CINCINNATI — This weekend, high school bowlers from across Ohio head to Columbus for the state tournament. 

Among them is a junior from Walnut Hills High School, who is the fourth generation in her family hoping to strike success.

What You Need To Know

  • Walnut Hills bowler Nevaeh Williams has qualified for the state tournament for the second time

  • Nevaeh's high game is 299, just one point below a perfect score of 300

  • Nevaeh is competing against the state's other best high school girl bowlers this weekend in Columbus

Nevaeh Williams qualified for the individual competition, with a three-game combined score of 612.   

“I kind of just do my thing, but I'm definitely a little nervous,” Navaeh said.  “Besides that, I think I'm pretty confident, and I think I'm ready.”

She’s making her second trip to State. When she was a freshman, Nevaeh was the first-ever girl from Walnut Hills High School to qualify. That put her in the spotlight at school.

“People mostly are just like, 'Oh, wow, you're the bowler.' But obviously, I don't get as much recognition as, like, football, soccer or lacrosse,” Nevaeh said. “But I kind of prefer not having the attention. I kind of like to just mellow. I'd like to think of myself as pretty humble.”

Nevaeh learned how to bowl from her grandpa, Clarence Williams. He first started working with her when she was 4 years old. He’s still one of her coaches, along with Jimmy Denson, Sr.

“They're both really funny, and I love working with them,” Neveah said. “They really helped me a lot.”

“She's actually from a bowling family,” Williams said. “I started at 5, my father bowled and my mother bowled. We’re actually some of the better bowlers in Cincinnati.”

He uses the same strategy with Neveah that helped him to become a champion.

“I try to keep her at one ball at a time. Don’t worry about the last one or the one before that,” he said. “Don’t get frustrated by one bad ball, and don’t get too overly excited about one good one.”

Nevaeh has had a lot of good ones. Her high game is 299, just one point under a perfect score of 300.  No matter how she does at State, Nevaeh plans to keep bowling.

“I want to bowl in college for one, and I also want to bowl beyond college, maybe the PWBA, which is the Professional Women's Bowling Association,” Nevaeh said. “I want to bowl for as long as I possibly have. It's a really fun sport, and I want to make friends.”

Even though she’s excited to compete at State, she plans to just enjoy the ride.

“I don't want to go in with this mentality. I got to win. I got to come in first, but I don't really care where I come. I just want to have fun always,” she said. “That’s my goal.”

Having fun, with her grandpa in her corner.

“She just picks up where I left off,” Williams said. “Her great-grandfather and grandmother are so proud of her. Just can’t say how much.”