SETTING THE SCENE:  Look for an exciting season of Milford bowling, and look for the MHS boys bowling team to challenge for the conference title for the first time.  Four of five members of the boys team return from a team that advanced to last year’s Division I District Bowling competition.  Coach Frank Ritzmann returns to Milford for what may be his lucky thirteenth season as head coach of both the boys and girls varsity and junior varsity programs. 

BOYS PREVIEW:  Four starters return from a 2015-2016 team that narrowly advancing as a team to the district tournament.  The Milford boys finished the season 12-6 overall, and in third place at 10-4 in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference final standings.  The team placed second in the OHSAA Sectional Bowling Tournament to advance to the District Tournament.  Along the way the boys set a new record with 4190 total pins for the event.  That 2^nd place position was the highest finish ever in postseason action for the Milford boys team and earned the team a trip to Districts, where they placed 20th. 

In addition to setting a new high team average score of 2554 in 2016, the team set new records for game average (913) and baker game average (182) – all record highs since at least the 2004 season.

Noah Dolezal returns to the MHS bowling team for his senior season.  A highlight of Dolezal’s 2015-2016 season was the Eastern Cincinnati Conference/Southwest Ohio Conference Tournament, where he set a new school record for 3 game series with a 671, and earned first team all-tournament honors, a first for the MHS boys bowling team at this event.  At the 2016 OSHAA Sectional Tournament, Dolezal set a new three game series record of 711 pins; with games of 230, 244, and 237, he was the only bowler in this sectional to accumulate over 700 total pins.  Dolezal also stepped up for the Eagles at the District meet, with an 18th place finish and a team high single game of 246.  The 2016 first team all-ECC selection ranked near the top of the ECC all year: high average (7th – 194); high game (17th – 245); and high series (12th – 445).  Dolezal was a first team All-ECC selection in 2015 as well.

Josh Cooper returns, as well.  The junior was a first team all-ECC awardee in 2016, and was impressive in his second year on the MHS bowling team.  Cooper topped the single game and school record he set by posting a new Milford Eagle record of 277 pins in a 2625-1404 Milford win over Withrow last season.  The new record was one pin over the previous high of 276 against Anderson set earlier in the season.  At the OSHAA Division I District Tournament, Cooper tied for 60th, with an average of 199 and series of 598; this following a 192 average at Sectionals.  Cooper was the highest ranking Milford bowler in the ECC standings for 2016; high average (3rd – 201); high game (5th – 277); and high series (5th – 483).  In 2015 he was named second team all-ECC as a freshman.

Junior Nathan McGeorge is back for his third season on the varsity team.  McGeorge competed for a U15 national title at the Junior Gold Bowling Tournament this offseason, and finished 135th out of over 500 participants as a first-time competitor.  He was named to the ECC all-conference first team last season, for the second consecutive year.  McGeorge averaged over 200 in the majority of last season’s outings, including a series total of 625 and average of 208 at the Sectionals.  He ended the year in or near the top ten in all ECC rankings: high average (6th – 195); high game (11th – 255); and high series (4th – 484).

Jeremiah Mitchell will once again join the Eagles in varsity competition.  The junior received honorable mention recognition last year, after rolling a personal season-high 222 at the Hoinke Bearcat Classic, and helping the MHS boys bowling team to place sixth of 28 teams from the Tri-State area.  He ended the year with a 168 average.

Eagles on the roster:  Josh Cooper, Noah Dolezal, Manny Fernandez, Rodney Gorley, Richard Hallberg, Eugene Koczwara, Nathan McGeorge, and Jeremiah Mitchell.

OPENNING SCHEDULE:  The Eagles will dive right into conference play, and open the season facing Anderson on Mon., 11/28.  The match is set for a 3:30 pm start and will be held at Cherry Grove Lanes.  Milford will then host Anderson at 3:30 pm on Wed., 11/30, at Eastgate Lanes.  

POLL WATCH:  * UPDATED * The updated Cincinnati Enquirer area coaches’ poll is out, and Milford has entered by receiving eleven votes in week one.  Top ranked Oak Hills fell to fourth, while LaSalle moved into first from third and Elder remained in second followed by Mason.   Fairfield held onto fifth. The ECC’s Glen Este moved up to sixth from tenth, and Anderson fell from ninth to tenth.   Kings joined Milford in the poll and received two votes for week one.  Find the poll HERE.