Troy High School junior Bryce Massingill will bowl in the boys D-I state tournament Saturday at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl. Massingill finished eighth a year ago
File Photo Courtesy of Lee Woolery
BEAVERCREEK — For Troy High School junior Bryce Massingill, there is one goal Saturday at the D-I state bowling tournament at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl.
“The goal is absolutely to win the whole thing,” Massingill said. “I believe I can do that. You never know what can happen. It is just three games, but anything can happen.”
Massingill is coming off an eighth-place finish at state a year ago and Troy boys bowling coach Doug Stone said it is no surprise the way Massingill responds in big moments.
“If you notice, he always seems to do well in sectionals, district and state,” Stone said. “Those are all tournaments that mean a lot and that is motivation for him. I think he knows most of the guys over there because he bowls against them in tournaments (in the spring and summer). So, I think he is comfortable.”
Massingill would agree and said it is a valuable lesson he learned his freshman season.
“When I was a freshman, I put too much pressure on myself,” he said. “I don’t do that anymore. I am relaxed and I think that is what helps me. And I have bowled against most of these guys in big tournaments.”
This season got off to a slow start for Massingill, who ended up leading the MVL with a 214.3 average.
”At the beginning of the year, my finger (grip) was messed up,” Massingill said. “A coach at one of our matches told me I was putting my ring finger into the ball too far. I got off to a rough start, but after that coach told me that, I have been bowling well.”
He also recently made an adjustment with his ball.
“I got my ball redrilled — it was messed up — I switched after the first game of the MVL and it has been perfect ever since,” Massingill said.
He earned the trip to state by rolling games of 236, 193 and 259 for a 688 series at district.
Massingill will get on the lanes at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl Friday.
“The shot will be different than what we had at sectional and district,” Stone said. “So, we will find out Friday night what we are up against.”
And he knows Massingill is as capable of anyone to be state champion when it is all said and done.
“That is true,” Stone said. “It is just a matter of being comfortable. I think Bryce can do really well. I think he will be just fine.”
Like he always is in the biggest moments.
Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]
