Sean Endler adds to Plum’s bowling trophy collection with Western Regional title

By: Tribune-Review
Friday, March 3, 2023 | 3:53 PM

Not only has Plum dominated boys singles competition in Western Pennsylvania high school bowling the last two years, the Mustangs also believe in spreading the titles around.

Sean Endler won the Western Regional championship at AMF Noble Manor Lanes on Friday, finishing first in the five-game qualifying round and defeating Valley’s Baxter Diehm, 195-263, in the finals.

Last week, Plum teammate Cade Schimmer won the WPIBL boys singles championship. Last year, Plum’s Nicholas Daniels was WPIBL boys singles champ.

Endler finished with the top score in qualifying Friday with a 1,075 five-game series and a high game of 236.

Greensburg Salem’s Luke Shevchik was the only other bowler to crack the 1,000-pin mark, bowling a 1,005 series with a 235 high game.

Valley freshman Baxter Diehm, who threw a 300 game in January, was third with a 997 series. Hempfield’s Ryan Schuck was fourth with a 994.

At regionals, bowlers who qualify fifth through 12 enter a pair of four-bowler first-round matches.

Burrell’s Jacob Terranova bowled a 167 game to emerge from a quartet that included Butler’s Alex Ekas, Armstrong’s Jordan Harmon and another Plum bowler, Grayson Koontz.

Butler’s Luke Keene rolled a 213 to advance from a foursome that include Shaler’s Ryan Callahan, who had the high game in qualifying with a 257, Thomas Jefferson’s Nick Horgan and Blackhawk’s Jacob Fitzgerald.

In the quarterfinals, Schuck edged past Terranova, 187-181, and Diehm defeated Keane, 198-155.

Endler bowled the best game of the step-ladder finals in the semifinals, defeating Schuck, 215-189. Diehm got past Shevchik, 175-151.

Between qualifying and the finals, Endler averaged 212.6 over seven games Friday.

The Western Regional boys team competition is scheduled for Saturday at AMF Noble Lanes. The state tournament will be held in Erie on March 17-18.