CONFERENCE CHAMPS — The Buckeye Local girls bowling team celebrates after winning the Buckeye 8 Conference title on Tuesday. - Mike Hughes

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Barnesville boys set the tone early Tuesday in running away with the Buckeye 8 Bowling Championships team title at St. Clair Lanes.

On the girls’ side, Buckeye Local battled back after an uncharacteristically low Game 2 team score while posting the top four-game total in the Baker rounds to overtake Harrison Central for the overall crown.

GIRLS

Buckeye Local held the edge on Harrison after Game 1, recording 742 pins to the Huskies’ 737 in a round where four of the nine teams finished with more than 700 pins.

But Game 2 saw the Panthers roll a 597 combined, the second lowest of Game 2.

The Panthers regrouped, behind a strong showing from the trio of Olivia Takach, Brianna Kovalski and Regan Wilson, and totaled a 770.

They still trailed the Huskies 2,165 to 2,109 heading into the Baker rounds. That’s when the Panthers collectively starting hitting strikes and picking up spares, totaling 681 pins through four Baker rounds, far more than runner-up Harrison Central (556) or third place Barnesville (552).

Takach, a senior, captured the girls’ individual championship with a 513, just two pins ahead of East Liverpool senior Lani Rudibaugh. Takach’s Game 3 total of 200 was the lone 200-or-better score on the girls’ side and secured her victory.

Harrison’s Tayla Thompson finished third at 493 while St. Clairsville’s Kailin Hughes, on the strength of striking out in her final frame, came in fourth at 486.

Brooke’s Kaylee Tuttle, Harrison’s Sophie Bland, the Barnesville duo of Trisha Johnson and Payton Bell rounded out the Top 8, along with Harrison’s Jaylie Byers who tied with Bell for the eighth spot. The top eight earn all-Buckeye 8 honors.

St. Clairsville’s Ashlan Sikora set the tone with a 192 out of the gate and led all competitors after two rounds. But a tough third game, kept the Red Devils’ junior one pin from creating a three-way tie for eighth.

BOYS

Beaver Local’s Mikey Druschel took the early lead on the boys’ side, firing a 235 in the opening game as six competitors eclipsed the 200 mark on the boys’ side.

One of those, Keegan Martin, was lurking near the top at 214, tied with teammate Bo Detling for the second highest Game 1 pin count.

Martin, no stranger to championship level bowling, put any thoughts of someone else winning the individual title on the backburner in Game 2, rolling a day-best 256, a mark he followed up with a 230.

Martin finished with an even and impressive 700, 35 pins ahead of runner-up Michael Kvoalski of Buckeye.

Teammate Bo Detling came in third with a 646 while East Liverpool’s Jayden McDole totaled 631 for fourth.

Union Local’s Logan Porter, on the outside looking in at the Top 8 heading into the final game, rolled a 242 to vault into fifth place at 608.

Colton Hall of Barnesville and Grady Rudibaugh of Liverpool tied for sixth, while Druschel finished with a 599 to come in eighth.

Girls

Team Scores

1. Buckeye Local 2,790; 2. Harrison Central 2,721; 3. Barnesville 2,599; St. Clairsville 2,522; 5. East Liverpool 2,514; 6. Union Local 2,439; 7. Beaver Local 2,333; 8. Brooke 2,178; 9. Martins Ferry 2,080.

Top 10

1. Olivia Takach (BuL) 513, Lani Rudibaugh (EL) 511, 3. Tayla Thompson (HC) 493; 4. Kailin Hughes (StC) 486; 5. (tie) Kaylee Tuttle (Brk) 479; Sophie Bland (HC) 479; 7. Trisha Johnson (Ba) 475; 8. (tie) Payton Bell (Ba) 465; Jaylie Byers (HC) 465; 10. Ashlan Sikora (StC) 464.

Boys

Team Scores

1. Barnesville 3,794; 2. East Liverpool 3,486; 3. Union Local 3,430; 4. Buckeye Local 3,250; 5. St. Clairsville 3,095; 6. Beaver Local 3,048; 7. Brooke 2,917; 8. Harrison Central 2,851, 9. Martins Ferry 2,364.

Top 10

1. Keegan Martin (Ba) 700, 2. Michael Kovalski (BuL) 665; 3. Bo Detling (Ba) 646; 4. Jayden McDole (EL) 631; 5. Logan Porter (UL) 608; 6. Colton Hall (Ba) 601; 7. Grady Rudibaugh (EL) 601; 8. Mikey Druschel (BvL) 599; 9. Jeff Bolon (UL) 595; 10. Alex Obeldobel (Brk) 594.