By Rubin Grant
The Vestavia Hills High Rebels (31-1) closed out a perfect run though the AHSAA 10th State Bowling Championships Feb. 4 at Mobile’s Bowlero Bowling Center.
Coach Todd Evans’ Rebels beat rival Thompson in the state finals match by just 17 pins—1,594 to 1,577—to claim the Class 6A-7A boys’ state title.
Vestavia Hills lost the first of three Baker games in the finals 214-201 but clawed back to win the final two Baker games 214-195 and 230-207 to claim their first state championship since 2019. “We have a fun group of guys to be around,” Evans says. “They did everything we asked all season.”
Davidson Smith had a 238 traditional round for the Rebels, and Carson Gentry rolled a 224. The Rebels came out of that round trailing by 12 pins, 961 to 949. Ryan Loyd had a team-high 213 traditional round, and Adelberg rolled 205. However, the other three bowlers had 192, 282 and 169 rounds.
In three Baker rounds, Vestavia Hills was also consistent, with Douglas Dellacio, Grant McEwen and Josh Burgess providing clutch rolls. “We knew we were going to have to fight,” Evans says. “We made two or three adjustments and rotated some guys in our lineup … and a made a run.”
