Elberta’s Thomas, Spanish Fort’s Passarelli medal at bowling state championships

Gulf Shores Dolphins finish as state semifinalists in girls’ title tournament after first-round upset

By Cole McNanna
Sports Editor
cole@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 1/27/23

The Alabama High School Athletic Association’s bowling state championships wrapped up Friday with the Gulf Shores Dolphins as state semifinalists in the girls’ championship where both …

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Elberta’s Thomas, Spanish Fort’s Passarelli medal at bowling state championships

Gulf Shores Dolphins finish as state semifinalists in girls’ title tournament after first-round upset

Posted

The Alabama High School Athletic Association’s bowling state championships wrapped up Friday with the Gulf Shores Dolphins as state semifinalists in the girls’ championship where both Elberta and Spanish Fort had individuals earn medals as top-eight finishers in the boys’ qualifying round at The Alley in Gadsden.

The two-day tournament was again a three-game set Thursday to determine seeding for Friday’s single-elimination bracket that has teams play a best-of-seven series through a Baker format where a lineup of five bowlers each completed two frames.

Following Thursday’s qualifying round, Elberta’s Jon Devery Thomas (547 for 3rd in Class 1A/5A) and Spanish Fort’s Anthony Passarelli (580 for 7th in Class 6A/7A) recorded three-game totals that were in the top eight of their respective classifications.

Both boys’ teams had two additional top-15 finishers and Gulf Shores had two individual finishers in the top-20 of the girls’ tournament.

The Dolphins went into the Friday finals as the No. 7 seed but won their first-round matchup against No. 2 East Limestone 4-2 after jumping out to big victories in the first two games, 121-87 and 123-108. Although the Indians won Games 4 and 5, Gulf Shores finished things in Game 6 with a 168-155 decision.

In the state semifinals, the Dolphins drew the Scottsboro Wildcats and the teams each won two of the first four games. Scottsboro took the final two games to move onto the state finals where the Beauregard Hornets claimed the Class 1A/5A girls’ title.

On the boys’ circuit, Elberta also fell to the eventual state runners-up in the Class 1A/5A bracket. The Warriors earned the top seed from the qualifying round by only four points over Marbury and drew the West Point Warriors. In the first round, West Point took all four games then dropped only two in the semifinals before being swept in the finals by the Etowah Blue Devils.

In the Class 6A/7A boys’ bracket, Spanish Fort was the No. 6 seed and faced the Vestavia Hills Rebels. The Toros won Game 4 with their backs against the wall facing defeat but Vestavia Hills won the fifth before falling in the second round to the eventual state champion Sparkman Senators.

The American Christian Academy Patriots claimed the Class 6A/7A girls’ championship.

Below are full local results from Thursday’s qualifying round and Friday’s finals.

BOYS
Class 1A/5A individual from Qualifying Round Thursday, Jan. 26
3. Jon Devery Thomas – Elberta: 547
9. Copeland Bryant – Elberta: 521
13. Harris Dunlavy – Elberta: 497

18. Jerhyn York – Elberta: 465
27. Aiden Freemantle – Elberta: 371

Team Standings from Qualifying Round Thursday, Jan. 26
1. Elberta: 2,537

Jon Devery Thomas – 547; Copeland Bryant – 521; Harris Dunlavy – 497; Jerhyn York – 465; Aiden Freemantle – 371; Brody Cain – 136; TOTAL – 2,537

Final Bracket Friday, Jan. 27
Round 1: West Point 4, Elberta 0; 170-139, 190-170, 165-134, 141-137 – 666-580

Class 6A/7A individual from Qualifying Round Thursday, Jan. 26
7. Anthony Passarelli – Spanish Fort: 580
13. Weston Payne – Spanish Fort: 531

14. Nick Kachadoorian – Spanish Fort: 523
22. Braylan Jarrell – Spanish Fort: 489
42. Stephen Bolin – Spanish Fort: 140

Team Standings from Qualifying Round Thursday, Jan. 26
6. Spanish Fort: 2,485

Anthony Passarelli – 580; Weston Payne – 531; Nick Kachadoorian – 523; Braylan Jarrell – 489; Stephen Bolin – 140; Combined 1 – 222; TOTAL – 2,485

Final Bracket Friday, Jan. 27

Round 1: Vestavia Hills 4, Spanish Fort 1; 176-169, 203-177, 209-134, 159-190, 154-117 – 901-787

GIRLS
Class 1A/5A individual from Qualifying Round Thursday, Jan. 26

12. Emily Hinson – Gulf Shores: 411
18. Morgyn Jones – Gulf Shores: 387
21. Adriana Venus – Gulf Shores: 373
27. Raven Clark – Gulf Shores: 254
38. Alexis Walker – Gulf Shores: 118

Team Standings from Qualifying Round Thursday, Jan. 26
7. Gulf Shores: 1,856

Emily Hinson – 411; Morgyn Jones – 387; Adriana Venus – 373; Raven Clark – 254; Alexis Walker – 118; Sophia Brandt – 91; Combined 1 – 222; TOTAL – 1,856

Final Bracket Friday, Jan. 27

Round 1: Gulf Shores 4, East Limestone 2; 121-87, 123-108, 118-108, 121-137, 110-138, 168-155 – 761-733

Round 2: Scottsboro 4, Gulf Shores 2; 123-166, 145-123, 119-136, 126-122, 141-137, 145-121 – 799-805