Deer Lakes wins WPIBL girls team title in program’s 2nd season

By: Tribune-Review
Thursday, February 16, 2023 | 8:29 PM

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Deer Lakes won a WPIBL girls team championship in the program’s second year of existence Thursday at Sims Lanes in Beaver Falls, posting the top score in qualifying and sweeping Plum and Freeport in the step-ladder finals.

Tayla Germanich led the Lancers with a 647 series in qualifying. Kaylee Lipp, whose letter to the Deer Lakes school board in 2021 helped get the program off the ground, had the fifth-best qualifying series with a 628.

The Lancers were the top team in qualifying with a 2,801-pin total, ahead of Plum (2,629) and Freeport (2,479).

Freeport defeated Plum, 2-0, in the best-of-three semifinals. The first game was a 202-200 nail-biter decided in the 10th frame. The Yellowjackets rolled to a 202-167 win in Game 2.

Deer Lakes swept the finals, winning the first game 162-158 on the final ball of the 10th frame and 223-195 in the second game.

Kiski Area’s Veronica Flanagan had the top series in qualifying with a 652. Also ranking in the top five in qualifying to make the all-tournament team were Germanich, Hempfield’s Amelia Droste (643), Plum’s Mareana Pilyih (630) and Lipp.

The top 16 teams qualify for the Western Regional championships March 11 at AMF Noble Manor Lanes. Butler, Hempfield, Norwin, Kiski Area, Shaler, Montour and Latrobe rounded out the top 10. Greensburg Salem, Thomas Jefferson, Elizabeth Forward, Blackhawk, Armstrong and New Castle also advanced.

The WPIBL girls singles championships are scheduled for Feb. 23 at AMF Mt. Lebanon Lanes. The boys singles tournament will be Feb. 22.

Tags: Deer Lakes