CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Area teams made an impression at the OHSAA state bowling tournament last season.

Green entered the tournament as the top seed but finished fifth while Amherst and Mentor finished ninth and 12th, respectively. In Division II, no area team qualified for state. Hamilton captured the Division I crown while Triway won the Division II title.

Those early endings will spark even more motivation to reach Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl this year. Here’s a look at some of the top teams to watch in Northeast Ohio.

Amherst

Amherst’s Makayla Velasquez went out with a bang, winning the state individual title while also earning Division I first-team All-Ohio honors. After winning their third straight Southwestern Conference title, the Comets missed the final cut by four pins, finishing ninth in the state tournament. They will return all but one bowler as they look to build off their solid season.

Junior Allison Taylor will lead the way for an experienced bunch that includes Hannah Aschenbach and Sabrina Stawicki. The mechanics are there, and so is the competitiveness. Sharpening their abilities on key frames could be the difference this time around.

“I think the biggest thing is getting all the girls together to work as one, to get them all to be on the same page and to build off of last year,” Amherst coach Steven Taylor said. “Now to know that you can make it, to get that experience to come together, so next year is this year and we are ready to go.”

Green

Green will look to return to state and reclaim its top seed from last year. It will field a full 11-bowler roster with depth all over. In addition to rising sophomore Natalie Noirot, the Bulldogs tout a powerful trio with junior Elena Hughes, senior Marissa Perrine and sophomore Madison Perrine all returning from last year’s state run.

“Each girl has taken turns kind of being the leader for the team, which is really nice to see,” first-year coach Eydie Snowberger said. “We have spent some time working on some team building things together and it seems like when one of them is struggling the other can pick up the pieces for the rest of them.”

Crestwood

The Red Devils sent two individual bowlers to state with top 10 finishes last season as Emily Linamen finished fourth (595) while Sydney Coburn tied for 10th (570). Linamen returns for her senior year while Coburn has graduated.

This season is shaping up to be a challenging one with only four bowlers on the roster, including three seniors and junior Brooklyn Horner, who could be the X-factor along with Linamen.

“Brooklynn Horner has made a big jump throughout the last year,” Crestwood assistant coach Jessica French said. “I have seen improvement from her this year. Her and Emily are the two highest bowlers right now.”

A four-girl roster puts a little more pressure on each and every frame, but they are rolling with little expectations. The Red Devils have opened the season with two victories by 500 or more pins.

Mentor

The Cardinals are itching for a chance to return to state after finishing 12th, missing the final cut by 30 pins. They lost three seniors but welcome back six bowlers, including some strong pieces like senior Hailey Simons (All-Ohio honorable mention), junior Heather Walker and junior Giana Amato, who have all been to state the last two years.

With that experience in tow, sharpening those tricky spares could be the difference this time around.

“It’s spare shooting,” Mentor coach Tony Randa said. “When you get down to that level of competition, the patterns that the girls are bowling on, it comes down to your spare shooting. It will push you to the next level. I think the three of them, along with the rest of the team, they are all focused in on that this season.”

Nordonia

A dynamic youthful core led by junior state-qualifier Kolbey Lewin has Nordonia poised to repeat as Suburban League champions this season. Sophomore Grace Bzdafka could be ready for a breakout year while seniors Hailey Witten and Katie Bell will provide steady leadership as the Knights will look to gain confidence in their rising program.

“I think they have the same goal – not to be outdone by the guys,” Nordonia athletic director Rob Eckenrode said. “I think it’s confidence and they have the ability. They are a very quiet group of girls. I don’t think they give themselves enough credit. They are very talented.”