TSSAA State TournamentSaturday at Smyrna Bowling CenterDivision II girlsSemifinals: St. Benedict 17, GPS 10; St. Agnes 23, Donelson Christian Academy 4. Final: St. Agnes 19.5, St. Benedict 7.5Division II boysSemifinals: Memphis Univ. School 19, Montgomery Bell Academy 8; St. Benedict 18.5, Christian Brothers 8.5. Final: St. Benedict 18, MUS 9.Division I girlsSemifinals: York Institute 17, Columbia Central 10; Hardin County 21, Smyrna 6. Final: York 18.5, Hardin County 8.5.Division I boysSemifinals: Columbia Central 17, Lebanon 10; Bartlett 18, Walker Valley 9. Final: Columbia 21, Bartlett 6.ST. BENEDICT 17, GPS 10Game 1: Girls Preparatory, 6-2Highlights: GPS -- Sydney Leech 257, Madi Stanley 192, Corey Swafford 178, Sara Griffith 169, Katy Richardson 154. SB -- Jessica Wathen 183, Nicole Harty 155, Monica Fillion 147, Susanah Tovar 144, Jenny Meegan 144, Kathleen Bray 138.Game 2: St. Benedict, 6-2Highlights: SB -- Morgan Bryant 198, Fillion 194, Bray 162, Harty 157, Wathen 154. GPS -- Griffith 194, Stanley 189, Leech 182, Taylor Battle 157, Swafford 132.Game 3: St. Benedict, 6-2Highlights: SB -- Bray 206, Wathen 202, Fillion 174, Tovar 170, Bryant 165, Harty 154. GPS -- Griffith 93, Leech 189, Swafford 155, Stanley 145, Richardson 135.Total pins (3 pts.): St. Benedict, 2,970-2,954.BARTLETT 18, WALKER VALLEY 9Game 1: 4-4Highlights: WV -- Jacob Baker 215, Caleb Zanoska 201, Nathan Kirby 175, Briton Helton 174, Jesse Bishop 173, Brandon Baker 169. B -- Ryan Foster 218, Nick Kavoian 193, Brandon Gurley 187, Phillip Bay 181, Christian Smith 147.Game 2: Bartlett, 5-3Highlights: B -- Foster 238, P. Bay 229, Chris Bay 187, Kavoian 184, Gurley 174, Smith 145. WV -- B. Baker 218, Zanoska 200, J. Baker 193, Bishop/Dakota Dawson 167, Helton 161.Game 3: Bartlett, 6-2Highlights: B -- Foster 234, Gurley 199, C. Bay 199. WV -- Dawson 220, Zanoska 174, Helton 168, J. Baker 141.Total pins (3 pts.): Bartlett, 3,256-3,114.
No Chattanooga-area team reached the finals of the TSSAA state bowling tournament Saturday in Smyrna, Tenn.
Girls Preparatory School, the 2012 Division II champion, lost 17-10 to 2012 runner-up St. Benedict in a 2013 semifinal, and Walker Valley lost 18-9 to Bartlett in the Division I boys' semis.
Bartlett and St. Benedict then lost to Columbia Central and St. Agnes, respectively, in their championship matches. St. Benedict did win the Division II boys' title, however, and York Institute is the Division I girls' champion.
After edging Walker Valley junior Jacob Baker 218-215 in a classic first-game duel, Bartlett's Ryan Foster paced second- and third-game team wins with his 238 and 234. The Cleveland-based Mustangs got a 218 from senior captain Brandon Baker in game two, a 201 and a 200 from freshman Caleb Zanoska in the first two games and a 220 from freshman reserve Dakota Dawson in game three.
All but one of coach Dean Anderson's Mustangs will be back next year, and reaching the semifinals in the program's first state appearance should be an impetus for the freshman-loaded squad.
GPS, however, really expected to repeat as champion, and coach Jenise Gordon said she was "sad, sad, sad for those four seniors."
Gordon, who teaches biology and environmental science, already had decided to step aside as coach after seven years, and she admitted "this was not the way we wanted to write the last chapter, but I love them and I'm proud of them."
Senior Sydney Leech bowled 257, 182 and 189 for the Bruisers (19-1), and classmate Sara Griffith, the state individual runner-up, followed a 169 with a 194 and a 193. Junior Madi Stanley had a 192 and a 189 in the first two games.
"Sydney and Sara came out and bowled amazingly," Gordon said. "We just didn't have six show up at the right time, and I think St. Benedict may have bowled one of their best games of the season."
Assistant coach David McGowan helped the Bruisers win their state title last year and now will take over as head coach, and Gordon said, "They will be back. David will get them back."