BOYS
Will Artmann
Madison Central | Senior
Had a 203 average for the year and was the high scorer at the Central Region, bowling an 835 for four games and at the state tournament with an 876 total.
Lucas Hartigan
Tupelo Christian | Junior
Helped the Eagles repeat as the Class I champion with a 211 average. Totaled 815 for four games at the state tournament.
Clayton Horton
Tupelo | Senior
Had a 204 average for the back-to-back Class II champions and an 858 total for four games at the North Regional.
Austin Laney
Tupelo Christian | Junior
Averaged 198 for the Class I champion and was the Class I high individual bowler at the state tournament with an 833.
Josh Turberville
Tupelo | Sophomore
Led the Golden Wave to the Class II championship with a 205 average and rolled a perfect game at the North Regional, leading Tupelo to a record team score.
Jake Houston
Tupelo | Senior
Had a 189 avarage this season and averaged 228 at the North Regional. Houston led Tupelo at state tournament with a 207 average.
Avery Mosely
Clinton | Senior
Averaged a 196 as the Arrows finished fourth in Class II.
Anthony Porciello
Petal | Senior
Averaged a 195 for the Class II runnerup and totaled 870 at state tournament.
Derek Taylor
Terry | Junior
Averaged a 195 this season and totaled 747 at the Central Regional.
Jaren Wessels
Petal | Sophomore
Averaged a 208 for four games at state tournament and a 192 for the season.
Honorable Mention
Blaine Gardner,
Neshoba Central
Austin Harris, West Union
Kavante McCarty,
Neshoba Central
Cody Prewitt, Starkville
Seth Prewitt, Starkville
Bailey Spruill, East Union
Taylor Trantham, Kossuth
Drew Turberville, Tupelo
Coach of the Year
Kevin Hartigan
Tupelo Christian
Bowling has been a family affair for Kevin Hartigan, passed down by generations.
“My mother managed bowling centers in New York .”
That got him started at an early age and after 46 years as a bowler, he has had 16 perfect games and a best three-game series score of 843. Hartigan is the bowling coach at Tupelo Chrisitan and is the Boys Coach of the Year after the Eagles won a second consecutive MHSAA Class I championship.
The love of the sport was passed down to his three sons, all outstanding bowlers. Matt was a member of three Tupelo teams that won state titles, Timothy a member of five Tupelo championship teams and Lucas is the top bowler for this year’s Tupelo Christian title team.
Hartigan was an assistant coach at Tupelo for a decade before starting the boys program at Tupelo Christian three years ago. Keeping it in the family, his wife, Lisa, is the Tupelo Christian girls coach and Matt assists with both teams. The TCPS girls finished fourth at the state tournament.
GIRLS
Jacoya Pleasant
Ridgeland | Freshman
Led the state with a 193 average and totaled 745 for four games at the Central Regional.
Allison Rivers
Gulfport | Freshman
Averaged 164 for the season and was high scorer at the South Regional with a 709 total.
Jessica Rowe
Starkville | Senior
Averaged a 158 for the season, a 161 at the state tournament and was the high scorer at the North Regional with a 699 total.
Skyler Runnels
Starkville | Senior
Averaged a 162 for the Class II runnerup and had totals of 690 for the North Regional and a 664 at the state tournament.
Samantha Stanfill
Neshoba Central |
Freshman
Averaged a 158, with a 642 total at state tournament for the Class II champion.
Ronni Brashear
Madison Central | Senior
Veteran bowler who averaged 148 for third place team in Class II.
Tyler Kay Burns
Petal | Sophomore
Averaged a 156 for Class II runnerup.
Kristen Gasaway
Itawamba AHS | Senior
Averaged a 156 and totaled 609 at the state tournament.
Hannah Schmidt
Itawamba AHS | Senior
Averaged a 156 and was the high scorer at state tournament with a 181 average for the Class I runnerup.
Hannah Wallace
Neshoba Central |
Sophomore
Averaged a 155 for the season and 170 at state tournament for Class II champion.
Honorable Mention
Sara Bain, New Albany
Bari Beddels,
Germantown
Britney Bonney,
Madison Central
Cera Cade, Clinton
Addison Gable, Tupelo
Maria Pierce, Pascagoula
Allison Rivers, Gulfport
Nora Sturgeon, Richland
Coach of the Year
Joey Blount
Neshoba Central
Joey Blount had never even bowled when he became the girls and boys coach at Neshoba Central three years ago. After 11 years as the school’s principal, he decided to return to the classroom as a math teacher at Neshoba Middle School. Neshoba did not have a bowling team at the time, and Blount was asked to start the sport.
The result has been a rapid rise for the girls team — fifth place at the state tournament his first year, runnerup last year and Class II champion this year, resulting in his selection as Girls Coach of the Year.
In the three years since becoming coach, Blount has learned about “lane conditions and different sytles of bowling and things like that. But the thing that has helped me the most is learning to control your emotions.”
He now bowls on a regular basis. “I’m getting a little older and there are some things I can’t do any more. But bowling is one thing that I can do.”
