By Lee Davis
Spain Park’s boys bowling team wasn’t perfect all season, but the Jaguars definitely were at their best when it counted the most.
Facing a Vestavia Hills team that had defeated it twice in the regular season, Spain Park staged a late comeback to defeat the Rebels 1,036-899 and earn a second consecutive state championship last week at Oak Mountain Lanes.
“We were a better team this year than last, but the competition across the state was so much better,” Jaguar coach Steve Hobbs said. “We were fortunate to win, but our guys bowled outstanding games on the final day of the tournament.”
Spain Park defeated Indian Springs, Grissom and Hewitt-Trussville to reach the finals. The Jaguars finished the season with a 16-2 record, with an 8-2 mark in area play. Both losses came against Vestavia.
The Rebels led going into the final day of the state meet before Spain Park rallied late to claim the victory. The Jags bowled their best game of the year in Baker game four of the finals. They rolled a 258, including a spare and seven strikes in a row. In the Baker game format, multiple bowlers alternate frames to bowl one game.
“I’m really proud of the fact that in both the finals and semi-finals, we were down after the third game, but we didn’t fold under pressure and came back to bowl as well as we have all year,” Hobbs said.
Hobbs said his team’s ability to thrive in a championship environment was a key to the victory.
“Our average for the state tournament was 197 for the state tournament, 204 in the semi-finals and 207 in the finals,” Hobbs said. “The higher the stakes, the better we bowled.”
The electric atmosphere at the championship final helped the Jaguars as well, Hobbs said.
“The place was packed with parents and fans,” said Hobbs. “Oak Mountain Lanes had the feel of a big-time championship match. Then we came out and got strikes and Vestavia got strikes and the crowd became louder and louder. It was a great experience for the kids – and for high school bowling.”
Spain Park junior bowler Jalen Johnson had the team’s highest average for the season at 193. Seniors Andrew Harris and Ryan Carraway averaged 190 and 187, respectively. Sophomores Tucker Contorno and Devin Dowdle averaged 187 and 173, respectively.
Carraway produced the season’s best individual score, rolling an impressive 264 against Hoover.
The Jags also went undefeated in 2014-15 but could not claim a state championship because bowling was not an Alabama High School Athletic Association-sanctioned sport at that time.
With only two seniors graduating, Hobbs is excited about Spain Park’s chances for a three-peat but warns that it won’t be easy.
“The competition is getting better every year,” he said. “Other schools are making a serious commitment to bowling and that’s going to be good for everybody.”
