By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
Tatum Ruffalo capped a stellar career on the Waterford Union High School girls bowling team with a fifth-place finish March 5 in the Wisconsin High School Girls Bowling Club State Championships at AMF Bowlero Lanes in Wauwatosa.
The Waterford girls finished fifth in the state in Division 2 as a team.
Zak Ksobiech went to state for the boys and did not advance out of the semifinals.
The girls won their district to advance to state, and feature Lynsey Burt, Hanna Kiedrowski, Amber Bertschinger, Megan Pozek and Ruffalo.
Ruffalo went to state all four years for the Wolverines, which coach Matt Zanella said is quite an accomplishment. Ruffalo posted three top-10 finishes in her four trips.
“It’s really rare, especially in District 3A, in Racine and Kenosha and counties,” said Zanella, who is also Ruffalo’s father. “3A is known for sending teams to state and doing very well.”
Zanella said 3A is one of the stronger districts in Wisconsin. At state, Ruffalo bowled a 144 in the first round of individual competition, and was defeated by Oshkosh West’s Haley Stueber. Stueber bowled a 147.
Five young women competed for the girls singles title in match play. Manawa’s Carlene Beyer won with a score of 200 in match 3.
Oil plays an interesting hand in Ruffalo’s success. Zanella said Ruffalo plays numerous matches in competition in Wisconsin and Illinois just to experience differences in how the lanes are oiled and how the ball will carry.
In team competition, the Wolverines rolled a 312 in the semifinals. Amherst won the Division 2 title.
Zanella said the Wolverines have finished in the top five in the state in each of their team appearances at state. Waterford finished third last season.
Zanella said the team was thin on numbers this season with only five girls, but all involved stayed calm under the pressures of state competition.
“We only had five girls,” Zanella said. “If someone was struggling, you didn’t have someone to take their place.
“I think the main thing is they just stayed calm. They were all there last year, so that really helped.”
Burt, Pozek and Ruffalo are seniors and will all graduate, and Zanella said the girls felt the weight of the moment when they were done.
“They’re always disappointed if they don’t win,” Zanella said. “There were a lot of tears shed. Three of the five knew this was their last opportunity.”
Ksobiech bowled rounds of 142, 198 and 173 in the semifinals, and did not advance to the finals. Fond du Lac’s Baker Schmidt won the boys individual state title.
Based on their success this season, both Ksobiech and Ruffalo have been asked to participate in the 2017 Wisconsin All Star Team Challenge on March 11 at Village Bowl in Menomonee Falls.
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