LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – The Ravenna Bulldog girls’ bowling team completed its mission on Friday with a Division 4 team state title in bowling.
The Bulldogs defeated Bad Axe 3-2 in the championship match, which included five baker games, to capture the title at Northway Lanes in Muskegon. Ravenna finished the season undefeated.
In the fifth and deciding game of the title match, Ravenna sophomore Taylor Nutt delivered in the 10th frame and gave the Bulldogs a 186-179 victory and the state title.
Taylor Nutt delivered in the clutch for the Bulldogs.
“Every match went five bakers,” said Ravenna coach Jason Nutt. “The championship match went into the 10th frame and Taylor Nutt needed to have the first two strikes for us to win it and she did that.”
The Bulldogs sailed through the qualifying round on Friday morning that included eight baker games and two regular games. Ravenna finished with 2,899, which was 164 pins better than runner-up Burton Atherton. In the regular games, Ravenna rolled an 801 and 799, which were the two highest scores of any of the 16 teams.
“We averaged about 163 for the qualifying bakers and 800 for the regulars and that is about our average for the season,” said Jason Nutt, the Bulldog coach. “That allowed us to be a No. 1 seed, which gave us a smoother path to the finals.”
As the top seed, the Bulldogs moved into bracket play where they met Jackson Lumen Christi in the quarterfinals. The teams went 1-1-1 in the first three baker games before the Bulldogs won the final two games and earned a spot in the semifinals.
In the semifinals, against Jonesville, Ravenna fell behind 2-1 then won the last two games to slide into the championship match against Bad Axe.
Again, Ravenna fell behind 2-1 before roaring back to win the last two games and the state title. That included the final game heroics from Taylor Nutt.
The Bulldogs were the GMAA champions, league champions as well as regional champions and finished 15-0.
Now the focus turns to Saturday when Taylor Nutt, Gabby Nutt and Emma Herremans will be vying for an individual state title at Northway Lanes.
“They all have a good chance of making the top 16,” said Coach Nutt.
