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Record-setting Stevenson takes first tournament title

Stevenson has been on a roll.

And not just in football and basketball.

The Patriots' boys bowling team captured its first tournament championship in school history Saturday, setting a school record for six games.

The Patriots have been one of the strongest teams in the Northern Illinois Boys Bowling Conference through the first few weeks of the season. They kept their rapid pace in Vernon Hills' 24-team invite, overtaking highly rated Rockton Hononegah in the last two games.

Stevenson nearly posted a school record with a final game of 1,199. Individual champion Richy Zenner rolled out nine straight strikes for a 270, as the Patriots roared past Hononegah 6,278-6,204 at Brunswick Zone Vernon Hills. Former champion Andrew was a distant third with 5,990.

"In the last game everything fell together," Stevenson coach Barry Lapping said. "We just kept going and rode the wave. We've been bowling great all year. We've won every match by over 200 pins. It's the first time we've put it together in a tournament."

The Patriots rolled the 1,199 in their final game. Hononegah had a 952 that turned around a 179 pin deficit. Stevenson had trailed Hononegah by 286 pins going into game five, which the Patriots won 1,037 to 924.

Individually, Stevenson picked up the top two spots in the overall standings. Both bowlers are sophomore left-handers. Zenner posted a 1,393 and rolled every game over 200, while Zach Singer tossed a 1,328 with a high game of 256.

"I'm just excited because I've never won a high school tournament before," Zenner said. "I think it all comes from the practices. In the last game (270), I tried to be focused as much as possible to put up a big score. We were pushing each other to see what would happen at the end."

Being first wasn't the main objective of Zenner, whose focus was ton the team.

"That was a big thing to me," Zenner said. "I really didn't care about medaling. I'd rather see us take first. That's a big thing to me."

Stevenson's Matt Poetker finished in the sixth spot, as she shot a 1,274 with high games of 246 and 247. The Patriots also received contributions from Eddie Mendrala (961 for five games), Josh Singer (903, five games), Ted Tapas 251 (one game) and Michael Aranyi (168).

Zach Niemann of Lake Park finished fourth with 1,283, and Lake Zurich's Ben Madura knocked down the ninth spot with 1,243.

"Not bad. I expected to be Top 10," Madura said. "It's the highest that I finished in this tournament. I was trying to throw the same shot more than once and do it as much as possible."

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