By Matt le cren
For the Bugle
www.buglenewspapers.com
The boy’s sectional bowling tournament this past Saturday proved to be a scorefest.
Scores were extremely high, especially in the morning three games and a game of 1,000 dropping you in the standings.
The prime example was Plainfield South, as the Cougars bowled 1,107 and 1,103 in the first two games to position themselves in fifth place, but a 1,002 third game dropped them to ninth.
The pressure was increased in the afternoon session as the teams were vying for a top six finish to qualify for next weekends state finals in O’Fallon.
The top seven individuals, not on a qualifying team, also advanced to O’Fallon.
South’s Christian Knowlton (left) and Central’s Ryan Arens qualified for the state finals. (Photo by Jeff Degraw)
Quite a few teams changed positions in the fourth and fifth games and as it always does in this sport, the final qualifying spots and order of finish were decided in the sixth and final game.
Minooka was the sectional champion with a score of 6,630.
Joliet West entered the final game in eighth place, needing to bowl well and pass two teams.
That is exactly what they did as the Tigers rolled a 1,026 finale and claimed the sixth and final qualifying position.
“I told the team not to panic going into that final game,” Tiger coach Reginald Lee said. “We’ve been in this position before, just make a clean shot and pick up your spares and we will be fine. That is exactly what everyone of our kids did.”
West was led by three juniors as Lucas Pirc finshed 23rd with a 1,301 over six games. He was followed by Kyle Siksta in 26th (1,294) and Julian Ramos in 31st (1,277).
The Tigers are returning to state after finishing in 14th place a year ago, something Lee thinks will help this group a lot,
“Being there last year and gaining all of that experience will really help this time around,” Lee said. “All of these boys now knows what it’s like, the atmosphere, the routine and everything that goes along with the state finals.”
Plainfield South finished eighth, just 30 pins behind West for that final qualifying spot.
The Cougars did have an individual qualifier, as senior Christian Knowlton placed 10th (1,381).
Knowlton is in rare territory as he also qualified and made All-State at this past falls cross country state meet.
He also knows the pain of being so close to qualifying as a team to the finals.
His Cougar cross country team missed by one position in his four years on the team.
“It’s a terrible feeling and we really wanted to go as a team,” Knowlton said. “I really haven’t been bowling my best during the season, but today I just really wanted to help our team make it and I wanted to bowl my best for them. I’m honored to qualify, but it’s bittersweet.”
Fellow senior and teammate Austin Griffith placed 16th (1,331).
“Today was such a roller coaster ride for us,” South coach Brian Zettergren said. “Our goal was an 1,100 game each one and we did that to start. I have never seen so many one pin remainers than we had today. We threw great balls right in the pocket and just couldn’t get that tenth pin to fall. We battled back the last two games, but just fell a little short.
“Christian was determined today to bowl well, I saw it in his face. He rallied the troops and he bowled his best at the right time.”
Plainfield Central also had senior Ryan Arens qualify as an individual with his 13th place (1,350). The Wildcats placed 11th in the team race (5,944).
“This is an amazing feeling,” Arens said. “You come into this sectional and in the back of your mind you’re thinking this may be it, the last time you ever bowl in high school. I wish the team could go, but I was shocked when I heard my name as a qualifier. I’m going to the finals and I just want to bowl well, have fun and experience all of it.”
North placed 12th as a team and were led by the senior trio of JT Hill in 27th (1,288), Tyler Wilmoth in 38th and Nick Miller in 39th.
