The unbeaten Glen Este varsity girls bowling team included, from left, head coach Kathy DeMarko, Amber Walters, Leslie Campbell, Erin Hundley, Sarah Rowe, Lauren Knecht, Hannah Ruehlman, Haley Vogelgesang, and assistant coach Ton Kellerman.
The Glen Este varsity girls bowling team achieved an unbeaten regular season with an 18-0 overall record. The conference champion Trojans were 14-0 in the Fort Ancient Valley Conference East Division.

“It was a great year going undefeated. We had a blast,” said Kathy DeMarko, the head coach of the Purple and White who was recognized by the other coaches of her conference and division for her tremendous coaching ability by once again being chosen as the coach of the year.

Two victories, each, came over the Fort Ancient East runner-up, Wilmington’s Hurricanes, and the other members of the league that includes Loveland’s Tigers, Walnut Hills’ Eagles, Turpin’s Spartans, Kings’ Knights, Anderson’s Redskins, Little Miami’s Panthers, and the other Clermont County team, Milford.

DeMarko highly praised and credited the valuable leadership provided by senior co-captains Sarah Rowe and Hannah Ruehlman.

“We bowled against some really very, very tough teams in the tournaments,” DeMarko said.

She pointed out talented competition the likes of Westerville Central’s Warhawks, Hendersonville, Mercy’s Bobcats, Oak Hills’ Highlanders, Fairfield’s Indians, Northwest’s Knights, Seton’s Saints, Fairborn’s Skyhawks, Mt. Notre Dame’s Cougars, and Colerain’s Cardinals.

Her charges earned very respectable averages for the entire campaign. Freshman Leslie Campbell rolled a per-game average of 191.5 with a personal best 10-frame tally of 279 and two-game total of 461 that was the best in both categories among conference keglers. Ruehlman was 10th in the FAVC-E with a respective average of 171.2, and highs of 245 and 399. Rowe was 11th with an average of 170.3 and 240 and 405. Freshman Haley Vogelgesang was 18th with an average of 161.0 and 212 and 414, sophomore Amber Walters was 20th with an average of 157.6 and 213 and 359, senior Lauren Knecht was 25th with an average of 147.4 and 170 and 320, and sophomore Erin Hunley was 33rd with and average of 143.5 and 191 an 305. These numbers are from a total of 94 competitors included in the division’s season final statistics.

The remaining talent on the roster included junior Nicole Greco, sophomore Katlyn Fite, and freshman April Belanger, Katie Hudson, and Gabby Ruehlman.

Campbell earned conference/ division Athlete of the Year recognition. The other Trojan all-leaguers were Ruehlman and Rowe (first team) and Vogelgesang (honorable mention).

The Glen Este head honcho realizes she is losing three talented seniors, but nine of her team should be returning for another year of action.

She said, “The future of this team is very good. The program is getting better every year. We’re getting more athletically talented kids coming out. Our goal for the immediate future is to get by all the good Dayton schools in the tournament and to get to state.”