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Worthington Christian's Anja Muskopf leads central Ohio at Division II girls state bowling
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- Worthington Christian's Anja Muskopf leads central Ohio at Division II girls state bowling
Having the Division II state tournament double as the final event of her high school career was enough of a treat for Worthington Christian senior bowler Anja Muskopf .
That she had just one open frame, meaning one that is neither a strike nor a spare, in three games Friday at HP Lanes was icing on the proverbial cake.
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Competing in her only state tournament, Muskopf bowled a career-best 634 series to finish seventh and earn second-team all-state honors. Muskopf, who will bowl at the University of Indianapolis, had games of 201, 209 and 224.
"I'm happy with where I landed," she said. "It's about as much as I could have asked from myself. At the end of my last game, I realized this was my last game so I got in my head a little bit, but I stayed positive and was focused.
"From bowling so much, I feel like it's second nature to ignore everything else … so I try to stay calm and determined and tune out everything around me."
Worthington Christian senior bowler Anja Muskopf poses with her all-state certificate after finishing seventh in the Division II state tournament Friday at HP Lanes.
State capped a dominant postseason run that saw Muskopf win sectional (565) and finish second at district (623).
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"I've never had a bowler as focused and consistent as she is when she's on the lanes," Worthington Christian coach Matt Hamilton said. "At the beginning of the year, she had goals and those might have messed with her a little bit, so we sat down and remembered that she wouldn't achieve those goals unless she started focusing one ball at a time. When that switch (took effect), she started taking off."
Muskopf was one of three central Ohio individuals competing Friday.
Westfall's Brianna Carter tied for 20th (571) and North Union's Montana Donohoe tied for 35th (532). Both are seniors and were making their only appearances at state.
Napoleon's Arianna Kiessling won the individual title (703). Urbana won the team championship, defeating Fairport Harding 3-1 in the best-of-five final.
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Central Ohio's only team representative, Lakewood, finished last of 16 teams (2,946) for the second consecutive year.
Senior Amy Smith tied for 41st (525), classmate Peyton Mellring was 70th (477) and junior Riley Bloise placed 84th (331). Five more Lancers bowled a game each and placed between 93rd and 102nd.
"It's a culmination of their efforts," Lakewood coach Scott Price said. "That's how I look at it. This is a bonus for them. They take it hard finishing 16th out of 16, but I told them they are in the top 16 of the entire state. This is rarefied air. But the competitors in them are disappointed."
The Division II boys state tournament is Saturday at HP Lanes.
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(This story was updated to add new information.)
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OHSAA bowling: Worthington Christian's Anja Muskopf leads central Ohio
