High school bowling preview: Wadsworth boys, girls top county teams

The Wadsworth bowling teams seem to have a thing with perfection. The boys team went 13-0 to win the 14-team Suburban League title last season, while the girls program went 12-0 to capture the crown in a 13-team division. For good measure, Gazette MVP and two-time All-Gazette choice Hayden Eagon-Mohlmaster rolled a 300 game in a tournament following the season, while two-time All-Gazette pick Aubrey Masuda did the same in an offseason high school league. Both juniors are back in the fold for the Grizzlies, as are Alex Espie — he shot a 299 game in the offseason — and a number of others, meaning Wadsworth will once again challenge for league crowns and team berths in the Division I state tournament. The girls team made it to state last year, with the boys program getting to districts. Elsewhere in Medina County, Highland's Gracie Dunne, who bowls with the boys team in the regular season but competes against girls in the postseason, will be out to win her third straight Gazette MVP award and capture a D-I state title. She finished second at the state tournament last season as a sophomore with a 676 three-game series and was 40th as a freshman. The Buckeye boys team returns six bowlers who averaged at least 174 and will make plenty of noise in D-I of the North Shore Bowling Conference, while the girls team, which won that title a year ago, will once again be very solid, especially at the top of the lineup. The Brunswick and Medina boys teams figure to hold their own in the Greater Cleveland Conference, while the Blue Devils will be young on the girls side. The Black River (NSBC D-II) and Cloverleaf (Metro Athletic Conference) boys and girls teams should be respectable, but are unlikely to challenge for league crowns. The following is a look at the 12 bowling programs — seven boys teams and five girls teams — in the county: Boys Black River Coach: Dave Mate II (4th season). Career record: 8-43. Last season: 3-14 overall, 3-14 in NSBC D-II (9th). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Hunter Mate (185.4, sr.), Dozier Hendershot III (142.7, sr.), Brayden Scarbrough (142.2, sr.), Quinn Hoelk (126.9, sr.). Newcomers: Wyatt Kneuss (so.), Tristan Smith (so.), Troy Porter (sr.), Gregory Faulk (fr.), Alex Davis (sr.). Noteworthy: Hunter Mate will serve as team captain and is clearly the Pirates' best bowler. l Hendershot and Scarbrough have improved, while Hoelk should benefit from going to a heavier ball. l Eva Hartwig will serve as Dave Mate's assistant coach with the boys and girls teams. Brunswick Coach: John Gibbons (3rd season, 2nd with boys). Career record: 10-12 overall, 7-4 with boys. Last season: 7-4 overall, 3rd in GCC. Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Matt Valenzeno (183.4, jr.), Charles Hennon (146.6, jr.), Normand Fournier (145.7, sr.), Collin Bodle (139.1, jr.). Newcomers: Benjamin Lynix (so.), Nathan Nixon (so.), Noah Vorachek (jr.), Austin Vorachek (fr.). Noteworthy: Valenzeno appears poised for a big season and Brunswick's newcomers have shown a ton of promise. l Anthony Velenzeno will serve as Gibbons' assistant. Buckeye Coach: Nancy Tinney (17th season). Career record: 156-106. Last season: 11-7 overall, 10-7 in NSBC D-I (6th). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: John Ambrose (All-Gazette, 203.7, jr.), Kevin Miller (191.0, sr.), Alex Marconi (190.6, sr.), Gavin Onyx (183.8, sr.), Lucas Edenfield (183.2, sr.), Hunter Uehlein (174.4, jr.), Sean Chambers (sr.). Newcomer: Carter Fry (so.). Noteworthy: The Bucks return five bowlers who averaged 183 or better and another who topped 174 last season, so they will be a team to watch in D-I of the NSBC. l Ambrose had the fourth-highest average in Medina County in 2024-25. Two of the bowlers ahead of him graduated. l Chris Baumiller and Kurt Fry are helping Tinney coach the boys team. Cloverleaf Coach: Don Koval (3rd season). Career record: 7-19. Last season: 5-9 overall, 5-9 in MAC (7th). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Trevor Courie (177.5, sr.), Jackson Wahl (131.3, sr.), Dane Bray (126.6, so.). Newcomers: Nick Freed (sr.), Mason Loutz (so.), Logan Hein (jr.), Xavier Wise (jr.). Noteworthy: Courie will be the Colts' leader, while Bray is significantly improved and Hein should help after spending two seasons on the junior varsity team. l Michelle Drogell will be Koval's assistant with the boys and girls teams. Highland Coach: Brian Estlerle (4th season). Career record: 26-14. Last season: 11-2 overall, 11-2 in SL (2nd). Key letterwinners lost: Thomas Nhok (All-Gazette, 204.1), Gabe Kasper (All-Gazette, 200.5). Letterwinners: Gracie Dunne (2-time Gazette MVP-girls, 190.0, jr.), Lucas Less (186.9, jr.), Davis Slatkovsky (186.7, jr.), Andrew Talpas (sr.). Newcomers: Ryan Potak (jr.), Logan DeVoe (fr.), Ryan Paulus (jr.). Noteworthy: The Hornets have some very good bowlers in Dunne, Less and Slatkovsky, but probably lack the depth needed to compete with the very best teams in the SL. l Dunne will compete on the boys team in the regular season because Highland doesn't have a girls team, but will leave that team to bowl against girls as an individual in the postseason. Medina Coach: Jarrod Rodriguez (7th season). Career record: 49-16. Last season: 8-2 overall, 1st in GCC. Key letterwinners lost: Jake Krahe (2-time All-Gazette, 201.0), Billy Beach (HM All-Gazette, 195.3), Kyle Steffas (HM All-Gazette, 195.0). Letterwinners: Mathew Paffumi (180.2, sr.), Shane Rodriguez (178.1, so.). Newcomers: James Grandstaff (sr.), Andrew Bonus (sr.), Justin Rehner (jr.), Jimmy Green (so.), Brayden Phillipp (sr.). Noteworthy: The Bees don't appear to be quite as strong as they've been in previous years, but they still should be highly competitive. l Shane Rodriguez and Bonus look primed to have solid seasons. Wadsworth Coach: George Steele (12th season). Career record: 150-105. Last season: 14-1 overall, 13-0 in SL (1st). Key letterwinner lost: Cayden Sponslor (HM All-Gazette, 197.4). Letterwinners: Hayden Eagon-Mohlmaster (Gazette MVP, 2-time All-Gazette, 207.6, jr.), Nate Weyand (2-time HM All-Gazette, 197.9, sr.), Alex Espie (HM All-Gazette, 196.8, jr.), Thor Nagel (186.5, sr.), Ian Daveduk (180.9, jr.), Mason Friedt (170.3, sr.). Newcomers: Collin Fitzgerald (sr.), Dillon Fitzgerald (sr.). Noteworthy: The Grizzlies are loaded again, and their No. 1 goal is repeating as SL champion. The league has changed formats this season, with the preseason tournament counting 10%, the regular season 70% and the postseason tourney 20% toward determining the overall champion. l Left-hander Eagon-Mohlmaster led the county in average last season at 207.6. l Former high school state champion Chris Steele, George's nephew and girls coach Heidi Steele's son, will serve as an assistant with both teams. Girls Black River Coach: Dave Mate II (4th season). Career record: 20-31. Last season: 11-6 overall, 11-6 in NSBC D-II (3rd). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Kaydence Kinder (138.7, sr.), Michaela Kinder (122.5, jr.), Hannah Hoelk (137.7, so.), Madison Smith (100.7, jr.), Karleigh Goble (100.0, so.). Newcomers: None. Noteworthy: Mate hopes his letterwinners can talk a few friends into joining the team so the Pirates have some depth in the event of illness or injury. l If Black River can continue to field a full team, it will win a decent amount of matches in D-II of the NSBC because a number of schools usually don't have five bowlers. l Kaydence Kinder will be the team captain and the Pirates' best bowler. Brunswick Coach: Julie Salzman (2nd season). Career record: 6-5. Last season: 6-5 overall, 3rd in GCC. Key letterwinner lost: Grace Mullen (HM All-Gazette, 148.2). Letterwinners: Kayla Cerda (113.1, jr.), Lillian West (107.5, jr.). Newcomers: Charlie Tonk (fr.), Quinnlynn Bodle (fr.), Findlay Carlson (fr.). Noteworthy: Cerda will lead a young Blue Devils team. l Bodle has shown promise in the preseason. Buckeye Coach: Nancy Tinney (17th season). Career record: 123-122. Last season: 17-1 overall, 16-1 in NSBC D-I (1st). Key letterwinners lost: Karlie Cesarski (2-time All-Gazette, 163.8), Grace Miller (HM All-Gazette, 155.8). Letterwinners: Aubrey Reuter (All-Gazette, 160.0, sr.), Addison Fry (147.9, so.), Leah Kaczmarski (144.3, sr.). Newcomers: Laryssa Hartshorn (sr.), Riley Onyx (fr.), Lily Woznicki (so.). Noteworthy: Reuter, Fry and Kaczmarski provide a solid base if a few of the newcomers can step up. l Fry, who has been bowling since she was 5, averaged 194 in tryouts and 188 in the preseason. l Mike Kaczmarski is helping Tinney coach the girls team. Cloverleaf Coach: Don Koval (3rd season). Career record: 11-15. Last season: 6-8 overall, 6-8 in MAC (4th). Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Izzy Messmore (139.8, so.), Brier Coe (118.6, jr.), Caroline Markert (110.5, so.), Destiny Grayshaw (102.4, sr.), Jenna Morrison (98.7, jr.). Newcomers: Miriam Basinger (sr.), Nina Spry (jr.). Noteworthy: Messmore is Cloverleaf's top bowler and Markert appears ready to take a significant step up. l Second-year high school bowler Basinger was on the JV team last year as a junior but should be a regular in the varsity lineup. Wadsworth Coach: Heidi Steele (7th season). Career record: 50-37. Last season: 14-0 overall, 12-0 in SL (1st). Key letterwinners lost: Cece Craig (HM All-Gazette, 158.3), Amelia Lutz (HM All-Gazette, 156.7). Letterwinners: Aubrey Masuda (2-time All-Gazette, 179.5, jr.), Cassidy Myers (All-Gazette, 164.4, jr), Addy Martin (2-time HM All-Gazette, sr.), 151.2, Grace Dunwald (127.4, sr.), Ashley Valatka (111.9, jr.), Morgan Shaeffer (sr.), Ella Brandenburg (sr.). Newcomers: None. Noteworthy: The Grizzlies are out to repeat as SL champions and earn another trip to the state tournament. l Wadsworth has some good young bowlers, but the varsity lineup, especially to begin the season, will consist entirely of letterwinners. Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com. Follow him @RickNoland on X.