Boys Bowling: Amherst making another trip to state tournament ... and wants more

Amherst has become a regular at the Division I boys state bowling tournament. While making it that far — one of the state's top 16 teams — three of the past four years is a huge accomplishment, Amherst wants more. Much more. The Comets' goal Friday at Columbus' HP Lanes is to advance from the qualifying round (top 16) to the championship round (top eight) for the first time. The championship round features an elimination bracket with a best-of-five Baker. Amherst finished 10th in 2023 and 16th in 2024. The Comets missed the championship round by 116 pins in 2023 and by 377 pins in 2024. The qualifying round is three games and five Baker. Prior to last season, the format was three games and three Baker. Teams that are in the top eight through the three games generally maintain their spots through the Baker round, so it's important for contending teams to get off to a great start. "It's 500 schools and you're down to the top 16," said seventh-year Amherst coach Steve Taylor. "You have to be strong. Part of it is that it has to be your day. You can't go and make a lot of mistakes and expect to get through. The big goal is to get into the top eight. Anything can happen from there. "They have the potential to do a lot better this time. We have to stay away from the splits. We have to leave makeable spares. This is probably the best spare-shooting team I've ever had. It makes a big difference." Grant Taylor, Steve's son, along with brothers Garrett and Brady Smith are seniors and know how the state tournament feels. A four-year starter, Taylor competed in 2023 and '24. The Smith brothers were on the 2024 team but weren't starters. Junior Trent Roberts was a junior varsity bowler in 2024 but witnessed state action that year supporting his brother Jon, who was on the varsity. "It's the same thing that it's always been with these guys. We are just bowling out here," Grant Taylor said. "It's just a game. It doesn't matter if there's $10 million on the line or if we're throwing a shot to warm up in practice. It's always the same thing. You go out there trying to knock down 10 pins. There's nothing else to it. "This year the chemistry is great. It's a lot like family this year. We get along very well. We're just out there having fun every time we're bowling." A switch in training from the Comets' last visit to state is the addition of workouts from 5:30-7 a.m. several times a week. The change was made last season. "It's something me and my dad discussed," said Taylor. "If we want to go out there and compete with some of the best competitors in the field, we have to catch up with them and we have to outwork them. The only way to beat them out there is by beating them at practice. To do more than they will. The team usually practices twice a day, but outside of the team every guy comes in on their own and does a lot of work. "A lot of us enjoy what we do. I'm bowling at college (for Wichita State) and I know Garrett is, too (for Capital University). Brady and Ethan (Burich) might also end up bowling at college. It's something that we enjoy so it's something that we're going to keep pursuing." Amherst came up 89 pins shy of a third straight trip to state last year as it finished eighth at district. "With the state tournament there's definitely a lot of people. It's definitely different," Brady Smith said. "There's a lot of pressure and you can let it get to you, but it's all the same thing. You've bowled a million games in your life. You're doing the same thing. It's bowling every single time. "Honestly, we've all been practicing and knowing under difficult situations how to think and what to think. You have to take a shot and not take a look at everyone around you. It's really about you and the lane at that point. That's the only opponent. You show up and you bowl." Amherst (4,246) and Avon Lake (4,222) finished third and fifth of the five team qualifiers at the district tournament Feb. 22 at Rebman Rec. "It's something new to me, but I think we're ready," said Burich. "Most of us were sick at districts, but we battled through it. For the most part we're all feeling much better. We've been practicing. We've been doing well. "I always think that we can be the best team out there. We can be the best at spares, we can be the best at strikes. I think in general we can be the best. We just have to bowl with how we know. I think we're the best." A junior varsity basketball player last year, Burich has had a bowling background his whole life. His mom, Teri, is the Amherst girls coach. Burich finished No. 5 for high average (217) in the NSBC Lake Division. Brady Smith finished No. 2 at 220, trailing only Berea-Midpark's Luke Nedoma (222). Taylor ended up No. 7 (215) fwhile Garrett Smith finished in a three-way tie for No. 8 at 213. "It's about going down, having a good day and having fun," Garrett Smith said. "We're looking to win the thing. We've been putting in a lot of work. Our team is healthy. We've recovered since districts. We've been working our butts off. We want to go down there and dominate." Burich (246-217-287-650) and Garrett Smith (188-242-214-644) led the Comets at district as they finished Nos. 13 and 16 for high series. Brady Smith (27th, 620) and Taylor (32nd, 632) weren't too far back. "We've been practicing a lot with spares," said Garrett Smith. "It's about staying in there and making sure that our mental game is on point. Bowling is 20 percent physical and 80 percent mental. It's all going to be mental." Contact Paul Heyse at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. WHAT: 20th annual Division I state high school bowling tournamentWHERE: HP Bowling Center, 2012 Innis Rd. ColumbusWHEN: Boys – Friday, 10:45 a.m. Girls – Saturday, 10:45 a.m.2025 CHAMPS: Ashland boys, Vandalia Butler girls Local qualifying teams BoysAMHERST: RJ Aschenbach, so.; Ethan Burich, jr.; Trenton Roberts, jr.; Brady Smith, sr.; Garrett Smith, sr.; Jayden Stewart, so.; Grant Taylor, sr.; Zaden Watkins, sr.AVON LAKE: Charles "CJ" John, fr.; Vaughn Kocka, so.; Cooper Poling, fr.; Chris Richard, so.; William Sindelar, jr.; Luke Slogar, sr.; Jeffrey Toth, sr. No local singles players GirlsNo local singles players or teams