Berkshire's bowling season got off to a quick start with pre-Thanksgiving matches Nov. 22 and 23.
Bowling photos click here.
Berkshire’s bowling season got off to a quick start with pre-Thanksgiving matches Nov. 22 and 23.
The Badgers boys team began its season against a very tough senior-led Willoughby South Rebels team at Ernst Lanes — and was defeated 2-0 in individual team matches and 3-0 in Baker format games.
Overall, the team felt confident.
“We bowled pretty well today,” said Noah Valentino. “There is definitely room for improvement during our season, though.”
Added Owen Zaumeyer, “We showed way more improvement than last year. Just being able to see the improvements that we made since last year with only having six people on our team, it felt great to be out there again with the team today.”
Coaching mostly freshmen and sophomores, Coach Kevin Johnson will aim to keep his team optimistic in facing a challenging 2022-2023 season schedule.
He noted that they will stay focused on the process of improvement and continuing to build the important team cohesion necessary for success.
“This year we have a lot of young talent,” Johnson said. “They are rolling the ball good. The boys are still young, but they are full of energy and they love to bowl.”
In addition to the boys team’s enthusiasm, Johnson discussed how he plans to develop team chemistry — an attribute particularly pivotal in interscholastic bowling, as high school bowlers must also bowl in a Baker format, where each bowler on the team bowls two out of the ten frames to contribute to the final score for the game.
“We are one big family,” Johnson said. “You know, your brother is struggling, we try to work through it. We try to help each other, work with each other, and that’s a big thing, you know. Teamwork.”
The Badgers might already be ahead of some of their peers on this process. Team building began during the offseason, Zaumeyer said.
“At least a few of us, we try to go bowling every weekend, and even in practice we try to be a team more than being an individual,” he said. “I’m just excited to see us improve as a team, and I hope we can have a more successful season than last year.”
Berkshire also has a varsity girls bowling program that opened its season with a win Nov. 23 against the Eastlake North Rangers.
In contrast to the boys team, Johnson noted that the Berkshire girls team is an experienced group of bowlers made up of mostly upperclassmen.
“The girls are really going to be tough,” he said. “There are four returning seniors, four starters, seven letter-winners last year (returning).
“So the girls are looking for a really good season.”
Both the boys and girls teams have a busy week ahead, facing NDCL (Nov. 29), Southington (Nov. 30), Rootstown (Dec. 1) and Wickliffe (Dec. 3).
ALAN KORNSPAN/KMG
Berkshire’s Owen Zaumeyer, left, and Ryan Kessinger bowl a home match at Ernst Lanes in Chardon in a 2-0 and 3-0 loss to Willoughby-South. “At least a few of us, we try to go bowling every weekend, and even in practice we try to be a team more than being an individual,” Zaumeyer said at the match.
VIDEO: Coach Kevin Johnson
Zaumeyere, Valentino
