By BUTCH HARMON
The beat went on for the Ithaca girls bowling team.
Since the 2004 season, the Ithaca girls have qualified for the state tournament every year but one. The Yellowjackets kept the string going this season, as they made it to the Division 4 finals. The Ithaca girls just missed qualifying for the championship round at the state meet by finishing 10 points out of eighth place.
“I think the girls bowled quite well,” coach Dan Macha said. “They just missed a few strikes here and there.”
Ithaca’s two senior bowlers also closed well, as both Sara Cowdrey and Haley Hofmann qualified for the state singles meet. Hofmann, who finished second at the regional meet, placed sixth at state, while Cowdrey, who finished ninth at the regional, just missed the cut for the finals at the state meet.
“Haley won her first round match at state but then lost in the next round to a sophomore from Rogers City who bowled the two highest scores of her life,” Macha said. “She just ran into a buzz saw.”
While the two seniors will be missed, Ithaca returns plenty of talent next year, led by Chelsea MacLennan, Kristy Godley, Channing Gulick, and Arianna Woodrow. Brianna Freed is a top bowler coming up from the junior varsity team, while Haley Sigafoose is an eighth grader who will be ready to step in next year as a freshman.
In the boys’ Division 4 singles meet, Ithaca senior Travis Cojocar finished first in qualifying with a 1,285 total. He lost in the quarterfinals.
The St. Louis boys also made it to the state finals and finished in the top eight in qualifying to reach the round of eight. The Sharks defeated Brandywine in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual state champion Gabriel Richard in the semifinals.