MCHS falls short of semifinals

Staff Report
Berwick’s boys and Morgan City’s girls bowling team both fell in Bi Region bowling action at Holiday Lanes in Bossier City.
The Morgan City girls, who last year finished on the cusp of a trip to the state semifinals, again finished in the same spot as they fell to top-seed Ellender, 17.5-9.5
A year ago, Morgan City had fallen one game short of the Final Four when Vandebilt Catholic defeated them for the right to advance to the semifinals.
Monday’s contest with Ellender was a rematch of the final game of the regular season in which Ellender handed the Lady Tigers (13-2) their lone loss of the regular season.
“The girls did an amazing job, and I am very proud of the success we had this season,” Michelle LaCombe said.
She said she can’t wait for next year.
While the Lady Tigers didn’t advance as a team, two bowlers, Hannah Pipes and Meghan Amador, will move on to the state’s Final Four in singles competition.
The duo was among five bowlers from Monday’s Bi Region to advance, and Morgan City was the only school with two bowlers to advance.
Amador recorded a 202 average to advance, while Pipes had a 180 average.
Against their final match Tuesday against Ellender, Pipes bowled a 540 series (162, 177, 201), while Cayce Keton had a 430 series (172, 131).
Other top games bowled by Morgan City were Amador (215, 190), Alyssa Rich (147), Ali Tregle (146) and Laura Nolazco (144).
For Ellender, Elizabeth Porche had games of 222 and 182, while Lizzie Voisin had a 221.
With Monday’s loss, Morgan City concludes its regular season with a 13-2 mark.
Earlier in the day, Morgan City, the No. 4 seed, eased past No. 5 seed C.E. Byrd, 22.5-4.5.
Amador led Morgan City with a 573 series (186, 181, 206), while Pipes had a 551 series (190, 172, 189). Keton had a 406 series (147, 154) and Tregle, a 403 series (134, 134, 135).
Other top bowlers included Nolazco (142, 134) and Rylee Sartwell (147).
For Berwick, the Panthers fell in the second round by 18 pins to H.L. Bourgeois in a 15-12 loss.
Berwick head coach Walter Shepherd said the game came down to the 10th frame of the No. 6 bowler of both teams.
He said Berwick’s Mark Lemoine had bowled a strike and H.L. Bourgeois’ Justin Coose had to bowl a strike to beat the Panthers, which he did.
“The boys bowled well,” he said of their Bi Region performance. “They really did.”
Berwick (13-2), the No. 5 seed, and H.L. Bourgeois, the No. 4 seed, had met earlier this season in a roll off to determine seeding, which H.L. Bourgeois won.
Shepherd said facing H.L. Bourgeois before helped his squad and their results Monday showed they were looking forward to the rematch.
Against H.L. Bourgeois, Quentin Kelly bowled a 685 series (212, 248, 225) to lead Berwick, while Blake Bergeron turned in a 606 series (202, 213, 191), Mark Lemoine a 556 series (194, 160, 202), Aaron Barrilleaux a 519 series (177, 177, 165), Christopher Beltran a 504 series (174, 181) and Abram Gilder, games of 160 and 155.
In their first-round matchup, Berwick knocked off No. 12 seed Breaux Bridge 22-5.
Gilder led Berwick with a 578 series (212, 174, 192), while Kelly had a 562 series (190, 174, 198).
Other top bowlers for the Panthers included Beltran (180, 182) 508 series, Lemoine (162, 160, 184) 506 series, Bergeron (166, 174, 159) and Barrilleaux (157, 204).
After the Panthers were eliminated, Bergeron and Kelly advanced in singles’ play; however, both failed to qualify for state, Bergeron falling in the final cut prior to state.
With only one senior out of his top seven bowlers this year in Quentin Kelly, the future is bright for Berwick bowling next year, Shepherd said.
“It should be a team to reckon with next year,” Shepherd said.
In other singles action, Morgan City’s Jayson Hidalgo and Hau Vo participated as well as Berwick’s Mickenzie Reed and Josie Estay and Central Catholic’s Ann Mary Dupuis. None were able to advance to state.