2A girls bowling: Hudson’s Bay, R.A. Long advance to state tournament by placing second, third at district

CENTRALIA — The Hudson’s Bay girls bowling team is going to state, and senior MJ Westmorland could barely contain her emotions.

“It’s been my goal since freshman year,” Westmorland said. “I’ve always told myself I wanted to take Bay to state. I wanted to continue that legacy that my sister Shaylie left me. So it’s been a goal of mine. And I’m so proud that I got to do it with this team because I love them so much. I’ve grown up with them.”

Westmorland helped put an exclamation point on the day at the 2A district tournament at Fairway Lanes, rolling two strikes and a nine in the final frame to cap a 232 baker game for the Eagles.

That helped Bay fend off a late charge by R.A. Long to earn second place in the team standings behind district champion W.F. West.

The Bearcats won with 3,981 pins, followed by Bay (3,944), R.A. Long (3,838) and Rochester (3,749). Those four teams secured state berths.

“This team went undefeated,” Bay coach Michelle O’Toole said. “They had the best team chemistry that I could have asked for. And they were eager to learn and get better. That’s all I could really ask for.”

As they have all season, the baker games — which require each bowler on the team to build a score from the teammates — were pivotal for Bay.

Bay came out of the morning singles play with just a nine-pin lead over R.A. Long for second place. A 137 in the fifth baker game — the only baker under 173 for the Eagles — allowed R.A. Long to move into second place by 26 pins.

Bay reclaimed second place with a 181 in the sixth baker game, then pulled away with the 232 in the final baker.

“I think they just lean on each other and really thrive on the bakers,” O’Toole said. “It’s teamwork. In the individual games, they’re working with each other. But in the bakers they really have to count on each other.”

Westmorland said: “If one of us gets down, we always make sure to them ‘It’s OK. Just pick it back up.’ We always keep the energy up, and we’re always around each other. We’re like a family. So it’s always important to keep on clapping. Even if we miss something, we’re always there to pick each other up in the end.”

In the individual games, R.A. Long’s Bailee Smith bowled the high game of the day, rolling a 255 in her final game to shoot up to second place at 609. Savanna Hoyt-Siler of W.F. West was the district champion at 652.

Jade Walters of R.A. Long was fourth (594), followed by Bay’s Abby Schoonover (591) and Westmorland (588). Alina Breitengross of Ridgefield (ninth, 556) and Lilyann Lovingfoss of Mark Morris (10^th, 547) rounded out the top ten.

The 2A/1A state tournament is next Friday and Saturday at Bowlero in Tukwila.

“I’m looking forward to us placing good at state, and, you know, bringing home a trophy,” Westmorland said. “First place hopefully, just doing great and representing our school.”

2A DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

At Fairway Lanes, Centralia

Team scores (top 4 to state) — 1, W.F. West 3981; 2, Hudson’s Bay 3944; 3, R.A. Long 3838; 4, Rochester 3749; Also: 5, Fort Vancouver 3552; 6, Columbia River 3511; 7, Mark Morris 3389; 8, Ridgefield 3347.

Top 10 individuals — 1, Savanna Hoyt-Siler (WF West) 652 (224-214-214); 2, Bailee Smith (R.A. Long) 609 (202-152-255); 3, Natalie Southard (Rochester) 595 (182-247-166); 4, Jade Walters (R.A. Long) 594 (168-235-191); 5, Abby Schoonover (Hudson’s Bay) 591 (185-220-186); 6, MJ Westmorland (Hudson’s Bay) 588 (197-184-207); 7, Kailyn Black (Rochester) 560 (146-182-232); 8, Emma Hamilton (WF Westz) 558 (154-159-245); 9, Alina Breitengross (Ridgefield) 556 (201-173-182); 10, Lilyann Lovingfoss (Mark Morris) 547 (185-199-163).

Local results

(x-individual state qualifier)

HUDSON’S BAY — 5, Abby Schoonover 591; 6, MJ Westmorland 588; 12, Sanaa Tyler 540 (172-191-177); 18t, Siddalee Huff 521 (160-176-185); 39t, Charly St. Mars 429 (164-103-162),

R.A. LONG — 2, Bailee Smith 609; 4, Jade Walters 594; 13, Destiny Ramirez 531 (181-190-160); 24, Hailey Wright 494 (169-150-175); 52, Abbie Wolters 316 (157-159); 63t, Adley Gustin 116.

FORT VANCOUVER — 16, Taryn Albrecht-x 525 (169-193-163); 17, Melaniah Broom-x 522 (156-168-198); 30t, Lila Sasse 472 (122-157-193); 35, Caitlyn Lack 451 (150-134-167); 57, Carys Ridler 253 (126-127); 60, Violet Narvasa 178.

COLUMBIA RIVER — 14, Brooklyn Burnett-x 528 (161-159-208); 23, Zuriel Fagaale-x 495 (159-153-183); 28, Haylee Delano 479 (193-160-126); 32, Sydney Rehberg 471 (160-140-171); 53, Cora McGill 311 (171-140); 65t, Ruby Lew 112.

MARK MORRIS — 10, Lilyann Lovingfoss-x 547; 22, Alex Perkins-x 496 (170-161-165); 38, Veronica Little 433 (133-146-154); 44, Karis Castellaw 411 (154-140-117); 54, Shelby DeBolt 287 (158-129); 61, Kadence Bartness 157.

RIDGEFIELD — 9, Alina Breitengross-x 556; 30t, Grace Beshears 472 (144-141-187); 33, Evelyn Varley 460 (157-158-145); 39, Ashlee Bridges 429 (143-121-165); 42, Charlie Harris 416 (138-156-122).