By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Mirena Combs
Newport senior Mirena Combs put her name in the record books by winning the girls singles title at the state high school bowling tournament on Thursday in Louisville.
Combs became the first Northern Kentucky girl to win a state championship trophy in bowling and the first Newport athlete to win a state title in an unclassified sport in more than 30 years.
Simon Kenton senior Jonathan Cummins won the boys singles championship on Thursday. This is also the first time that Northern Kentucky bowlers have swept the top individual awards in the eight-year history of the state tournament.
In the girls qualifying rounds, Combs posted a five-game total of 996 to earn the final spot in the championship bracket. She won two games to advance to the championship final and then edged top-seeded Emma Owens of Ballard, 220-213, to claim the title.
Jonathan Cummins
Cooper sophomore Ranell Ulanday placed third in girls singles. She lost to Combs, 257-192, in the second game of the championship bracket. Crystal Williams of Ryle was state runner-up in the adapted bracket.
Cummins earned the top-seed in the boys championship bracket with a five-game total of 1,179 in the qualifying rounds. He got past third-seeded Austin Tungate of Taylor County, 178-175, in the title game.
Cummins is the first Simon Kenton bowler to win a state singles title. Last year, he missed qualifying for the championship bracket by 10 pins and Highlands senior Andy Campbell ended up taking the first-place trophy.
The state bowling tournament will conclude on Friday with team competition at Executive Strike & Spare in Louisville. Simon Kenton boys won the area’s only team title in 2013 and the Pioneers were state runner-up last year.
