Ohio Queens Tournament Top 32
(Association in parentheses)
1. Jennifer Higgins (Central Ohio)
2. Kimberly Hogue (Summit County)
3. Shannon Pluhowsky (Greater Dayton)
4. Joy Arrigo (Central Ohio)
5. Rachael Delserone (Lorain)
6. Danielle Brady (Greater Cincinnati), Teresa Suber (Greater Dayton), Jodi Woessneer (Greater Toledo).
9. Kari Watson (Greater Dayton), Stacy Steiner (Greater Dayton), Lori Shaw (Central Ohio), Teri Haefke (Youngstown/Salem).
13. Susan Hartley (Greater Dayton), Cynthia Leveringston (Central Ohio), Melissa Brenders (Cleveland), Shannon DeWitt (Greater Dayton).
17. Kim Mann (Wooster), Andrea Behr (Greater Dayton), Natalie Miskiel (Greater Toledo), Jennifer Owens (Greater Dayton), Trisha Reid (Central Ohio), Teri Plaso (Portage County), Karen Morris (Logan), Francesca Melendrez (Bowling Green).
25. Shannelle Turner (Greater Toledo), Missy Shieff (Lake-Geauga), Erica Kellenbarger (Southeastern Ohio), Lindsey Coulles (Greater Dayton), Cathy Dorin-Lizzi (Sandusky), Robin Williams (Champaign County), Megan Kelly (Greater Dayton), Jessica Hatcher (Greater Dayton).
It’s about more than bowling, it’s about a lifetime of memories.
The Ohio Women’s Bowling Association State Queens Tournament has been held for the past 27 years and Sue Hartley has competed every year. The 55-year-old Dayton bowler was recognized as the only woman in the state to have earned that distinction at this year’s event, which wrapped up play Sunday at Interstate Lanes in Toledo.
Hartley, however, never set out to set records, just bowl her game.
“I guess it’s like anything else, you don’t know what path you’re going to take,” she said. “But I’ve been blessed to stay healthy.”
In recent years, she has added another bowling blessing – competing with her daughter, Andrea Behr, who was just 2 years old when Hartley competed in her first State Queens Tournament.
“It’s really special because, now, I’m making bowling memories with my daughter,” she said. “She’s my energy now. She’s always there with a “let’s go mom” and a high five. It’s really wonderful.”
Those words of encouragement come in handy during a grueling tournament like the Queens. Hartley, who finished 13th this year, bowled more than 20 games during the two-day event.
“It’s always a tournament where I need to dig deep, concentrate and fight for it,” Hartley said.
The tournament is open to OWBA members with an average of 175 or higher. This year’s event brought in 98 of the top women bowlers in the state, 32 advanced to Sunday’s match play. Hartley was one of 11 bowlers from the Greater Dayton Association to make the match play cut, including her daughter. It came as no surprise to Hartley that almost one-third of the match-play finalists in this prestigious state event were from her hometown.
“Dayton has a good showing every year,” Hartley said.
Shannon Pluhowsky finished the tournament as the top local placer in third place. Pluhowsky defeated fourth-place finisher Joy Arrigo, 266-246, before falling to Queens runner-up Kim Hogue, 227-203. Jennifer Higgins took the crown with a 243-219 win over Hogue. Dayton bowlers Teresa Suber, Kari Watson and Stacy Steiner also finished in the top 10.
Hartley plans to extend her tournament streak next year when Columbus hosts the event.
“I’d love to make it to 30,” she said.
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