Road to the Ohio WBA All Stars
Lori Reasoner: 217 high average; 288 high game; Ohio USBC WBA Championship Tournament: team 13th, doubles 20th, singles 3rd, all events 1st; Ohio USBC WBA Queens, 9th.
Megan Kelly: 219 high average; 300 high game; Ohio USBC WBA Championship Tournament: team 3rd, doubles 9th; Ohio USBC WBA Queens, 4th; USBC Women's Tournament (diamond division): team 1st, doubles 19th.
Kari Watson: 220 high average; 770 high series; 300 high game; Ohio USBC WBA Championship Tournament: team 7th, doubles 11th, all events 13th; Ohio USBC WBA Queens, 6th.
Shannon Pluhowsky: 236 high average (high in the state); 840 high series; 300 high game; Ohio USBC WBA Championship Tournament: team 2nd, doubles 2nd, singles 8th, all events 3rd; USBC Women's Championship Tournament (Diamond Division): team 1st; doubles 19th; singles 8th, all events 3rd.
Lori Reasoner picked up right where she left off.
After a five-year hiatus, the Beavercreek bowler returned to the lanes during the 2014-15 season, winning the actual all-events title at the Ohio United States Bowling Congress Women’s Bowling Association Championship Tournament. But the accolades didn’t end there as Reasoner was recently named to the Ohio All Stars team, an honor five women — six this year as there was a tie — earn annually.
“It’s a great honor, especially when you think about the number of women who bowl in Ohio,” Reasoner said. “It’s humbling to be among these great bowlers.”
Reasoner is in good company — and predominantly local company — as four of the six women recognized this year are from the Dayton area. In all, there were more than 22,000 members of the Ohio USBC WBA bowling during the 2014-15 season.
Like Reasoner, Megan Kelly is a first-time honoree while Kari Watson, the 2013-14 state bowler of the year, is making her third appearance. Shannon Pluhowsky is making her fourth appearance on the Ohio All Stars and is the Ohio USBC WBA bowler of the year for the first time. Melissa Van Dyke, of Cleveland, and Emily Westfall, of Akron, round out the honorees.
The All Stars are determined by a point system. Points are awarded for highest game over 275, highest league average (57 games or more) and highest series over 750. Points are also accumulated for all Ohio USBC WBA tournaments as well as the USBC national women’s tournament and the state 600 and 700 club tournaments.
The honor was one Reasoner had not even heard of before she received the notification and one that, at age 45, was especially rewarding.
“It’s nice to know that, no matter how old you are, you can perform at a high level and be recognized for it,” she said.
But, in truth, while the honor was a welcome one, neither it nor her recent tournament wins are the real reason she is back on the lanes.
“I just wanted to get back because I love the game and I missed it.”
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