James Clemens bowlers take a break during the state championships at Oak Mountain Lanes in Pelham. From left on the back row are Daniela Connor, Ashley Jordan, Shaley Smith, Brian Rowe, Travis Ware, Bentley Stirling and Madisyn Bedingfield. In the middle are Bailey Nation, Madalyn McGuire, Luca Connor and Haley Branson and out front is Kyndal Oden. CONTRIBUTED

By MIKE EASTERLING / For the Record

PELHAM – James Clemens, riding the momentum of winning a high school regional bowling championship a week earlier, surged into the finals of the all-classes state championship tournament.

But the Jets, who knocked off county rival Sparkman to win the girls regional in Tuscaloosa, couldn’t hold off the Senators in the biggest pairing of the season and finished as runner-up Jan. 29 at Oak Mountain Lanes.

Sparkman defeated James Clemens 1,488-1,269 in the final match to win the first Alabama High School Athletic Association state tournament since the governing body suspended the girls sport in the late 1970s.

The event, which also featured the first boys state championship won by Spain Park, covered two days. Teams were seeded after the first day and then competed in a single-elimination bracket. Day Two matches each featured a traditional game and five Baker matches.

James Clemens Coach Anthony Pickard also took the Jets boys team to state. They also won the regional championship, but lost in the first round of bracket play at state to Vestavia Hills 1,852-1,543.

In the girls division, James Clemens defeated Thompson 1,377-1,260 in the first round; Mary Montgomery 1,352-1,332 in the quarterfinals; and Etowah 1,471-1,127 in the semifinals.

Sparkman advanced with wins over McGill-Toolen 1,548-1,097; Hewitt-Trussville 1,511-1,238; and Scottsboro 1,558-1,482.

In the tradition game in each round, including the final, the Senators were led by Beth Fowler (243), Nicole Gilbert (211), Beth Fowler (201) and Briana Foshee (218).