High school bowling: Wadsworth's Hayden Eagon-Mohlmaster has rough go at state meet

COLUMBUS — Wadsworth's Hayden Eagon-Mohlmaster gave it his best shot, but very tough conditions on his side of the lanes at HPL Bowling Center left the big left-hander with virtually no shot Friday at the Division I boys state bowling tournament. With a 216.6 season average entering the event, Eagon-Mohlmaster shot a 531 series (191-165-175) to finish tied for 64th place. Gahanna Lincoln's Kael Clous won the event with a 720 series (232-255-233), with Cincinnati St. Xavier capturing the team title. "I knew it was going to be tough after practicing (Thursday)," Eagon-Mohlmaster said. "I had no room, so I had to be perfect, pinpoint. It was a very inconsistent read today. That played a big part in me not being what I have been." Eagon-Mohlmaster tried four balls, but none were overly successful. He had a three-bagger in his first game, no doubles in the second game and two doubles in the third. "It was a difficult shot for him, but he bowled solid," Wadsworth coach George Steele said. "He converted his spares, but he just didn't carry. The equipment just didn't pair up (with the lane conditions). That happens from time to time." Eagon-Mohlmaster's struggles with the lane conditions were compounded by seven open frames. Four were big splits — the junior left the 2-4-6-7-10 twice, a 3-7-9 and a 4-6-7 — and the others also would have been splits had he not left the headpin standing. "It was just me throwing it inconsistently," he said. "I had no reaction today." Eagon-Mohlmaster had 52 pins following an open in the fourth frame of his first game, but spared in the fifth and struck in the sixth, seventh and eighth, giving him a chance to shoot 222. A pocket hit in the ninth resulted in a 7 pin, which he converted before going strike-spare in the 10th for 191. In his second game, Eagon-Mohlmaster opened following a 3-7-9 split in the fourth, converted a 3-7 split in the sixth and opened again following a 2-4-6-7-10 split in the seventh. A spare and a strike followed, but he could not double and shot 165. Despite a pair of doubles in the third game, Eagon-Mohlmaster had open frames after leaving the 2-4-6-7-10 again, the 4-6-7 and the 1-3-4-7, resulting in a 175. Despite his struggles, the reigning Gazette MVP said he wasn't nervous on the big stage, outside of the normal adrenaline that comes with bowling in any tournament. "We're here (at the state tournament), so there's going to be some nerves, but I didn't let it take over me," he said. "I threw it well enough to get some carry, but unfortunately it did not work out." Even when he missed the headpin, left big splits or saw the 7 pin standing on a number of pocket hits, Eagon-Mohlmaster stayed positive and smiled throughout. "I'm super proud of him," Steele said. "He had a great outlook and he kept his head up all day. You didn't see him get mad or discouraged. He just battled through it." Though it wasn't his day, Eagon-Mohlmaster was grateful to have so many Wadsworth fans in attendance, including his parents, teammates Nate Weyand and Mason Friedt and the entire Grizzlies girls team, which will compete in the state tournament today along with Buckeye's Aubrey Reuter. "It was amazing," Eagon-Mohlmaster said of the support, which he will return by cheering on the Wadsworth girls team today. "I loved seeing that. When you think about it, Nate and Mason didn't have to come. They really helped me throughout the day. They kept yelling my name (in the third game), even though at that point I had no chance. It was fun. I loved having them here." Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com.