05-03-2025
‘They want this': Boardman girls to defend state title
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) — There isn't much this group of five seniors for Boardman bowling hasn't been a part of as they head to Columbus to defend their state title in the 2025 OHSAA Bowling State Tournament this weekend.
'They want this. They want to do this again for themselves and for the community,' Boardman head coach Justine Cullen said.
Throughout the last four years, Spartans girls bowling has a 51-4 record — including two undefeated seasons, four All-American Conference and Tournament titles, and plenty more.
'We're just going to get through it and hopefully we can repeat it again,' senior Kaitlyn Greenaway said.
'Just going back and maybe doing it one more time, that would be really great, best senior present ever,' senior Marissa Funk said.
Come postseason time, Boardman has three section championships, a district runner-up and district title. Last season, they were able to not only bring home the team title but also the individual state champion in Greenaway.
'It's just incredible, to have the opportunity to really defend your title truly because we only lost one senior,' Cullen said. 'So to be able to defend it with essentially the exact same team that you have, that just doesn't happen in sports very often, and for it to be with this group, this incredibly special, kind, hardworking squad, I mean, it's a gift.'
Along with Greenaway, who most recently claimed the district crown, fellow senior Marissa Funk has formed a dynamic one-two-punch to lead the Spartans.
'There is definitely the pressure of, oh, my gosh, we got to run it back, definitely, but we're all just here to have fun and do what we love together,' Funk said.
Funk joined Greenaway on the District Championship All-Tournament Team on the way to a fourth straight trip to state and a chance to repeat.
'We're all family, so we're all friends, we do it for each other,' Greenaway said. 'So it's definitely like a fun experience, we're ready for it. We know it's our last time, so we might as well make it worth it.'
Along Greenaway and Funk, the team consists of Gabby Vennetti (Senior), Lily Haase (Senior), Emily Leonard (Senior), Jasmine Kortes (Junior) and Kara McCutcheon (Freshman).
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