Highlands Girls Bowling Wins Region Crown

Bluebirds Headed to State for Eighth Time in Program History

Twitter Photo. The Highlands Bluebirds girls bowling team won its first 5th Region crown since 2018 on Tuesday.

The Highlands Bluebirds girls bowling team came together well despite a lot of inexperience posting a record of 7-1.

The Bluebirds hoped to put it together in the 5th Region Tournament held at their home Bellewood Lanes. They did it claiming their first region championship since 2018 Tuesday.

Highlands bowled a total of 799 to take the third seed out of six teams in the preliminary round. The Bluebirds then took down sixth-seeded Pendleton County, 3-2 (118-167, 114-100, 135-168, 165-131, 135-92).

But the Bluebirds took down second-seeded Campbell County in the semifinals and Newport Central Catholic in the championship game by 3-0 scores. Highlands bested Campbell County by scores of 113-111, 191-125, 180-129 then NewCath by 125-117, 151-94, 180-129 scores.

"We started off slow. But we were able to get on a roll and after that, we were unstoppable," said Madison Clore, Highlands senior. "We never gave up and we continued to persevere in order to win. Our team has worked hard to get to this point and I am proud to be a part of it. This team is full of positivity, determination and energy, which will helps us go far in state."

Clore and senior Kristen Egan were the only two with varsity experience returning from last year's team that qualified for state. But the likes of seniors Macy Hedenberg, Carissa Armstrong, Jade Rehberger and Chloe Bramble made quick contributions. Bramble credited Head Coach Andy Eckerle for creating the positive environment

"We obviously had our work cut out for us at the beginning," Bramble said. "I know a lot of the girls joined the team simply because it sounded like something fun to do without all the pressure. However, everyone that had joined this year grew to love the sport very quickly and we were all very invested. We had practice twice a week aside from matches and bowled frequently in our free time. A lot of the girls would go to (Coach) Eckerle's classroom throughout the day to look at standings and talk about strategies."

Highlands saw Abby Bach go down and win the first individual girls state championship in school history last year. But no bowler made it individually for the boys or girls teams this year. Hedenberg placed seventh in the region meet making it to the semifinals out of 30 bowlers. The highest score on the boys side was 20th out of 31 bowlers.

The Highlands boys finished 4-4 on the season. The Bluebirds earned the fifth seed in the preliminaries bowling 994. The lost to Dayton, 3-1 (190-189, 141-150, 197-165, 177-141) in the first round.

The state tournament takes place Monday at Executive Strike and Spare in Louisville starting at 8:10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Highlands bowls on Lanes 45 and 46.

Highlands Girls Bowling Team Bests Beechwood

Girls Basketball Falls to 0-4 in Region Play

PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. Highlands eighth grader Saylor Macke (31) gets in position in a recent game.

The Highlands Bluebirds girls bowling team moved to 4-0 on the season with a win over Beechwood at Bellewood Lanes on Thursday. 

Senior Macy Hedenberg led Highlands bowling a 197. The Highlands boys dropped to 2-2 losing to Beechwood.

Highlands defeated Scott in a Co-Ed Match on Tuesday to move to 4-0. Senior Chloe Bramble led Highlands bowling a 170 and senior Jade Rehberger bowled a 165. Junior Kurrin Frank bowled 161 and 159.

Highlands bowls against Campbell County on Jan. 11 at Southern Lanes.

Basketball, Girls:

Ryle 76, Highlands 29:

The Bluebirds (4-6 overall) continued to struggle against top teams in the 9th Region on the road Wednesday.

Highlands made just 9-of-29 shots for 31 percent including 3-of-13 from three-point range for 23 percent and made 6-of-10 free throws for 60 percent. The Bluebirds also grabbed just 15 rebounds. Senior Meg Gessner scored eight points to lead the Bluebirds and freshman 6-foot-2-inch center Marissa Green scored seven.

Ryle (11-4) hit 32-of-54 shots for 59 percent including 5-of-11 from three-point range for 46 percent and 7-of-8 free throws for 88 percent. The Lady Raiders also grabbed 25 rebounds.

Ryle put four players in double figures. Junior guard Abby Holtman led the way scoring 20. Sophomore center Sarah Baker, sophomore forward Quinn Eubank and junior guard Austin Johnson scored 15, 14 and 14 points respectively.

Highlands Bowlers Earn Win to Open Season

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The Highlands bowling teams opened the season with victories over Lloyd Memorial at the Bellewood Bowling Lanes.

The Highlands girls won 7-0. Seniors Carissa Armstrong and Jade Rehberger bowled high games for the Bluebirds with scores of 170 and 160 respectively.

"It was really great. I hadn't bowled in a really long time so I wanted to do it to have fun senior year with some of the girls," Rehberger said. "We had great cheers, great energy."

The Highlands boys won 5-2. Junior Graham Lecky bowled a 199 to lead the Bluebirds and junior Kurrin Frank bowled 174.

"Everybody did his best. It was a tie 2-2. Then we played two baker games and we came through," Lecky said. "My personal high is 209. I stay consistent and I don't let it get in my head then I get strike after strike. That's all I do and (Head Coach Andy) Eckerle is a good coach. He teaches us good ways."

2020-21 Highlands Bowling Preview

The Highlands Bluebirds bowling teams enter their ninth seasons knowing it will be unlike the previous eight because of Coronavirus 2019 restrictions.

But the teams are determined not to take advantage of the time given on the lanes. The biggest adjustment is the team's home alley is Super Bowl Bellewood in Woodlawn after LaRu closed down in the spring. Bellewood may be bigger. But the teams have to share it with a couple other schools.

Region 5 Bowling Results

Gabbard, Cole Qualify for State Tournament

Twitter Photo. Highlands seniors Jordan Cole and Gunner Gabbard made the state tournament placing in the top four of the individual tournament on Monday.

The Highlands Bluebirds bowling teams competed in the Region 5 Tournament on Monday and Wednesday at SuperBowl Bellwood.

Only two individual bowlers on either team qualified for state this year. They were Highlands seniors Gunner Gabbard and Jordan Cole.

Highlands Bowling Sweeps Dayton Singles Tournament

Five Bluebirds Make All-Tournament Team

Contributed Photo. The Highlands girls saw three bowlers make the all-tournament team at the Dayton Singles Tournament on Saturday.

Contributed Photo. The Highlands boys saw two members make the all-tournament team in the Dayton Bowling Singles Tournament on Saturday.

The Highlands Bluebirds bowlers swept the Dayton singles tournament on Saturday.

Highlands Bowling Loses to Covington Catholic

The Highlands Bluebirds boys bowling team lost 6-2 to Covington Catholic on Tuesday at Erlanger Bowl.

Highlands Bowling Wins First Matches

Bluebirds Take Down Crusaders

Twitter Photo. Highlands senior Gunner Gabbard (senior) and junior Abby Bach (right) helped the Highlands Co-Ed Bowling Team to a victory on Thursday at LaRu Lanes.

The Highlands Bowling teams opened with a co-ed victory over St. Henry by 2,515 pins to 2,188 at LaRu Lanes in Highland Heights.

2018-19 Highlands Bowling Preview

Highlands Returns Nice Mixture of Experience, Youth

PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. Highlands junior Gunner Gabbard sets up to bowl at a recent practice. Gabbard is a key returning bowler for the Bluebirds.

PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. Highlands junior Erin Parrott returns after helping the Bluebirds to the Region 5 championship last year.

A year ago, the Highlands bowling teams saw a new individual bar raised.

Andy Campbell, who graduated in the spring, brought home the first individual boys state championship. Campbell bowled 1,107 in five qualifying games pulling away from second-seed Jacob Rowan of Louisville DuPont Manual by 84 pins to earn a bye into the championship match. Campbell then defeated Rowan, 229-119 in the title match.

Campbell practiced every scenario before going down to the state tournament at Executive Strike and Spare in Louisville and won it despite what Highlands Head Coach Glenn Schmidt described as Taj Mahal challenge conditions. Campbell served as an exception to the rule that state scores were down compared to prior years when Lexington's Collins Eastland.

"You know what you're up against when you get up against the conditions that the state is putting out," Schmidt said. "Therefore, you have to understand that everybody is shooting in the same type of conditions. It becomes a level playing field at that point. You just have to make the right adjustments and do the right thing and that's part of what my coaching is."

Both sides saw two key bowlers graduate. Hunter Kolb also graduated for the Highlands boys, who lost to Simon Kenton in the Region 5 Tournament. The Highlands girls graduated Kate Schneider and Tessa Woody from the Region 5 Tournament championship team.