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For the first time since 2020, the Tullahoma High School boys bowling team qualified for the TSSAA State Tournament and will open play on Thursday against Hardin County.

“This team is special to me,” said THS boys bowling coach Derek Swiger. “They’ve been through a lot this year and have handled plenty of adversity along the way. We’re mostly a young team with two starting seniors and four starting freshmen, plus four juniors and a sophomore who have stayed ready and waited their turn. At any point, I can trust our backup bowlers to step in and do their job as they’ve proven they can be counted on.”

This season, the Wildcats finished the regular season undefeated but lost in the district tournament, finishing as runner-up. Tullahoma followed that with another runner-up trophy at regionals, setting up a road match against Region 5 Champion Smyrna during the sectional rounds of the playoffs.

During Saturday’s sectional matchup, the teams opened with a pair of American 10-pin games. The Wildcats won four of the six matches during the first game. Britton Perry recorded a 209-166 win for the Wildcats, while Jenson Rogers edged out a 237-233 victory. JT Brooks beat his opponent 256-187, before Jordyn Pilkington notched a 214-202 win. At the end of each 10-pin bowling set, the team with the most total pins receives two additional points. Tullahoma led Smyrna in pins in the first game, 1,235-1,169, to grab a 6-2 advantage.

Tullahoma added three more wins in the second American 10-pin game and led in pins, 1,145-1,092, to go ahead 11-5. Connor Deluceney and Jace Siebenberg combined for a 161-145 victory for the Wildcats. Perry then notched a 189-148 win, and Rogers beat his opponent 225-157.

Following the opening 10-pin games, the remainder of the match was conducted in a pair of baker games format, in which teams consist of five bowlers, with each individual bowling two frames. Tullahoma and Smyrna split the baker matches, each receiving three points, to make the score 14-8.

For leading the baker games in pinfall, 371-333, Smyrna received an additional two points, cutting its deficit to 14-10. The Wildcats then added the final three points of the match after leading in combined pins, 2,713-2,632, to win the match 17-10.

“Sitting with an 11-5 lead after the American 10-pin games, I knew that we needed to win just one of the baker matches,” Swiger said. “I put in the guys who were rolling well, and they delivered, winning the first Baker match 217–173 and clinching our spot at state. I’m proud of what this group has accomplished so far, but the work isn’t done yet, and we have a tough matchup with Hardin County on Thursday.

The TSSAA State Tournament gets underway on Thursday at Smyrna Bowling Center, where Tullahoma will face Hardin County at 9 a.m. If the Wildcats advance to the semifinals, they will play on Friday at 9 a.m., and the finals will take place at noon.

For more information about the TSSAA State Tournament, including purchasing tickets, click here.