By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
July 16, 2002
The 37th Annual YABA State Tournament finished up this weekend with 24 teams, 84 singles and 42 doubles competing.
Bowlers came from Oxford, Corinth, Vicksburg, Hattiesburg, Diamond Head, Gautier and Natchez to compete in the third and final weekend of the tournament.
Overall, nearly 300 youth bowlers from across the state competed. Kids as young as three and as old as 19 competed.
17-year-old Bradford Wilson of Jackson finished the tournament with the high scratch game for the boys with a 267 while 16-year-old Heather Stringer of Hattiesburg and 17-year-old Errin Rogers of Jackson finished with the top scratch game for the girls with a 234. Stringer also had a 636 series to claim the high scratch series in girls competition.
16-year-old Nick Perniciaro of Diamond Head bowled a 659 to finish with the high scratch series for the boys. He beat out 15-year-old local bowler Josh Coleman who bowled a 657.
Bowlers competed in four age divisions and local bowlers did well in each division. Michael Brown and Chris Winkleblech won the state championship in Prep Doubles while Daniel Cole took home first in the Prep boys All-Events. Also, "Wednesday Fun Time #3" with Megan Tupman, Will Fike, Walter Scott and Coleman took home first in Majors-Seniors Team competition.
In Bantam, Emily Davis placed four in girls Singles and also was fourth in the girls All-Events.
Jordan Woods finished fifth in Bantam boys Singles and also teamed with Tanner Felton to finish second in Doubles. Felton finished the tournament in third place in boys All-Events.
The Prep bowlers also did well. Nikki Harris finished second in girls Singles while Olivia Taylor finished seventh and Hannah Chisolm grabbed eighth. Chisolm and Harris teamed up to finish seventh in Prep Doubles. Harris also finished third in girls All-Events.
Chase Dooley finished third in Boys Singles while Brown tied for sixth and Jerry Dearman took tenth in the event.
In Juniors, Matt Smith finished second in Boys Singles and Coleman took third. Matt Atwood finished in fifth in the event. Atwood also teamed up with Justin Rollings to finish fourth in Doubles. David and Robert Davis finished sixth in Doubles and Robert finished fourth in boys All-Events.
The Major-Seniors fared well in the tournament. Casandra McKay took home second in girls All-Events. Shalane Fike finished eighth in Girls singles.
For the boys, Alex DeRusha finished fifth in Singles and also paired with Nick Rollings to place second in Doubles. DeRusha finished fourth in All-Events while Rollings finished in fifth.
In team action, "NAS/Dixie Mixed" with DeRusha, Rollings, Billy Allen and Steven Carson finished third. The team called "Wednesday Fun Time #1" made up of Stringer, Thomas Hamilton, Colton Dooley and Adam Carson finished out the tournament with a fourth place finish.