Butler's Belch rolls 299 at Pa. tourney
PITTSBURGH — Butler senior Mercedes Belch truly did save her best for last.
In her final event with the Golden Tornado girls bowling team, Belch rolled personal-bests of 299 (game) and 673 (series) Saturday at the Pennsylvania State Championships held at Princess Lanes.
Those efforts earned her awards for high game and series among all bowlers at the team championships and a spot on the all-state team.
“Pretty nice way to go out,” Butler coach Bob Cupp said.
Belch rolled games of 299, 148 and 226 for her 673 series. Madison Burkert of Muhlenberg had the next highest series at 659. Amy Ambrose of Truman and Sydnie Blankenbiller of Muhlenberg had the next highest game at 247.
Belch had competed in the Pa. girls singles Fridas night at Princess Lanes, but only placed 21st.
“That definitely helped me today, though,” she said. “I figured out the oil pattern and adjusted to it much better this time.
“I found the shot. All of those strikes were clean,” Belch said of the 299 game.
It easily could have been a 300.
Belch left the 4-pin on her final shot. Cupp thought she was dialed into the pocket again.
“All of her shots in that game were dead on. When that last one left her hand, I thought she had it,” he said of the perfect game. “It drove the pocket, but just a hair too tight. It easily could have gone. It just didn't.
“Still, an incredible performance. I'm proud of her. I'm proud of all of these bowlers.”
Butler's girls placed third out of 12 teams in the qualifying round, reaching the stepladder baker game portion of the championships. The Tornado were eliminated by Elizabethtown in the quarterfinal round, 2-1.
Elizabethtown won the first game 203-194 before Butler got even with a 192-188 win in Game 2. The Tornado dropped the deciding contest, 203-164.
“Give Elizabethtown credit,” Cupp said. “They just out-bowled us.”
Shikellamy wound up defeating Muhlenberg, 2-0, in the finals to win the state championship. Butler finished fourth overall.
“Our girls proved we were best in the west, though,” Cupp said. “The three teams ahead of us are on the eastern side of the state.
Ashley McCue rolled a 561 series for Butler with games of 180, 191 and 190. Nicole Nebel had a 555 (184, 169, 202).
But it was Belch's near-300 that attracted the most attention of the day. She said most everyone in the house had their eyes on her during her last shot.
“I wasn't even thinking about the crowd,” she said. “My focus was on the pins, on my shot. I was able to block everything else out.
“That was a solid 4 (pin) I left. It was still pretty exciting, something I'll remember for a long time.”
The same can be said for her experience of high school bowling. While Belch is undecided on her college, she plans to bowl for whatever school she attends.
“I'm going to miss bowling with these girls at Butler,” she said. “These are the best friends I've ever had and I met them through this team, through bowling. I'll always be grateful for that.”
Butler's boys placed ninth out of 12 teams in the qualifying round. Chris Huff led the Tornado with a 635 series, rolling games of 223, 200 and 212. Cole Thrash had a 607 (226, 200, 181) and Jordan Reges a 584 (243-169-172).
