LHSAA Bowling State Playoffs: Central Finishes Runner-Up in Both Boys and Girls Divisions

By Coach Godley
    For only the second time in LHSAA bowling history, one school represented both the Boys and Girls divisions in the Championship Match of the State Bowling Playoffs.  That one school was none other than Central High!  The Wildcats capped an amazing season with both the Boys and Girls advancing to their first Final Four appearances, first Championship Match appearances and ultimately their first Runner-Up finishes in school history.  Rounds 5 and 6 were on Friday, April 10 at Acadiana Lanes in Lafayette, LA.
GIRLS
    In round 5 of the girls semi finals, the 2nd Seeded Central High Girls Bowling faced 1-Seed Ellender Memorial for a chance at a State Championship. The Wildcats squeaked out an early lead by winning Games 1 and 2 by a slim margin.  Central won each game 5-3 and Game 1 936-927 and Game 2 974-958 (in Total Pins).  In Game 3, the Wildcats beat the Patriots 6-2 and 1011-908.  Overall, the Wildcats beat the Patriots 19-8 and 2921-2793.  The 2921 is the second highest series in school history.  Young led all Wildcats with a 533 series, followed by LeDuff’s 520, McCurley’s 501, Brittnee Robinson’s (Sophomore) 488, K Robinson’s 479 and Sariah Short’s (Sophomore) 400 (her first LHSAA 400+ series!). With the victory, Central had a chance to avenge last season’s playoff loss to St Scholastica (11-1) in the Finals as the #1-Seed Doves defeated #6-Seed Central Lafourche 23.5-3.5 on the other side of the Final Four bracket.
    Central’s run at a State Championship came to an end in round 6, the Championship Finals, against a tough St Scholastica team.  The two teams have a small rivalry building.  Last year in the 4th Round of the State Playoffs, the Doves beat the Wildcats 15-12 (and by only 5 total pins) to end Central’s season.  This year to kick off the season, Central beat St Scholastica 20-7 and 2842-2572. Central came out of the blocks on fire, rolling another outstanding game in Game 1 to take an early lead in the match.  In Game 1 the Wildcats took a small 5-3 and 1000-965 lead over the Doves.  The Doves responded well and won Game 2 with a solid performance, 6-2 and 961-931.  With the Doves up 9-7 and Central up 5 pins in Total Pins, the match was anyone’s to win going into the final game of the season.  Unfortunately, the Doves won Game 3 7-1 and 962-929.  The Doves also won the bonus 3 points for Total Pins, winning 2888-2860.  With those 3 points, St Scholastica had won the match 19-8 and the State Championship.  In the end, the Wildcats rolled their 3rd highest series in school history and put the finishing touches on the best season a Central Girls’ team has ever had.  
    This season the ladies accomplished so much including 2015 LHSAA State Runner-Up, 2015 BR Division 1 District Champions (back to back), 2015 Coca Cola Invitational Champions, new school series record with a 3125, new school game record with an 1136 and dominated the 2015 BR Division 1 All District Teams with five (of the six) starters being named to either the first (2) or second team (3).
BOYS 
    2nd Seed Central (12-0) opened up the Final Four against 4-Seed HL Bourgeois at Acadiana Lanes.  Although the Wildcats were the higher seed, the Braves came into the match with the higher team average with an 1174 (to Central’s 1094). In Game 1, Central jumped out to a 6-2 and 1182-1046 lead. The Braves would hang around in the match and even things up thanks to one of Central’s lowest games of the year.  HL Bourgeois would win Game 2 6-2 and 1046-1014.  Garretson was the high Wildcat with a 222. With the match all tied up at 8 apiece, Central still held onto a huge lead in Total Pins by 104.  In Game 3 Central would cruise to a 5-3 and 1061-991 win and overall win the match 16-11 and 3257-3083.  Garretson continued his tremendous season with a 677 series, followed by Delaune’s 624 (his first LHSAA 600+ series), Aucoin’s 547 and Ringo’s 538. With the victory, Central would take on the same team that ended their season last year, Brother Martin, in the Finals.  In their earlier match, the 1-Seeded Crusaders defeated 6-Seed Lafayette 18-9 to advance to the Finals.
    The Central Boys season ended in familiar fashion on Friday, playing out almost exactly to last year’s loss to 1-Seed Brother Martin.  Last year in the 4th Round of the State Playoffs, the Crusaders held off an upset bid from Central by a mere 41 pins and won overall 15-12.  The Championship Match also featured two undefeated teams aiming for the title. In a very close opening game, the Wildcats would stun the Crusaders with a 5-3 lead and led Total Pins 1169-1145.  Unfortunately after Game 1, the Crusaders would take complete control of the match from that point on. Game 2 saw Brother Martin jump out to an 11-5 lead (sweeping all 8 points in the 2nd game) and take command of Total Pins by winning 1231-1065.  The 1231 was the highest game bowled against Central the entire season.  In bad shape and down 142 pins, Central tried to respond like last year (when the Wildcats trailed by the same score and down 137 pins) but a rally just wasn’t in the cards this year.  Instead the Crusaders rolled another solid game and won Game 3 6-2 and 1122-1024.  After three games were in the book, Brother Martin was the lone undefeated team and champions by a final score of 20-7 and 3498-3258.  For Central, Aucoin was high on the team with a 659 series and finished as Runner-Up in the LHSAA State Individual competition with a 219 average.  Garretson followed with a 591, Ringo’s 520 and Delaune’s 515.  The Wildcats finished up their best season ever.  They finished as the 2015 LHSAA State Runner-Up, 2015 BR Division 2 District Champions (3-Peat), 2015 Coca Cola Invitational 3rd Place, new school game record with a 1279, new boys average record by Garretson with a 216, new boys game/series record by Garretson with a 280 and 773 and dominated the 2015 BR Division 2 All District Teams with five (of the six) starters being named to either the first (4) or second team (1).    
    With only one senior on the Girls’ team and two seniors on the Boys’ team, the Wildcats look towards bringing home a State Championship in 2016.  And with the way these teams continue to improve every year, a championship seems very possible.  Thank you to our seniors, Jacob Garretson, Haley Young and Jonathan Coleman for all your hard work and dedication towards Central Bowling.  You all will be missed.  Also, thank you to all the parents, supporters, faculty, friends and loved ones for your continuous support of this program.  With a doubt the 2015 Season is easily the best season Central Bowling has ever had and the coaches can't wait to see what 2016 brings!
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