The 2023-24 Vermont high school bowling regular season is over and the 2024 state championships are just days away. On March 2nd, 11 teams will head up to Colchester's Sparetime entertainment center for the 2024 state tournament.
The defending state champions are Brattleboro. The Bears may have seen their nickname change, but they are still the team everyone is gunning for. Led by individual state champion Thomas Bell, the #3 seed in the state tournament have topped in almost every match against their southern VT opponents, but came up short against Windsor in their final regular season match on February 17th. That win gave the Yellowjackets momentum going into the tournament, securing the #5 seed and a first-round bye.
It's been an up-and-down year for coach Steve Bly's squad in his final season leading Windsor, but he's had some key players come up big when the time is right, pointing to sophomores Roxie Sherwin and Sam Russell's contributions in the team events. But it's senior Avery Bean who Bly touted the most, calling him his "go-to bowler." "His senior leadership has been on point communicating to his teammates about lane conditions and staying focused."
While Windsor may have the momentum going into Saturday, Randolph and Essex have been the top two teams in the state in 2024. Led by Avery Stockwell, the Ghosts have won every Bakers match they've been in this year (losing only 5 games). Meanwhile, the Hornets, led by Caleb Green, topped the northern division and are looking to do what Brattleboro did last year in winning the state title after losing in the final the previous year.
Then, there are the teams looking to make a Cinderella run in the state tournament. One of those teams is South Burlington. The Wolves/Strikers are the #6 seed in the tournament, but coach George Rooney will take it based on where they started. "It's been a very rewarding year so far" Rooney said. "We started with only four returning bowlers, but we were able to add some athletes to fill out the team."
In sports, some teams have a most valuable player (or in this case bowler). While Coach Bly mentioned Bean as his, coach Rooney went with a different approach. "We have a most valuable team. Together they have shown they can handle the pressure, learn and improve, and have a good time while doing so."
Even if their run ends without a title, Rooney knows how special this team has been. "We've had statistically better teams in the past, but I would put this squad up against them with no hesitation."
As for the remaining teams, St. Johnsbury enters as the #4 seed in their first season. Landon Labounty finished runner-up to Bell in the individual tournament while Ryan Hall was the top senior bowler in the state.
#7 Craftsbury had 3 bowlers in the individual tournament: All 3 finished in the top 10 with Jacob Marquis placing 3rd.
#8 Burlington is led by junior Noah Jenkins and senior Jacob Wooster. In last year's tournament, the Seahorses racked up 8 straight strikes in one game.
#9 Fair Haven and #11 Hartford both have first-year head coaches (Nick Rice and Rebecca Kaplan, respctively), while #10 White River Valley had their best regular season finish on February 17th, finishing second behind Randolph in the match.
No matter what happens, this tournament is not only about winning a title but also about sportsmanship. Every player and every coach will be cheering on their friends and colleagues, no matter what jersey they wear.
I guess that's why championship Saturday has become one of the best days of the year and one that's more an event than a game or match.
Tournament pairings
First Round (begins at 9AM)
#11 Hartford vs. #6 South Burlington
#10 White River Valley vs. #7 Craftsbury
#9 Fair Haven vs. #8 Burlington
Quarterfinals (follows Round 1)
#5 Windsor vs. #4 St. Johnsbury
HART/SB vs. #3 Brattleboro
WRV/CA vs. #2 Essex
FH/BUR vs. #1 Randolph
