility. * Jake Krahe, Kaden Rodriguez, Lupica and Beach have looked extremely good in practice. Wadsworth Coach: George Steele (11th season). Career record: 136-104. Last season: 12-4 overall, 9-4 in SL (5th). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Hayden Eagon-Mohlmaster (209.9, so., All-Gazette), Cayden Sponsler (196.0, sr., HM All-Gazette), Nate Weyand (193.8, jr., HM All-Gazette), Aidan McAnalley (jr., HM All-Gazette in 2022), Collin O'Connor (185.1, sr.), Thor Nagel (185.0, jr.), Nathan Weyand (jr.), Alex Espie (so.), Ian Daveduk (so.), Mason Friedt (jr.). Newcomers: Collin Fitzgerald (jr.), Dillon Fitzgerald (jr.). Noteworthy: The deep and talented Grizzlies might be the team to beat in the SL, where Nordonia lost a lot of bowlers to graduation and the Cuyahoga Falls program is in a state of flux. * Failing to get out of sectionals a year ago has motivated the Grizzlies, who are out to qualify for districts and perhaps the state tournament. Girls Black River Coach: Dave Mate II (3rd season). Career record: 9-25. Last season: 4-13 overall, 4-13 in NSBC D-II (10th). Key letterwinner lost: Sarah Racut (All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Kaydence Kinder (114.3, jr.), Michaela Kinder (96.9, so.), Charlotte Falsone (94.4, sr.). Newcomers: Madison Smith (so.), Hannah Hoelk (fr.), Karleigh Goble (fr.), Emma Ferrell (fr.). Noteworthy: Kaydence Kinder has worked on her game and her average should go up this year. * The Pirates lack high-level bowlers but have a lot of youth, meaning they should be better in future years. Brunswick Coach: Julie Salzman (1st season). Last season: 3-8 overall, 3-3 in GCC (3rd). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Grace Mullen (143.4, sr., HM All-Gazette), Emily Molnar (124.7, sr.), Judy Dong (127.7, sr.). Newcomers: The Blue Devils are seeking additional bowlers so they can field a five-girl team. Noteworthy: Salzman takes over for John Gibbons, who is now in charge of the Brunswick boys program. * Senior Elaina Hanshaw, who averaged 143.2 and earned honorable mention All-Gazette honors last season, is not bowling due to academic commitments. Buckeye Coach: Nancy Tinney (16th season). Career record: 106-121. Last season: 10-8 overall, 9-8 in NSBC D-I (7th). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Karlie Cesarski (165.6, sr., All-Gazette), Grace Miller (127.2, sr.), Aubrey Reuter (115.8, jr.), Jillian Kollar (109.1, so.), Leah Kaczmarski (132.2, jr.). Newcomers: Addison Fry (fr.), Rose Puckett (fr.), Lyla Bienias (fr.). Noteworthy: The Bucks are fairly solid at the top of the lineup, but need to improve at the bottom. * Fry averaged 139 in tryouts and could fill an important role. Cloverleaf Coach: Don Koval (2nd season). Career record: 5-7. Last season: 5-7 overall, 5-7 in MAC (4th). Key letterwinner lost: Abby Fijalkovich (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinner: Destiny Grayshaw (111.1, jr.). Newcomers: Izzy Messmore (fr.), Brier Coe (so.), Caroline Markert (fr.), Jennah Morrison (so.), Nina Spry (so.). Noteworthy: Messmore, the granddaughter of former Cloverleaf coach and Strike & Spare proprietor Dennis Huffman, is the most advanced bowler among the Colts. * Koval is hoping a young group can improve over the next two years, then make some waves in the MAC race. Wadsworth Coach: Heidi Steele (6th season). Career record: 36-37. Last season: 10-5 overall, 8-4 in SL (T5th). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Aubrey Masuda (180.4, so., All-Gazette), Amelia Lutz (152.3, sr., All-Gazette), Cece Craig (150.0, sr., HM All-Gazette), Addy Martin (147.3, jr., HM All-Gazette). Newcomers: Cassidy Myers (so.), Morgan Shaeffer (jr.), Ella Brandenburg (jr.), Grace Dunwald (jr.). Noteworthy: Myers, a move-in from Norton, averaged 177 in tryouts and is very good friends with Masuda. * Considered to be the best team Wadsworth has had since at least 2016, this group's goals are high. Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com. Follow him @RickNoland on X.