Shipley, Rogers ousted in state semifinals round
Rhea County’s Golden Eagles sent a trio to Smyrna Bowling Center in Smyrna, Tenn. on Thursday for the 2018 TSSAA individual state bowling tournament. Representing RCHS were Millie Shadden, a senior, along with Baylee Shipley and Phillip Rogers.
Rhea County was unable to send a player to the finals round but they gave a very respectable effort during the annual post-season tournament. Fifth-year Rhea County High School head bowling coach Steven Williams said he was pleased with how his trio performed in a high-pressure situation. “We couldn’t be more happy with the way Rhea County was represented at the state tournament today,” he said.
Shadden, a two-time state qualifier, just narrowly missed the top-24 cut in the quarterfinals falling short by only nine total pins for 30th place overall. She shot a 624 total but needed 635 to advance to the semifinals. The near miss marks the end of her prep bowling career as a Lady Eagle.
“Millie has been a huge part of our programs success the last few years and it will be very hard to fill her shoes. I believe that she will be our first Rhea County bowler to sign to compete at the next level,” Williams said.
Junior standout Baylee Shipley posted a 10th place finish in the quarterfinals with a 183.3 average to lock in her spot in the semifinals. However, she didn’t quite have the mustard to move to the final round. She eventually settled for 11th place, just five spots out from the top six slot she needed to advance to the championship. This was her third trip the state tourney and she’ll be looking to make it four straight as a senior next fall.
Shipley is the first Rhea County bowler to have a perfect head to head record for the year at 33-0. She also is the first female bowler for RCHS to average over 190.
“Baylee just didn’t get many breaks today and came up a little short. She is a just a tremendous competitor and will no doubt make a run next year for the individual title,” Williams said.
Phillip Rogers—a sophomore and younger brother of Golden Eagle senior bowler, Timothy Rogers—has stepped up in a major way this season for Rhea and produced another impressive outing.
He earned the top spot heading into the semifinals after he secured an 884 through his first four games for a 221.0 average. However, when the pressure was intensified in the semifinals, he couldn’t quite withstand the final push for the top six and gave Rhea another near miss at seventh place overall. He missed the championship round cut by just 13 pins and ending with a 203.3 average.
“Phillip Rogers lead the field of 54 bowlers with a 221 average today and he has matured over the last year to become one of the best in the state of Tennessee,” coach Williams said.
“He struggled a little in the semifinal round and just missed the final six cut, finishing seventh overall. We are very proud of how he competed today and can’t wait to see what the next two years will hold for him.”
The sophomore is the first-ever Rhea County bowler to average 200 for the year, bowl a 700 series and also lead a state tournament through the qualifying round.
“I’m very excited to have Baylee for one more year and Phillip for two. They are every coach’s dream to have on their teams. The work ethic they both have can’t be duplicated and the reason they are so successful on the lanes is not just the work they put into it, but the kind of student athlete they have become. They are the total package. If they continue to stay on the pace they have set both, will become the first male and female Rhea County bowlers to be 4 time state qualifiers and will be legitimate threats for individual state bowling titles,” Williams said.
Overall as a team the Lady Eagles ended the season with a record of 9-6, 4-6 in district play and the Golden Eagles notched a 9-6 overall record including a 8-3 mark in the district.
This was only the second time in the bowling programs fifth year of existence that neither side was able to make the region tournament after both teams captured district titles last season.
Said Coach Williams of the team’s early post-season exit in the district tournament held Jan. 4 in Dayton: “It is not how we wanted to finish things off but we’ll definitely looking forward to next season as far as our young talent that will be returning so that’s promising. They’ve learned a lot this year and with the addition of some rising freshmen we have coming in, we should be in good shape.”
