Coronado boys bowling coach Nicholas Elefantis wasn’t convinced he had a championship-caliber team through the first half of the regular season.

He gained hope midway through the year and became a full believer Friday.

Senior Michael Sims took down six pins in the final frame of the day’s last game and gave the sixth-seeded Cougars a 7-2 (2,382-2,376) victory over No. 3 Shadow Ridge in the 5A state bowling finals at the Orleans Bowling Center.

Following up on last year’s girls title, it was the second consecutive year for Coronado to bring home a crown.

“We lost some seniors after last year,” Elefantis said. “So I actually had doubts until we came back after winter break. We started stringing wins together and bowling together as a team.

“This group dug down deep and found something inside themselves.”

And that success involved knocking off powerhouses Palo Verde and Foothill in the tournament’s first two rounds.

“That’s a tall ask,” Elfantis said.

Sims, captain of the team that included Blake Miller, Yoo Nho Choi and Leo Cappiello, needed only to take down one pin in the 10th after the Mustangs left a pin standing in their half of the frame.

Determined not to put one in the gutter, he took down more than enough pins to seal it.

“Today I just fell back on all the work I had put in,” Sims said. “I knew I could do it no matter what.”

Elefantis said his team got some breaks that contributed to the victory.

“We had a little bit of extra luck today,” he said. “When it comes down to six pins, that’s anybody’s match.”

In 4A competition, Zach Miller, Harry Leppelmeier, Nolan Leppelmeier, Ashton Osbahr and Khalil Kirby teamed to give No. 1L Rancho the state crown with a 9-0 (2,503-2,266) victory over No. 2M Bishop Gorman.

Girls bowling

In the girls 5A title match, top-seeded Shadow Ridge dominated its way to a 9-0 (2,097-1852) victory over No. 3 Desert Oasis.

Jordynn Hernandez, Katrell Cloud-Mixon, Jaiyla Higgins and Tia Breeden took control from the start, quelling their coach’s fears of a fourth consecutive disappointing postseason.

“We’ve been really close the last three years,” Mustangs coach Jeremiah Baron said. “We were up in the finals by 84 pins three years ago, but let it slip sway.”

This time, the team was prepared.

“We talked a lot about how this is a team, and every frame is an opportunity to redeem yourself,” the coach said. “And to know if they miss a shot, just to flush it and move on.”

Baron credited Hernandez for recovering from a rough first round to lead the way Friday.

“She just thought she had to do it all,” Baron said. “We talked, and we got her to relax and just bowl. Today she kicked butt.”

In the 4A championship match, No. 1D Mojave claimed to the title by cruising past No. 2D The Meadows 9-0 (1,837-1,704).

Lindsay Guarano, Mariah McGuigan, Jesenya McGuigan, Sharon Serrano and Chaselynn Carruitero dominated the match from beginning to end for the Rattlers.

Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.