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One pound — a little change that made a big difference for Gracie Hood.
“At the beginning of the season, I was throwing a 14-pound ball, and I couldn’t get anything to carry,” the Bellefontaine bowler said. “I was not scoring the way I wanted to, and I was so frustrated because it was my senior year and I felt like I had to do good.”
Hood switched to a 15-pound ball midway through the high school season and it made all the difference. The Central Buckeye Conference girls’ average leader won the Girls Division I State Bowling Tournament singles title with a 679 series. The winning didn’t stop there as Hood has won six tournaments since claiming the state title in March.
The incoming Mount Mercy University bowler recently finished as runner-up to champion Ashlin Teves, of Illinois, at the U.S. High School Bowling National Championship. Teves edged out Hood, 258-227, for the title at the Columbus Bowling Palace.
Second place, from a field of 250 of the best bowlers from across the country, was not a disappointment for Hood.
“It was a really good feeling,” she said. “My whole team was there and a lot of people from the area, which was really nice. I proved myself and represented Ohio well.”
Hood got off to a strong start as she was in eighth place after the first four games of qualifying when the field was cut to the top 96. Three more games for the top 40 cut and Hood climbed two spots to No. 6. By the time the field was cut to the top 10, Hood was in second place.
Her 214 game in the three-bowler playoff round propelled her into the championship match against top-seeded Teves. While Hood fell short of the win, it was a significant improvement over her 10th-place finish last year and a good warm-up for the Junior Gold Championships, July 11-18 in Minneapolis.
“I want to make Team USA,” Hood said. “That’s my goal.”
Six boys and six girls will qualify for Junior Team USA through scores bowled in the U18 division. The top four male and female bowlers after 26 games of qualifying, as well as the champions and co-champions in each division, earn Junior Team USA spots.
And while Hood is on summer break, the learning continues for the 18-year-old soon-to-be college freshman who recently competed in her first PWBA event, bowling on the same pair as PWBA titlist and 2024 USBC Queens champion Jillian Martin.
“I kept a level head and really wanted to learn,” Hood said.
She did just that.
“I learned how incredibly important my spares are. And I learned I have to stay aggressive with my moves — really stay ahead of it.”
Hood was not the only Miami Valley bowler who had a solid finish at the national event as rising Troy High School senior Baylie Massingill placed fifth overall, falling just 24 pins short of making the final four cut.
Continue reading...
“At the beginning of the season, I was throwing a 14-pound ball, and I couldn’t get anything to carry,” the Bellefontaine bowler said. “I was not scoring the way I wanted to, and I was so frustrated because it was my senior year and I felt like I had to do good.”
Hood switched to a 15-pound ball midway through the high school season and it made all the difference. The Central Buckeye Conference girls’ average leader won the Girls Division I State Bowling Tournament singles title with a 679 series. The winning didn’t stop there as Hood has won six tournaments since claiming the state title in March.
The incoming Mount Mercy University bowler recently finished as runner-up to champion Ashlin Teves, of Illinois, at the U.S. High School Bowling National Championship. Teves edged out Hood, 258-227, for the title at the Columbus Bowling Palace.
Second place, from a field of 250 of the best bowlers from across the country, was not a disappointment for Hood.
“It was a really good feeling,” she said. “My whole team was there and a lot of people from the area, which was really nice. I proved myself and represented Ohio well.”
Hood got off to a strong start as she was in eighth place after the first four games of qualifying when the field was cut to the top 96. Three more games for the top 40 cut and Hood climbed two spots to No. 6. By the time the field was cut to the top 10, Hood was in second place.
Her 214 game in the three-bowler playoff round propelled her into the championship match against top-seeded Teves. While Hood fell short of the win, it was a significant improvement over her 10th-place finish last year and a good warm-up for the Junior Gold Championships, July 11-18 in Minneapolis.
“I want to make Team USA,” Hood said. “That’s my goal.”
Six boys and six girls will qualify for Junior Team USA through scores bowled in the U18 division. The top four male and female bowlers after 26 games of qualifying, as well as the champions and co-champions in each division, earn Junior Team USA spots.
And while Hood is on summer break, the learning continues for the 18-year-old soon-to-be college freshman who recently competed in her first PWBA event, bowling on the same pair as PWBA titlist and 2024 USBC Queens champion Jillian Martin.
“I kept a level head and really wanted to learn,” Hood said.
She did just that.
“I learned how incredibly important my spares are. And I learned I have to stay aggressive with my moves — really stay ahead of it.”
Hood was not the only Miami Valley bowler who had a solid finish at the national event as rising Troy High School senior Baylie Massingill placed fifth overall, falling just 24 pins short of making the final four cut.
Continue reading...
