The East Limestone Indians boys' bowling team celebrates after winning the Indians' first AHSAA State Bowling Championship.

PELHAM – The East Limestone High School boys’ bowling team were red-hot throughout the competition Thursday afternoon on the way to the Indians’ first AHSAA State Bowling Championship.

Since high school bowling became a championship sport in the 2015-16 season, the East Limestone boys have made it to the AHSAA State Championships for six consecutive years, including finishing runner-up to Vestavia Hills in 2019.

East Limestone, coached by Jennifer Turner and Mark Ferris, rolled traditional rounds of 883 in the quarterfinal win over Marbury, 881 in the East Limestone’s semifinal win over Elberta and a blistering 955 in the championship match to finish with 1,502 pins, 333 more than runner-up Beauregard, which finished at 1,163 at Pelham’s Oak Mountain Lanes. Satsuma beat Corner to win the 1A/5A girls’ state crown earlier Thursday.

Competing in the AHSAA’s newly formed Class 1A/5A division for the first time, the Indians came in with confidence and never let up. The 1,502 total in the finals established the state high for Class 1A/5A in this year’s inaugural tourney. East Limestone had the high game of the regional competition as well, with 1,429 pins versus West Point in the North Regional.

East senior Justin Lewis rolled a 221 game in the finals as East Limestone took an 81-pin lead into the Baker games. Starting slow with a 144 in the quarterfinals, he finished strong with five strikes in a row at one point and finished with a 563 traditional series, the second best series of the day. He also closed the final Baker set with a strike.

East senior Austin Turner, who had a 244 round in the first round, closed out with a 179 and 185 for a 608 series, best of the competition. Bryant Story, a junior, had a 212 in the semis and added a 184 in the finals, while senior captain Ethan Keeton rolled 199 and had series of 555 and 549.

The Indians wasted little time taking control in the Baker games in the finals. East Limestone had 172 and 192 rounds in the first two Baker sets to build a 286-pin lead over Beauregard, coached by Shane Lake, heading into the final Baker game.

Eli Wilson and Nathan Ferguson rolled traditional games of 195 and 188 in the finals to lead the Hornets. Ferguson, a senior, had a 542 series, while Wilson rolled a 532.

Turner and UMS-Wright’s Justin Lieber each rolled a 244 in the quarterfinals to tie for the best single game.

The Class 1A/5A division was added this year for boys and girls, thanks to the enormous growth of the sport since the AHSAA started the team championship program in 2016 with all schools competing in one boys’ division and one girls’ division.

CLASS 1A/5A BOYS

QUARTERFINALS

UMS-Wright 1,343, American Christian 1,217

Beauregard 1,250, Corner 1,078

Elberta 1,190, West Point 1,074

East Limestone 1,381, Marbury 1,118

SEMIFINALS

Beauregard 1,277, UMS-Wright 1,151

East Limestone 1,328, Elberta 950

FINALS

East Limestone 1,502, Beauregard 1,163

TEAM LEADERS

Quarterfinals

(Baker Game)

East Limestone 1,381

UMS-Wright 1,343

American Christian 1,217

(Traditional Round)

East Limestone 883

UMS-Wright 855

American Christian 783

(Baker Single Game)

East Limestone 202 (Game 1)

East Limestone 156 (Game 2)

UMS-Wright 193(Game 3)

Semifinals

(Baker Game)

East Limestone 1,328

Beauregard 1,277

UMS-Wright 1,151

(Traditional Round)

East Limestone 881

Beauregard 847

UMS-Wright 738

Elberta 591

(Baker Single Game)

East Limestone 153 (Game 1)

East Limestone 149 (Game 2)

Beauregard 160 (Game 3)

Finals

(Baker Game)

East Limestone 1,502

Beauregard 1,163

(Traditional Round)

East Limestone 955

Beauregard 774

(Baker Single Game)

East Limestone 172 (Game 1)

East Limestone 192 (Game 2)

Beauregard 183 (Game 3)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (Traditional Game)

Quarterfinals

Justin Lieber, UMS-Wright 244

Austin Turner, East Limestone 244

Kevin Vance, West Point 193

Copeland Bryant, Elberta 193

Ethan Keeton, East Limestone 191

Semifinals

Bryant Story, East Limestone 212

Justin Lewis, East Limestone 198

Eli Wilson, Beauregard 191

Nathan Ferguson, Beauregard 181

Austin Turner, East Limestone 179

Finals

Justin Lewis, East Limestone 221

Ethan Keeton, East Limestone 199

Noah Bishop, Beauregard 195

Nathan Ferguson, Beauregard 188

Austin Turner, East Limestone 185

Bryant Story, East Limestone 184

Best Traditional Series (3 games)

Austin Turner, East Limestone 608

Justin Lewis, East Limestone 563

Bryant Story, East Limestone 555

Ethan Keeton, East Limestone 549

Nathan Ferguson, Beauregard 542