John Raffel
Sports Scene
Leah Hartman expects to challenge for high honors in state bowling action this season.
However, it might be hard to top what she achieved in mid-January at 300 Bowl in Alma.
Hartman bowled a 300 game on January 14 in her first match in conference action. Her previous high game in competition was 279. In practice two weeks prior to her 300, she hit a 299.
That near miss alerted Hartman to the prospect that she might be able to hit the 300 level.
“It gave more confidence knowing I could do it,” she said.
On her 12th and final throw of her 300 game, Hartman was confident the ball was set so it would pick up the strike. The time she bowled 299, she knew her last throw would be shaky.
“I tugged it a little bit, it wasn’t that good of a bowl,” she said, adding that during her bids for 300 games, “it was after seven straight [strikes] I started really thinking about it.”
Hartman, a senior, is averaging 205. She has bowled since she was eight years old and started high school bowling as a sophomore.
“I’m getting one-on-one from Mike Braun; he’s helping me and he’s improved me a lot,” Hartman said, referring to her volunteer bowling instructor from Lansing Community College.
The Ovid-Elsie team has been tied for first in its conference.
Hartman got third in state in Division 4 singles as a sophomore. Last year, the team was third.
“I think we have a pretty good chance of winning state,” she said. “I can rank probably in the top five [individually]. There’s some pretty good girls in our division. I can focus on shoving the ball onto the lane instead of lofting it.”
Hartman indicated the 300 game would be her No. 1 thrill in bowling, followed by her first 700 series. She had a 753 during the high school season. She wouldn’t mind going after an 800 series in the future.
After high school, Hartman is looking to bowl in college but hasn’t decided on a location. Alma College is a possibility along with possibly some colleges in Maine.
I know they have some really good teams and schools up there,” Hartman said.
Matt Fabus has been coaching both the boys’ and girls’ bowling teams at Ovid-Elsie and hasn’t been surprised with Hartman’s standout season.
“She’s been bowling since she was able to bowl in the youth league,” he said. “She has a strong dedication to the game.”
Damian Lytle has a 196 average for the Ovid-Elsie boys’ team
“He’s been on the varsity four years,” Fabus said. “He’s improved 8 to 10 pins. All of our bowlers have worked hard.”
The boys’ squad is in the running for first place in the TVC.