FAYETTEVILLE — In action as an entire program for the final time this season, the Richmond Senior High School boys’ and girls’ bowling teams competed in the Sandhills Athletic Conference championship tournament on Thursday.
Making the trip to Lafayette Lanes, the No. 6 Raiders would have the better outing, placing fourth overall in the field of eight teams. The No. 5 Lady Raiders had a tougher day between the gutters, taking seventh place.
Playing in a single-elimination tournament, bowling the best of four games using the Baker format, the Lady Raiders fell to Jack Britt High School 3-1. In upset fashion, the Raiders did away with rival No. 3 Scotland High School, winning in straight games 3-0.
Richmond’s girls won the first game, 147-142, but lost the next three by scores of 116-167, 91-111 and 143-151. Junior Autumn Hoffman closed six of her eight frames, senior Kayla Howell was a perfect 4-for-4 and freshman Cadence Thompson rounded out the top three by closing two of her four frames.
“We won the first game, but we weren’t consistent enough,” head coach Ralph Butler said. “We had a chance to tie it 2-2 in the final game, but the pin total still would have went to Jack Britt.
“We struggled in games two and three,” he added. “I should have made an adjustment and got Kayla in for game three, but that’s on me. The girls fought hard and I’m proud of them.”
In the Raiders’ first match, the boys got the broom out and swept the Fighting Scots behind scores of 133-109, 167-125 and 148-145.
Richmond had the strikes falling early, seeing junior Joseph Grant close six of his eight frames and collect four strikes, staying hot from his individual tournament performance. Junior Hunter Hancock finished 4-of-6 in his frames, adding a pair of strikes.
Sophomore Cameron Way collected three knockdowns in his six frames, while junior Mitchell Massey cleared the pins twice and freshman William White added another strike.
Up next was a much tougher No. 2 Jack Britt team, which swept the Raiders in three games. Game scores were 170-203, 149-189 and 122-162.
“It seemed Jack Britt couldn’t miss early on,” Butler commented. “We bowled a 170 in the first game, but Jack Britt had the momentum and we couldn’t recover.
“I really liked our bracket going into the day,” he continued. “We had beaten both Scotland and Jack Britt earlier in the season, but had no answers (against Jack Britt). The boys bowled above their averages tonight and give it their best effort.
Hancock led the team by closing 9-of-12 frames, followed by Way (7-of-12) and senior Luke Preslar (4-of-6).
Unlike last year, the Raiders failed to qualify for the team state tournament. In 2018-2019, the SAC took the top three teams, and this year it took just the top two finishers (Jack Britt and Lumberton high schools). Richmond’s boys took third place last season.
The last bowling event of the winter will be the singles state tournament, which senior Hailey Miller qualified for. She’ll bowl in Lumberton on Friday, Feb. 7.
ROSports will publish a full season recap following the state tournament.
