SR junior rolls his way to a bowling State Championship

Gary Franklin
Sports Editor

In just his second year as sponsor and coach of the newly established South Ripley Raider Bowling Team, Coach Ron Pollard has led team member Marty Porter, a junior at South Ripley, to an elite position at the top - 2010 State Champion Bowler.

"Porter is a most dedicated and hard worker. “I think lately he eats, sleeps and dreams bowling,” Coach Pollard commented with a smile.

State Champion Raider Porter is respected greatly by his peers and the staff at South Ripley High School.

Porter completed his State Bowling Championship Title run on Saturday, February 20 in Anderson at Cooper’s Sport Bowl.

As one of only 18 bowlers statewide qualifying to compete for the championship title, Porter blew his competition away.

In his qualifying opening match at Anderson, Porter captured an opening round of 256, which is quite remarkable since the most you can score in a perfect game is 300. A 300 game requires 12 straight strikes and no pins left standing, for those unfamiliar with bowling.

Porter capped his first round with a remarkable 297 count followed by a 151 set.
His scores seeded him at the top of the stepladder for the championship match by nearly a 100-point margin.

In Porter’s championship bout he rolled for a score of 212, while his competitor could only claim a 143, netting Porter a 71 pin win and the Championship Title.

When asked if there was anything he would specifically like to say, Porter stated, “I want to thank Ron, Rick and RJ Pollard, and my mom and dad.” His parents are Marty Sr. and Nancy Porter of Versailles.

Porter’s State Champion Bowler Title is the first State Title earned in SRHS history.

SUBMITTED PHOTO
Pictured above, 2010 State Champion Bowler, Marty Porter, center, is joined by his mother Nancy and father, Marty Sr., after being awarded the championship plaque at Cooper's Bowl in Anderson on Saturday. Porter lit the field of 18 up, winning by a 71 point margin in his championship match. His state title is a first for any athletic endeavor in the history of South Ripley High School to date.