GREENFIELD — The girls bowling team at Greenfield-Central High School qualified for the national tournament in 2020.
Unfortunately, like many things over the past year — due to the coronavirus pandemic — the event was canceled.
The Cougars were first-time sectional and regional champions a year ago. They performed well enough at the semi-state to qualify for the state tournament. They were sixth in the state finals and earned a trip to the national finals that were to be held in Dayton, Ohio.
That trip didn’t happen, so they’ve hit the re-set button for 2021.
As unfortunate as it was not to be able to compete in Dayton — which is also the site of this year’s national tournament — the Cougars are fortunate they returned their entire lineup from last season.
Knowing the route and what it takes, the Cougars are hoping to get back.
But, first things first.
They will compete in the Anderson Semi-State today in an attempt to qualify for next week’s state finals in Fort Wayne.
“I think we are all very much motivated,” senior Macy Huber said. “We were all extremely excited last season to qualify for nationals. When they ended up not having it, we were all definitely bummed.
“Due to the circumstances, it was understandable with having to have people come from all over. It was definitely sad, but I think it gives us the motivation and boost to keep continuing to fight this year and go through the post-season and get back to nationals.”
For the second straight year, Greenfield-Central won the sectional, the first two in the girls program’s history. After winning the regional in 2020, another program first, the Cougars placed third last week in the regional round, still qualifying for the semi-state.
The regional was close.
Coach Dave Evans said with scoring of 12 games, they were just 20 pins out of second and about 50 out of first. In head-to-head competition, they lost to Brownsburg, the team G-C beat to win last year’s regional. Brownsburg lost to champion Franklin Central in the finals.
“They’re bowling really well right now,” Evans said of his team. “Last week (at the regional) we didn’t finish as well as we should have, but did enough to get to semi-state.
My seniors are bowling really well.”
The Cougars are led by a trio of seniors: Huber, Tandess O’Neal and Elyssa Colwell.
O’Neal has qualified for the semi-state singles competition, too. She led the state in average over the regular season with a 218. She signed earlier this year to compete next school year at Marian University, an NAIA program in Indianapolis.
Huber committed earlier this week to Trine University, an NCAA Division III school in Angola.
“The key is making spares and taking one shot at a time and not getting down on yourself if you miss a spare,” Evans said of his team’s approach to semi-state competition this week. “We’ve got to stay focused and try to score the best we can.”
Along the lines of first things first, Evans knows to get to the nationals, you have to do well at semi-state and then do well at the state championships, too.
Advancing from the semi-state to the state finals is next on the to-do list.
If they are able to get to the state tournament, the goals will be set higher.
“Our main motivation is winning a state championship,” Evans said. “As far as we went last year, we want to get back and try to win a state championship. That would be the top (goal). I’ve got a great team. Hopefully we can get back there.
“The nationals would be the next step. That’s a big, big tournament for the girls.”
“I think we all need to continue to be motivated to achieve our goal to making it to state and to nationals,” Huber added. “We’ve improved a lot along the way.
“Just every once in a while we’ll have a bad break or someone will miss a spare and we’ll all kind of get down. I think as long as we stay motivated and encouraged by our teammates and encourage each other and work as a team, I think that will help us achieve our goals of making it back to nationals.”
O’Neal will open play with singles competition at 8 a.m. The team competition begins at 1 p.m.
“Hopefully we’ll be successful again this weekend and achieve all of those goals,” Huber added.
