NORTH VERSAILLES — This time, the numbers didn’t add up.

A rough second game knocked the Butler girls out of contention early and the defending state champion Golden Tornado were unable to rally during the baker games’ set Saturday at the North Versailles Bowling Center.

The end result was a sixth-place finish at the Pennsylvania High School Bowling Championships.

“This is the fifth straight year our girls got to the state tournament. That’s saying something,” Butler assistant coach Kurt Huff said.

“It makes you appreciate what last year’s (state title) team was able to accomplish that much more,” Tornado first-year head coach Bob Cupp added. “It’s quite an achievement to win this thing.”

The top six teams from the eastern and western sides of the state did battle at North Versailles. After three games of regular team bowling and six baker games — where each bowler rolls two frames for her team — the top four teams in total pin count advanced to the stepladder finals.

Butler’s team total was 3,444 — 175 pins short of fourth-place Hazelton.

“We were in position to make a move in the last three baker games ... We just went backward,” Cupp said.

Butler rolled games of 200 and 182 in the second and third baker games, but closed out with scores of 154, 146 and 136.

“Everyone did her best,” junior Megan Paul said. “We just didn’t get any breaks today.”

Paul had a strong weekend individually. After placing sixth in the state singles tourney here Friday, she rolled a 628 series Saturday, including a 233 in the day’s first game.

Those scores were good enough for second-place overall among individuals Saturday. Brittany Ritzman of state champion Elizabethtown rolled a 256 game and 673 series.

“I remember coming here my freshman year ... I hated this house,” Paul said. “When we got here today and saw the (lane) conditions, I liked the pattern.”

Cupp lauded Paul’s performance Saturday, comparing it to that of Autumn Hepler and Brea Suchonic during the Tornado’s state title run last year.

“Autumn and Brea were what I call momentum builders,” Cupp said. “They set the tone and everyone else followed.

“Megan did that same thing today. We didn’t have that second bowler step up there with her, that’s all. Sometimes, it doesn’t happen.”

Baylee Verner came in with an average of 142 and bowled games of 159, 165 and 165 for the Tornado.

“Baylee came in here and really performed,” Cupp said.

Mikayla White bowled a 181 in the third game, Ciara Pellegrini a 183 in the first game. The Tornado rolled an 851 team game to begin the state tourney, then missed 18 spares in the second game.

“That’s what killed us,” Cupp said. “If we make half of those, we’re probably in second place entering the baker games.”

As it was, Butler entered the baker games in sixth place out of the 12 teams and stayed there.

Pellegrini and Kelly Bintrim — who had a 480 series — bowled their final matches for Butler as seniors.

“We’ve got a good relationship with the junior program in Butler and we’re going to need some younger bowlers to step in and fill some spots for next year,” Huff said. “We want to keep this going.”

Paul is confident they will.

“Anytime you have disappointment at the end like this, it always fuels you for next season,” she said.