Bowlers set for WPIBL season


 


Butler’s girls bowling team has its eyes on a return to the state tournament come March. 
Only this time, it may have company. 
“I believe this is the year our boys break through and get there,” Butler coach Bill Fay said. “The boys have yet to get past the regional, but they look as strong as our girls team does now.” 
The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Bowling League (WPIBL) gets under way today. The 47-school, seven-division circuit features a North Division with five Butler County teams. 
Butler, Knoch, North Allegheny, Mars, Karns City and first-year program Seneca Valley comprise the North. 
The Golden Tornado girls have yet to lose a regular-season match in their history. Butler’s girls have placed third, second and fourth in the state tourney in the team’s first three years of existence. 
Butler returns four of the North Division’s top-10 bowlers in senior Brea Suchonic (180.48 average last year), sophomore Megan Paul (180.14), senior Autumn Hepler (178.96) and junior Kelly Bintrim (173.8). 
The Tornado boys return four of the top 10 as well in junior Jacob Cookson (190.29), senior Brandt Fleming (184.83), senior Matt Blose (181.67) and junior Cody Rosenbauer (180.30). Butler’s boys lost only one regular-season match last year. 
Butler has 15 boys and nine girls on its roster. 
“Both of these teams are loaded and we’ve got five freshmen trying to move up,” Fay said. “These teams should be as strong as ever.”