By Coach Godley
LHSAA State Playoffs – Final Four: Central continued its march towards a State Championship by defeating AJ Ellender (14-2) last Friday at All Star Lanes in the semis of the LHSAA State Girls Bowling Playoffs. Even after losing starter Junior Sariah Short to a pulled tendon in her bowling hand, the Wildcats didn’t seem to skip a beat. The ladies came out strong winning Game 1 5-3 (987-907) and Game 2 6-2 (1004-866). With only needing 3 more points to clinch the match and up 218 pins, the Wildcats held off a late Patriots' rally with Ellender winning Game 3 6-2 (1071-1023), but the Wildcats maintaining the total pin lead for the overall victory, 16-11 and 3014-2844! Junior Brianna McCurley led the Wildcats with a 571 (187, 214) and Senior/Captain Sarah LeDuff followed with a 539 (216, 188). Freshman Jessie Smith rolled a 528 (180, 196), Junior Brittnee Robinson had a 521 (212) and Freshman Alanna Coward bowled a 484 (194).
Also in semis, Central Boys’ Senior/Captain Johnathan Ryder’s four year high school bowling career came to an end. Ryder was the only Wildcat from the boys team to advance in the LHSAA Boys Individual State Championship semifinal round. Ryder capped one of the biggest improvements an individual from Central bowling has ever had. Averaging only 128 his freshman year, Ryder improved his average by over 50 pins, won 81% of his matches (92-21) and finished as a state semi finalist.
LHSAA State Championship: Central’s domination of high school girls bowling was on full display in the Championship Round of the state playoffs. The three games in the final round were as good as any girls team (from anywhere) has ever bowled, period! Morgan City (15-2) ran into a buzz saw as the Wildcats (16-0) came out on fire and never looked back. The Tigers came about with a strong 998 in Game 1, but the Wildcats responded with one of their highest games ever with an 1138 and took first game 6-2. Coward led the way with a LHSAA personal high 243 game, Smith rolled a 224 and Robinson had a 199. Up 140 pins, the Wildcats weren't close to being done.
The large Central fan base saw the Wildcats full potential come together and any hope Morgan City had to get back in the match was quickly squashed. In Game 2 the Wildcats strung strike after strike after strike to an eventual school record 1185 (to the Tigers' 949) en route to a 7-1 victory. The record setting performance included McCurley’s 233, Robinson’s 223, Coward’s 213, LeDuff’s 206, Smith’s 190 and Junior Dante Garcia’s 120. With The Wildcats up 376 pins and 13-3, the State Championship was essentially Central’s. The Wildcats cruised in Game 3 winning 5-3 (1049-924). After all the pins settled, the Wildcats had won their first team LHSAA Bowling State Championship in school history by a final score 21-6 and 3372-2821.
Not surprisingly, the ladies set another school record with the 3372 series (231 pins over the previous record)! In comparison to this season’s dominance by the Wildcats, only one team (Ellender) in the entire state had cracked 3000 for a series. Central accomplished that feat a staggering 8 times! Literally and figuratively, the Wildcats saved their best for last! Smith led the Wildcats with a great 620 (224, 190, 206), followed by Robinson's also stellar 615 (199, 223, 193), Coward's 595 (243, 213, 139), McCurley's 595 (167, 233, 195) and LeDuff's 590 (187, 206, 197)!!! Robinson, Coward and McCurley’s series were all LHSAA personal highs. And if all that wasn't enough, Smith took home the LHSAA Girls Individual State Championship with a 206 average and Robinson won Girls Individual State Runner-Up with a 205 average!
Six months after their first practice in October, the Wildcats proudly held up the state title as the UNDEFEATED STATE CHAMPIONS! The ladies have accomplished so many feats this year including a State Championship, their first undefeated season, new school records for a game (1185) and series (3372), 2016 Louisiana High School Invitational Champions (2nd year in a row), District Champions (3rd year in a row), seven Wildcats making All District 1st Team (5) and 2nd Team (2) and the recognition as one of the best teams LHSSA Girls Bowling has ever seen. LeDuff finishes her four years bowling at Central as captain with a combined 172 average, winning 79% of her matches (98-26) and provided tremendous leadership to this year’s roster. With LeDuff as the lone senior on this year’s squad, 2017 looks very bright for these Wildcats to make a run at yet another state championship. Way to go Wildcats, you’re forever champions!
For more pictures and stats of our tremendous season, please visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CentralHighWildcats
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