Tribe takes on state

The Indians fell 65 pins short of a state berth in 2024.

Having graduated five of the top seven bowlers, including the Midwest Athletic Conference Bowler of the Year, it didn’t appear as though the Tribe was set up to make another serious push at its first state berth.

Not only did the Indians smash those expectations, their district scores imply they may also have a chance to push into the top eight and advance once they get there. Either way, the Tribe plans on enjoying its first experience in Columbus.

The Fort Recovery High School boys bowling team will travel to Columbus on Saturday to compete in the OHSAA Division II State Finals at H.P. Lanes for the first time in program history.

Bowling will start with the qualifying round at 10:45 a.m. with three individual games and three Baker games. The top eight teams then advance to bracket play, in which teams will bowl a best-of-five series of Baker games.

Despite losing five seniors from the MAC runner-up team that fell two spots short of a trip to state in 2024, Fort Recovery managed to find a groove late in the season, culminating in a fourth-place finish at the district tournament to clinch the final state berth.

“At the beginning of the year we had our struggles and it was a big step off,” said assistant and acting head coach Lucas Acheson. (The reigning MAC Bowler of the Year and 2024 FRHS graduate has led the Indians throughout the postseason as coach Corey Gerlach was tied up with work responsibilities.) “Right away we knew that roles needed to be filled. … All five seniors left last year and this year we’ve had a lot of people come and build off each other. No one has been the key player. We’ve all been playing together and there hasn’t been one stand out. They’ve all been doing good this year.”

While Fort Recovery had relatively even performances throughout the season, senior Riley Grieshop — one of the two returning bowlers alongside Gabe Acheson — delivered a career-high series of 702 (223, 226, 253), which clocked in as the ninth best performance from the various districts. At state, the top five bowlers make the all-state first time, while bowlers No. 6 through 10 are on the second team and five more get named as honorable mention.

While Grieshop could be in the running for some all-state recognition by putting up a similar performance, he plans on trying to stay loose heading into the tournament.

“Honestly, I’m just bowling and not thinking about anything else,” Grieshop said. “I really just think about nothing, throw the ball and let the ball do the work.”

Joining Grieshop and Gabe Acheson are senior Eli Lennartz, juniors Garrett Diller, Reece LeFevre and Anthony Roessner, and freshman Leland Wilson.

The Indians combined for 4,164 pins at the district meet, which leaves them just out of the top eight to advance. They are just four pins behind Washington (4,168), while Lutheran West, which had the seventh-best district performance, holds a 39-pin advantage.

Fellow MAC schools Coldwater — which FRHS beat during the regular season — and St. Henry — the Indians fell in a pair of matches to SHHS — will also be at state. Coldwater shot a 4,416 at district which sits third in the state, while St. Henry’s 4,022 leaves it 11th.

While the Tribe will need to put together similar numbers like at the district, it is aiming to advance to the eight-team bracket so it can have a one-on-one chance to keep its season alive.

“When you have a good three games and a few Bakers and once that seeding hits, we’ve seen it year after year, (No.) 1 loses to (No.) 8 like that, easily,” Lucas Acheson said. “We saw it last year when Coldwater lost to Liberty Center. So anything can happen in those Bakers and best of fives.”

Even if the Indians don’t find themselves in the top eight teams, they are looking to cherish the first state berth in the program, and use it as a launching pad for future years.

“We’re feeling pretty good considering we’re the first boys team for Fort Recovery to make it to state,” Grieshop said. “It’s pretty exciting that we’re the first ones and hopefully we set the standard pretty high.”