Penn-Trafford bowlers take WPIBL girls team championship

By: Tribune-Review
Thursday, February 17, 2022 | 9:00 PM

Before Thursday, it was already a good season for the Penn-Trafford girls bowling team.

The Warriors won a section title with a 9-1 record and last month, junior Alyssa Balest won the girls title at the inaugural WCCA championships.

On Thursday, a good season got even better.

Penn-Trafford defeated Burrell, 2-0, in the best-of-three finals to win the WPIBL girls team championship at AMF Mt. Lebanon Lanes. Burrell defeated Deer Lakes, 3-2, in the semifinals.

The top three teams in qualifying advance to the step-ladder finals in a Baker format.

Penn-Trafford was the top team in qualifying with a score of 2,605. Burrell (2,593) was right behind, followed by Deer Lakes (2,486). Plum and Butler finished in the top five. Freeport, Norwin, Latrobe, Montour and Kiski Area rounded out the top 10.

Balest had the third-best score in qualifying, rolling a 660 series with a 277 in the third game.

Plum’s Mareana Pilyih topped the field in qualifying with a 737 series, including a 279 game. Burrell’s Lydia Flanagan was second woth a 718 series and the day’s high game, a 289.

Deer Lakes’ Kaylee Lipp was fourth with a 629 series and Freeport’s Mackenzie Livingston was fifth woth a 601.

The girls team competition at the Western Pennsylvania Regional Championships is set for Saturday, March 2 at North Versailles Bowling Center.

The WPIBL individual tournaments are scheduled for next week with the boys bowling in North Versailles on Wednesday and the girls competing at AMF Belle Vernon on Thursday.