TC's Sturgill heads to Columbus for state tournament

Get the routine down.That's something Columbian bowling coach Casey Weidner reminds junior Atreyu Sturgill to do every time he steps onto the lanes. The lanes today will be H.P. Lanes in Columbus for the Division I state tournament – Sturgill being the first individual Tornado down there in 10 years. "His repetition and routine are something that I have noticed. If he gets it down with how he throws a ball, then it helps steady his nerves and can make the pins fall," Weidner said. "I knew as long as he did that, he would get to state."While it will be the first trip for the six-foot-3 bowler, no one would ever know that he is only in his second year on the team. However, Sturgill isn't new to bowling. It is something that he has grown up with."I have been around bowling since I was two years old," Sturgill recalled. "While I am mostly self-taught, my dad taught me things too. My dad worked at Heritage Lanes, and then I helped with Saturday little league when I got old enough to help."Heritage Lanes closed in 2018, and later demolished.The bowling team at TC started officially in 2016-2017, but was a club sport prior to that year. In 2018, the boys team made a trip to state.Sturgill's journey to state hasn't been an easy one per say as he has had bad games and an injury during the season, but that hasn't stopped him from achieving his potential.Sturgill was named first team All-SBC Lake with an average score of 209.7. His average overall this season was actually 211."SBC tournament was terrible at the start for me," Sturgill said. "I was bowling 150s, 170s. Then I got a 280 on the last one. I don't even know how in the world I did it when all I did was play it up the gutter pretty much. All I did was strike, spare and then went out."Then, it was onto the tournament postseason.The boys team placed fifth place at the Division I sectionals this season, just 77 pins behind Sandusky. Only the top four teams from sectionals moved onto districts.During sectionals, Sturgill struggled, but still earned a 587 (203-233-151) and came in ninth place at the event individually."I didn't do so well in sectionals," Sturgill admitted. "I got out of that by the skin of my teeth."Weidner knew that Sturgill qualified at one particular moment during the Division I district meet. Sturgill earned a score of 686 (220-210-256) and tied in third place. He was also one of two qualifiers not on a state qualifying team to go to state. Sturgill tied with Max Oeken from Ashland with a 686 as well."Ashland is such a good team," Weidner said. "I don't think they ever miss. I knew he was going to state early on, but I didn't want to jinx anything, so we decided to wait until the team event."Sturgill admitted the first few games were scary, but once the regular games were done and they headed into the baker games, and seeing the pin count of the first two games, Weidner's intuition was spot on. Though pacing and nervous for Sturgill during the singles events, Sturgill bowling with Ashland, it became evident."If Ashland goes, he goes," Weidner said. "Just to get to districts is tough in our division, but to go alone into state, that's another level of bowling. He is consistently above 200."But going to state is something that Sturgill didn't have on his bowling card."It's nerve racking to say the least because I'm nervous about it," Sturgill said. "But I just rolled with it."Being able to hit a 200 is a huge milestone for any bowler as it indicates the level of skill a bowler has; a mid 200's range is considered to be on a professional level. Sturgill consistently hits the 200-plus average per game."For a beginner, to be able to get 200 is huge," Sturgill explained. "It's an expectation and standard to make varsity here at TC to do that consistently. As soon as you can get over that hump, it builds confidence."Weidner is confident that Sturgill can compete against the best in the state."He has the ability to beat everyone there," Weidner said. "He really can, but he has to be cool, calm, collected and just throw his game. He can't be worried about anything. He has to pay attention to the way his ball is moving and his emotions. As long as he does that, I think he will place in the top five."