Five returning Division I state tournament competitors highlight our 12 central Ohio girls bowlers to watch this winter.
A senior and four-year varsity contributor, Bassitt averaged 173 pins per game a season ago while bowling her season- and career-best game (229) and two-game series (440). She tied for 33rd in the Division I sectional and finished 20th at district.
The junior bowled five games of 211 or better with a high series of 401 last winter for the Wolves, and finished 20th in the Division I sectional and 39th at district. Brockway averaged 162.0 as a sophomore and 162.4 as a freshman.
The senior is one of several strong bowlers back for the Lions, who won Division I sectional and district titles and finished 14th at state. Burns averaged 168.4 last winter and began this season with a seventh-place finish (537) in Teays Valley's Thanksgiving Shootout at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl.
2023-24 preview: Top girls bowling teams look to sustain success
A senior and two-time Division I state qualifier, Gabor averaged 208.1 last season before finishing sixth at sectional, fifth at district and 29th at state. She owns program records for best game (288) and three-game series (700).
The senior likely becomes the top bowler for a Pioneers team seeking its ninth trip to the state tournament in 10 seasons . Henderson averaged 168.9 last season, tied for 37th at the Division I sectional and 29th at district and finished 32nd at state.
Holden became a fixture in the Lions lineup last season as a freshman, averaging 173.1 with a high game of 279 and high two-game series of 427. Holden finished fifth at sectional, 46th at district and 69th at state. She placed fourth (557) in the Thanksgiving Shootout in mid-November.
The senior is the Bears' top returnee, having averaged 160.6 last season with a high game of 210 and best series of 415. She topped 200 four times, raised her average by more than 30 pins from her sophomore year and 44 pins from her freshman season. She placed 89th in the Division I sectional.
The senior enters her fourth year as a primary contributor for the Panthers having led them in the postseason last winter, finishing 45th in the Division I sectional and 58th at district. McFerin averaged 156.2 as a junior and 160.6 as a sophomore.
A senior, Nastasi hopes to again be a steady leader for the Bulldogs after placing 10th in the Division II sectional and ninth at district as a junior. She began this season with a 603 three-game series in Galion Northmor's Warm-Up Tourney on Nov. 17. East Knox was second in the Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference last season and seventh at district.
The junior averaged 184.0, seventh in the COHSBC, to lead the Tigers (14-1, 12-0) to the A Division championship last winter. Pugh, who tied for 17th in the Division I sectional and 50th at district, also played a key role in Central's first state tournament appearance two seasons ago.
A sophomore, Sherwood is poised to become the Monarchs' top bowler after the graduation of Division I district champion Madison Strouse. Sherwood averaged 155.5 and was ninth at sectional, tied for seventh at district and 33rd at state.
The senior far and away led the Cruisers with a 166.8 average last season, including a high game of 226. Thomas placed 49th in the Division I sectional and 10th at district, improving by 83 pins between the two tournaments but falling 21 short of a state berth.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Here are 12 central Ohio girls bowlers to watch in 2023-2024
