DCA's Thomas, Lipscomb's Hedgepath, Hardin County's Bromley win state bowling titles

Cecil Joyce, Nashville Tennessean
·3 min read

SMYRNA - Donelson Christian Academy junior Connor Thomas is quickly racking up state championships.

Thomas played right guard for the football team that captured the Division II-A state title in December's BlueCross Bowl.

On Wednesday he added championship No. 2 by capturing the TSSAA State Individual Bowling Tournament Division II title at Smyrna Bowling Center, defeating Pope John Paul II's Finn Donnelly 224-150 in the finals.

Boyd-Buchanan's Caleb Kelly finished third.

"It feels amazing," said Thomas, who was the No. 2 seed in the finals. "I think the toughest part (of the finals) was the waiting game. Your mind starts to relax and you start to get tired. I had to do some push ups to get myself warmed up."

Other individual winners included Lipscomb Academy's Jenna Hedgepath (DII girls), Hardin County's Millie Bromley (DI girls) and Hixson's Cameron Compton (DI boys).

After semifinalists bowled six games earlier in the day to determine the six seeds for the finals, the championship round was a step-ladder format, with the No. 6 seed against No. 5 and the winner matched against No. 4, and so on.

As Thomas said, that made the waiting game a little tough on higher seeds. But it also helped dry out some of the lanes, which were very oily to begin the day.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Tennessee Super 25 high school boys basketball rankings: Top 3 remain undefeated

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Tennessee Super 25 high school girls basketball rankings: Some changes in the top 10

"At the beginning, when we bowled our first six games, it was really hard," said Hedgepath, a Vanderbilt signee. She has won the individual title two of the past three years, defeating St. Benedict's Tori Moore 222-168 in her only match of the finals.

"I couldn't get my ball to read whatsoever. This pair actually hooked more, which was way nicer. I could actually get my ball to do something."

Friendship Christian's Landry West finished third.

Hardin County sophomore twins Millie (left) and Macy Bromley faced each other in the TSSAA Division I state individual bowling championship match Wednesday in Smyrna. Millie Bromley won the title 199-188.
Hardin County sophomore twins Millie (left) and Macy Bromley faced each other in the TSSAA Division I state individual bowling championship match Wednesday in Smyrna. Millie Bromley won the title 199-188.

Hardin County has won a multitude of individual and team titles over the past decade, but having two twin sisters bowling against each other in the finals was unique even for a team with the Tigers' history.

Second-seeded Millie Bromley outlasted twin sister Macy, the No. 1 seed, 199-188 in the championship match. It's the second straight year a Hardin County girl won the title, with Kailee Channell winning last season.

"There were a lot of mixed feelings," Millie Bromley said. "We compete a lot ... every time we bowl. It's about 50/50 (on who wins)."

What's even more unique is that Millie is a righty and Macy is left-handed.

"I get the left-handers advantage (jabs) all the time," Macy said.

Stewarts Creek's Bricey Caudill finished third.

Compton, the No. 3 seed, defeated Bartlett sophomore Gavin Robertson, the No. 1 seed, 211-164 in the DI boys title match. Lebanon's Jackson McRae finished third.

The state team tournaments will begin Thursday at 9 a.m. The semifinals (9 a.m.) and finals (1 p.m.) are Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA state bowling: DCA's Thomas adds championship to football title