Hempfield edges past Franklin Regional for regional boys team bowling title

By: Tribune-Review
Saturday, March 4, 2023 | 8:51 PM

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After a long day of bowling, made longer by a power outage at AMF Noble Manor Lanes that delayed the start of competition several hours, it all came down to the final frame at the Western Pennsylvania Regional boys team bowling championships Saturday.

Hempfield defeated Franklin Regional, 147-145, in the decisive third game of a best-of-three final to win the championship. In the final frame of the last game, Franklin Regional left an open frame, and Cam Elder recorded two strikes and a seven count to give the Spartans the narrow victory.

Hempfield was the last team to qualify for the six-team finals, edging seventh-place Armstrong by just 12 pins after qualifying, which consisted of three team games and six Baker games.

Franklin Regional was the top team in qualifying, followed by Butler, Plum, Shaler and Montour.

In the quarterfinals, Hempfield knocked off Plum, and Montour topped Shaler. In the semifinals, the Spartans defeated second-seeded Butler, and Franklin Regional beat Shaler.

Franklin Regional’s Brandon Smith and Dom Freed, Armstrong’s Jordan Harmon, Greensburg Salem’s Luke Shevchik, Shaler’s Braden Scott and Plum’s Cade Schimmer were named to the all-tournament team.

Shevchik (268) and Harmon (256) had the high games in qualifying.

Hempfield, which also won the WPIBL boys team title last week, will attempt to complete the hat trick at the state tournament March 18 in Erie.

The girls regional tournaments are scheduled for March 10-11 at AMF Noble Manor Lanes.