STATE FINALS: Tech boys, Liberty girls roll to titles

Just before Tech’s boys bowling team went into the 10th frame of a second-game loss to Shadow Ridge on Friday, junior Dallas Leong pulled his teammates aside and gave them a simple message.

Pick up as many pins as possible.

The Roadrunners listened.

Leong rolled a match-high 258 inside a 705 series to help the Roadrunners win the school’s first NIAA-sanctioned state championship with a 7-2 victory over Shadow Ridge at The Orleans.

Liberty’s girls also won their school’s first title, downing Arbor View, 7-2.

The Roadrunners took the first game 855-703 but dropped a 792-767 decision in the second game, evening the match.

But Leong knew the result was far from over. “I just told them that high school bowling always comes down to total pins,” he said. “I just told them to calm down (and) hit their marks.”

The words paid off as Tech rallied to claim the final game and the title.

The Roadrunners were making their second straight state finals appearance. They fell to Centennial 5-4 in a one-pin decision last year.

“We were hitting our marks, and we were getting the breaks,” Leong said. “We just had to settle down and come back. After what happened last year, we were hungry for a win.”

This time, they didn’t let the total-pin count influence the outcome.

“We knew that it was going to come down to the last game,” Tech coach Jim Mara said. “But we didn’t want to have to deal with total pins at the end. You can’t predict anything after last year. So you don’t want to leave any stone unturned.”

Dominic Ball put up a 257 in the third game en route to a 685 series for Tech, which won its first state title in a team sport since the school opened in 1966.

“I’m so happy for the school,” Mara said. “Forty-six years is a long time, and they deserve it. We’re so lucky to have all the support from the parents here.”

Brian Stamer led Shadow Ridge with a 620 series, including a 240 game.

In the girls final, Arbor View’s Andie Szekely had a match-high 666 series, but Liberty used its depth to top the Aggies.

Maluhia Ulrich led the Patriots with a 593 series, including a team-high 212 in the second game.

Alana Wise added a 517 series, Morgan Acuncios a 510 and Francesca Foti a 500 for Liberty.

“If I had to pick an MVP on the team, the team would be the MVP,” Liberty coach Kih Gourrier said. “I always tell my girls we never bowl against anyone else; if we can go out and do our thing, no one can compete with us.”

The Patriots blitzed to a 4-0 lead, taking the first game 716-697 before cruising to a 746-654 win in the second game.

“I always use the phrase, 'come out and punch them in the mouth,’ ” Gourrier said. “We have the capability to do that.”

Szekely rolled a match-high 246 game for Arbor View, and Dentrice Whitt added a 501 series for the Aggies.