After months of preparation, Lincoln County High School bowler Dawson Hodge was looking to strike it big at the 2018 KHSAA State Bowling Championships.

While Hodge didn’t grab the top prize of the state individual title, he did find himself near the head of the field of competitors. Among a field of 32 top bowlers from around the state, Hodge put forth his best effort on the lanes of Executive Strike & Spare in Louisville, rolling a three-game total of 549 to place him 10th overall.

Hodge, who bowled a six-game total of 933 in the Region 8 Bowling Championships to earn himself the runner-up medal and a berth in the state tourney, didn’t get off to a strong start at state, bowling a 135 in his first game. He rebounded in a big way in game two, however, scoring a 246. The 246 would be his high in the tournament. Hodge bowled a 168 in his third game to give him a total of 549 and end his state tourney play. A score of 578 proved to be the cutoff score to make the semifinals.

Hodge did score a victory when it came to his performance against the other three Region 8 players advancing to state as he outscored each one. Chip Carter of Boyle County, who won the region individual title, finished 14th at state with a score of 534, Devyn Wafford of Jessamine County, who was third at regionals, placed 30th overall with a 446, and Daelyn White of Madison Central, who placed fourth at regions, came in 31st with a 445.

Andy Campbell of Highlands won the boys state title with a six-game score of 1107. Jacob Rowan of duPont Manual bowled a 1023 to finish second, Braden Fowler of South Warren was third with a 1013 and Tanner Goodman claimed the fourth-place spot with a 1010.

Hodge led the Lincoln County Patriot bowling team to a seventh-place finish out of 16 teams in the Region 8 Bowling Championships at Galaxy Bowling Center in Richmond. Boyle County won the team title followed by West Jessamine in second place, Corbin in third, Fleming County, fourth, and Montgomery County, fifth.

Placing 18th overall individually out of 60 bowlers was Lincoln’s Austin Cole, who finished with a three-game score of 505. William Taylor II bowled a 433 to place 36th, and Dylan Williams came in 53rd with a 350.

The Lady Patriot bowlers would top their male teammates at regionals, placing sixth out of 16 teams. However, they did have a lower team score, with a final total of 744.

Faith Godby led the Lincoln girls, placing 18th out of 57 bowlers with a three-game score of 423 and Mackenzie Sierra finished close behind her with a 413 to place 20th. Jaylynn Busher scored a total of 403 to finish 25th overall and Cassidy Goetz scored a 388 to place 28th.

Corbin won the girls team title, Fleming County was runner-up, East Jessamine finished third, Boyle County was fourth and West Jessamine placed fifth.

The girls individual title at region went to Morgan Napier of Fleming County and Madison Roberts of Madison Central was the runner-up.