The Pendleton Heights bowling team was among the top three teams at the White River I Sectional and earned a spot into the Jan. 15 regional. The team was eliminated, but junior Abby Fisher advanced to the semi-state. Team members are, from the left, front row - Alex Blair, Abby Fisher, Austin Hill, and Kollin Hitch; back row - coach Sabrina Dodson, Hunter Dile, Isaiah Fisher, Mark Nielsen, Parker Dean, Dominick Rhodus and coach Sue Fisher. Front row
Submitted photo
PENDLETON — With a strong third game to end her three-game series, Pendleton Heights junior Abby Fisher was the lone Arabian bowler to move on from Saturday’s New Castle Regional to the Richmond Semi-State.
Fisher will compete this weekend in Richmond at Richmond 40 Bowl. She had a three-game series of 499, with a high score of 212 in her third game. With the top eight advancing to semi-state, Fisher found herself in 11th going into the final game. Her best game of the series propelled her into the advancement group. She ended up placing sixth.
“She just went to work, put her head down with a smile on her face and came out with a 212,” Pendleton Heights coach Sabrina Dodson said.
Pendleton Heights had two individuals and its team compete at the regional held at Rose Bowl in New Castle.
The team earned one of three qualifying spots by placing second at the Elwood Sectional. Fisher advanced to the girls regional and Hunter Dile, the only senior, bowled in the boys division. Both got to the regional by placing seventh at the sectional tournament held at Elwood’s Wells Bowling Lanes.
It was the second straight year the team had advanced out of sectional play.
The Arabians were not too far off from claiming the sectional’s first-place prize. Elwood won with a pin total of 2,390. Pendleton Heights had 2,323.
At the sectional, Pendleton Heights junior Parker Dean was selected the GMACK Graphics mental attitude award winner, which included a $50 scholarship.
If Fisher qualifies this weekend, she will play in the state finals in Fort Wayne.
“I can’t say enough about the group that we had,” Dodson said. “I think we had something special that maybe some of the other teams didn’t have. They have a vibe. They’re just a great group.”
With only Dile graduating, Dodson expects good things for the future, too. Four of her nine players are juniors. Isaiah Fisher, a freshman, was one of the team’s top bowlers, including a team-best average of 202.