It could be considered a big deal that Samantha Santoro won the state bowling championship March 3.

Not surprisingly, the big event evoked some butterflies leading up to the tournament. And she was duly excited after winning.

But if the 17-year-old Cocalico junior has her way, the state girls title is only the tip of the iceberg.

"Down the line after college, I want to become a professional bowler," said Santoro, who carried a 212 average during the Lancaster-Lebanon League season. "I hope to keep taking my average higher and higher."

That's bad news for the rest of the bowlers in the L-L next year, as well as the state. Santoro already has the state title and a runner-up finish (last year) in the state tournament, and she's also got her sights on next year.

"Last year, I started in fifth (after the first six qualifying games). That took some pretty good work to get to the top," she said. "I was determined to get higher this year. ... Hopefully next year I'll get into first."

A repeat performance would certainly keep her on track to a professional career, but she's expecting to stop in between at college. She's already looking at top bowling schools Arkansas, Nebraska and Wichita State. She's leaning toward business management and accounting, or early childhood education as possible majors.

At the state tournament, her first goal was to reach the stepladder finals, which she did by averaging 223 during the six qualifying games. From her No. 3 spot, she defeated Amber Oswald of Exeter 196-180 and Kayla Stamm of Gov. Mifflin 192-157 before coasting in the final.

"I kind of knew about the seventh frame" that she was going to win the title, she said.

"The previous games, I wasn't carrying corner pins. Then I finally got the corner pins to kick out. ... I had to adjust where I was standing and where I was putting the ball to get them to kick out."

She also drew some added incentive from a friend, Lisa Bowman, who died in an automobile accident in November.

"I wanted to do it for her, and also for myself," said Santoro, "because if she was still alive, she would have wanted me to do it and would have been encouraging me on."

So where did her track to bowling prowess begin? Not surprisingly, at a young — very young — age.

"I started bowling when I was 3," said Santoro, noting a long line of bowlers in her family, including her mom and dad, Nick and Marci.

After a time, she faced a decision between soccer and bowling, and she went with the one she was best at. It appears to be a wise decision.

Obviously, Santoro puts in plenty of time on the game. She bowls in a junior league and a traveling league, and is in a tournament almost every weekend. In July, she'll got to the Junior Olympic Gold event in Buffalo and try to get a spot on Team USA.

That could lead to competition worldwide and exposure to the best bowling coaches and teachers.

All of which should keep her on track to her main goal — and likely make her state crown pale in comparison.