Three was Savannah Garrett’s favorite number and now it’s her lucky number as well.
When the Huber Heights bowler was considering entering the Southwest Ohio Queens Tournament, the fact that it was the third year for the event was a definite selling point. Add in the fact that she and her mom, Vivian Pierce, and sister, Alyssa Cochran, made a family trio of entrants and Garrett was sold.
“Everything just lined up for me,” she said.
Including winning her first singles tournament title. Garrett, 42, topped Madison Ring for the Southwest Ohio Queens title at Poelking Lanes South on Sept. 27. The event was open to bowlers from nine local associations, including the Greater Dayton USBC.
“I finally have the monkey off my back,” Garrett said.
Huber Heights bowler Savannah Garrett won the 3rd Annual Southwest Ohio Queens Tournament. Contributed.
Contributed.
Making her dream a reality, however, took determination as Garrett made the first cut by just 16 pins — in 12th place, with only the top 14 advancing after four games. She knew she had her work cut out for her with the field of talented bowlers.
“Going in, I just wanted to make the first cut, then I’d make my money back,” she said with a smile.
One game later, another cut to the top eight and Garrett had moved up to fourth. A 234 in the next round and she climbed into third.
“I started thinking, ‘I’ve got a chance,’” Garrett said. “There were a lot of big hitters who hadn’t made the cut, I knew I just needed to stay positive and stay focused.”
That mindset paid off with a 246 as she clinched the top spot for the final game of the day — a head-to-head matchup against second-seeded Ring. Garrett took the title with a 203-172 win, averaging 226 for the day.
And while the title and tiara were welcome, it was her cheering section that meant the most to her.
“To win a singles title with my mother there, that meant everything,” Garrett said. “A win in singles, that was my dream and having her and my sister there was amazing.”
The Queens champion also earned a paid entry into the Ohio State Queens Tournament this season.