Six teams from Baldwin County earned spots reserved for the top 32 bowling teams in the state and will compete in the South Regional Championship Thursday and Friday in Spanish Fort while the North tournament will be held the same days in Tuscaloosa.

The top two teams from the regular season in each of the four southern regions advanced to this round with a trip to the state tournament on the line.

Both the boys’ and girls’ teams from Gulf Shores, as well as the girls’ teams from Daphne and Orange Beach and the boys’ teams from Spanish Fort and Elberta, did just that and took a step closer to the state finals.

Thursday’s competition gets underway with the Class 1A/5A and 6A/7A girls’ teams opening play at 9 a.m., at each site. The boys’ competition will begin at 1:30 p.m. for Class 1A/5A and 6A/7A.

Bowlers will roll three traditional games. Each team’s total pins will set the seeding for Friday’s Best of 7 games Baker format team duals single-elimination tournament. Friday’s schedule will feature the girls’ teams from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the boys’ team tourneys from 2 to 7 p.m.

Among the top individual bowlers competing, last year’s Class 1A/5A boys’ individual champion Kaed Bradley of Etowah (623 series) will be competing at the North Regional 1A/5A boys’ division once again.

Harris Dunlavy of Elberta, who had the top 1A/5A boys’ state tourney series in 2021 (502), is also back with his team in the South tourney this week.

The top four teams from each of the dual tourney competitions will advance to next week’s 7th annual AHSAA State Bowling Championships at Gadsden’s The Alley bowling center. The state championships, set for Jan. 26-27, will follow the same format as the regional tourneys.

AHSAA 2023 REGIONAL BOWLING TOURNAMENTS

South Regional at Eastern Shore Lanes, Spanish Fort, Jan. 19-20

CLASS 1A/5A GIRLS’ TEAM QUALIFIERS

Region 1: Satsuma

Region 1: Vigor

Region 2: Gulf Shores

Region 2: Orange Beach

Region 3: Marbury

Region 3: Beauregard

Region 4: Sipsey Valley

Region 4: Hale County

CLASS 6A/7A GIRLS’ TEAM QUALIFIERS

Region 1: Baker

Region 1: Mary Montgomery

Region 2: Dothan

Region 2: Daphne

Region 3: Stanhope Elmore

Region 3: Auburn

Region 4: Thompson

Region 4: Oak Mountain

CLASS 1A/5A BOYS’ TEAM QUALIFIERS

Region 1: Satsuma

Region 1: UMS-Wright

Region 2: Elberta

Region 2: Gulf Shores

Region 3: Marbury

Region 3: Beauregard

Region 4: Holt

Region 4: Hale County

CLASS 6A/7A BOYS’ TEAM QUALIFIERS

Region 1: Baker

Region 1: Murphy

Region 2: Dothan

Region 2: Spanish Fort

Region 3: Stanhope Elmore

Region 3: Auburn

Region 4: Spain Park

Region 4: Vestavia Hills

AHSAA State Champions – Bowling (through 2022 Season)

GIRLS

Team

2022 - 6A-7A - Sparkman | 1A-5A - American Christian

2021 - 6A-7A - Sparkman | 1A-5A - Satsuma

2020 - Southside-Gadsden

2019 - Southside-Gadsden

2018 - Southside-Gadsden

2017 - Southside-Gadsden

2016 - Sparkman

1978-2015 - Discontinued

1977 - Hewitt-Trussville

1976 - Huffman

1975 - Hewitt-Trussville

1974 - Bradshaw

1973 - Huffman

1972 - Bradshaw

Individual

2022 - 1A-5A - 494, Trinity Poe, Marbury

              6A-7A- 588, Jenna Webber, Sparkman

2021 - 1A-5A - 503, Brianne McDonald, Satsuma

              6A-7A- 555, Gracie Connelly, Thompson

2020 - 639, Gracie Connelly, Thompson

2019 - 685, Gracie Connelly, Thompson (3-game series)

2019 - 589, Nicole Gilbert, Sparkman (3-game series)

2018 - 706, Gillian Baker, Thompson (3-game series)

2017 - 586, Macy Fields, Capital School, Tuscaloosa (3-game series)

2016 - 698, Sierra Lewis, Scottsboro (3-game series)

1978-2015 - Discontinued

1977 - Unavailable

1976 - Unavailable

1975 - Unavailable

1974 - Unavailable

1973 - Sonia Tucker, Huffman

1972 - Unavailable

BOYS

Team

2022 - 6A-7A - Spain Park | 1A-5A - American Christian

2021 - 6A-7A - Sparkman | 1A-5A - East Limestone

2020 - Thompson

2019 - Vestavia Hills

2018 - Buckhorn

2017 - Spain Park

2016 - Spain Park

Individual

2022 - 1A-5A - 623 - Kaed Bradley, Etowah

            6A-7A - 683 - Cole Henson, Spain Park

2021 - 1A-5A - 502, Harris Dunlavy, Elberta

            6A-7A - 690 - Alex Lee, Hoover

2020 - 711, Cole Arsenault, Sparkman (3-game series)

2019 - 710, Cole Arsenault, Sparkman (3-game series)

2018 - 724, Brendan Ferris, East Limestone (3-game series)

2017 - 711, Brendan Ferris, East Limestone (3-game series)

2016 - 706, Christian McNelley, Mary Montgomery (3-game series)