NORTH VERSAILLES — Ashley McCue's approach was simple.

Spares are good; picking up that pesky 10 pin even better.

And McCue, a sophomore on the Butler girls bowling team, picked up a lot of them Friday at the WPIBL Western Regional at North Versailles Bowling Center.

McCue finished 10th after a six-game qualifying round to advance to the step-ladder finals. She had to fight through four more games to claim the region singles title.

“It feels really good,” McCue said. “I can't believe it. Just last year I was sitting and watching. This year I showed what I could do.”

McCue averaged a 175 in her six qualifying games. It was enough to place her in the top 12 and earn her a spot in the state singles finals, which begin March 18 at North Versailles.

McCue said that allowed her to relax throughout the step-ladder round.

“I kept my nerves in check pretty well,” McCue said. “I tried to treat it as a normal day of bowling. I kept telling myself to just have fun and don't think about it too much.”

The approach worked and McCue picked up spare after spare, rolling a 217 in the quarterfinal match against No. 2 seeded Jules Goehring and back-to-back 181s in the semifinals and finals to win.

“They always say if you get your spares, strikes will follow,” McCue said. “That's what they say.

“Picking up spares was something I had to work on. That's the biggest thing in getting your average up.”

“She made spares all day,” said Butler bowling coach Bob Cupp. “The way she handled it was very impressive. And she's only a sophomore.”

McCue, who has been bowling since a young age, was Butler's anchor bowler this season.

“She's shown the ability to be a team leader,” Cupp said. “She had a very good day.”

Butler will also send two boys to the state singles championships, which begin at North Versailles March 18.

Nicholas Huff and Shawn Marcellus qualified Friday.

Huff was fourth after qualifying, but lost his quarterfinal game.

Marcellus was 11th after qualifying and lost his elimination round game.

McCue is excited for the chance to come home a state champion.

Last year she averaged a 162. This year she raised that to 180.

“Definitely practice,” McCue said of her increased average. “Every Monday. And picking up the 10 pin. That can be a hard pin to get.”