Hard work pays off for St. Charles North's Sebastian
A mere 2 miles an hour sent St. Charles North's Claire Sebastian from under the radar to on it.
Striding to the lane and throwing the bowling ball with even the slightest bit of added authority, the sophomore is now at Rockford's Cherry Lanes competing as an individual in this weekend's Illinois High School Association girls bowling championship.
"She definitely got much better as the year went on last year," said North Stars girls bowling coach Lindsay Madej. "We saw a lot of promises for Claire last year."
As a freshman, Sebastian knocked down an average of 135 pins a game, Madej said. This season she improved that figure a solid 40 pins to around 175.
A 661 series and high game of 243 on Jan. 6 during St. Charles North's senior night, and Sebastian's first all-conference showing in the Upstate Eight added confidence and momentum entering the Rockford Guilford sectional.
As a team St. Charles North finished well off the pace set by state-qualifying teams Belvidere North, Freeport, Rockford Guilford and Sycamore, Sebastian's 1,287 score - including personal bests of a 695 three-game series with a game of 266 - punched her downstate ticket as the sectional's second-highest scorer.
Along with 24 qualifying teams, Sebastian is among 90 individuals entering Friday's first round at Cherry Bowl. Teams are pared down to a top-12 for Saturday's finals, and 30 individuals.
"I made it a point to let her know that getting to state does not mean the season's over. It's what you do at state," Madej said. "I think a lot of kids are just so excited that they made state that they kind of rest on those laurels and I don't want that to be the case for Claire."
The case for Claire got stronger after the North Stars bowling brain trust of Madej, assistants Ken Buhlman and Brian Kummet and Madej's husband, Ron, noticed her stride to the foul line was a little slow.
Lindsay Madej said there's three ways to get more pop on the pins: faster approach, harder delivery, heavier ball. Sebastian already threw a 14-pound ball - she's strong, a swimmer - so the coaches added a subtle speed boost to her walk-up. The right-hander went from throwing the ball from 10-11 miles an hour to 12-14.
Along with a new, "more reactive" 14-pound ball that navigates the oil on the lane better, Madej said that 2 mph difference "has dramatically changed her game."
On Friday her teammates were approved for a day off from school to support her in Rockford, and parents Bryan and Jennifer Sebastian were taking off work to be there, Madej said. Still only a sophomore, Claire's on a roll.
"I hope that's the case with her," Madej said. "She's continually learning in practice every day and I hope she's in the groove, getting hot here at the end."
The bowling Blackhawks
West Aurora was the sole Tri-Cities area team to qualify for the girls state bowling championship. The Blackhawks last reached Cherry Bowl in 2007, the first year under head coach Tawn Williams.
"We started off kind of slow at the beginning of the season then probably in the last month everybody stepped up their game and they've been performing at top quality," said Williams, whose squad placed third at the Plainfield Central sectional behind Oswego East and two-time defending champion Waubonsie Valley.
"It is very exciting," Williams said. "These girls put their heart and soul into every practice, tournament and match we go to. They come ready to go and they come ready to win."
At Plainfield East junior Sydney Lundell came ready to place. Her 1,296 six-game series finished second at the sectional to Oswego East's Abby Ragsdale, whose 1,434 score led all bowlers out of sectionals.
"She's really improved in the last month and has become a real star bowler," Williams said of Lundell. "It's not just about talent, she can read the lanes. She's got the skill but also has got the knowledge of how to play the lanes, which is not an easy thing to teach."
Other West Aurora lane whisperers include freshman Sammie Reed, sophomores Paytynn Kuhns and Hope Martin, Junior Rachel Maxson and junior twins Jamie and Corey McCreedy.
Jamie McCreedy, who averaged 211 in Upstate Eight Conference matches then finished second overall at the Plainfield North regional, qualified as an individual to the 2014 state meet as a sophomore, She advanced into Saturday's final round and, propelled by an opening game of 268, finished 15th among all individuals.
Williams said a few girls on this year's team watched McCreedy bowl on that Friday and Saturday, which helped motivate them for this season.
Perhaps one of them was her twin, Corey. She was basketball's loss and the bowling team's gain; back problems hindered her on the court but not at the bowling alley, where she assembled West Aurora's second-highest sectional series, 1,188.
Waubonsie Valley captain Violet Kirk is familiar with Jamie McCreedy, Reed and Kuhns and is happy for them.
"I was really excited for their team because I know this is the first year in (nine) years they've made it to state," Kirk said. "I know a couple girls on the team and I think it's really cool because it shows how hard they've also worked."
Though also a young team, Waubonsie has to be considered a favorite simply based on its two straight titles. Lockport and Waubonsie are ranked Nos. 1-2 by Illinois Bowling.net, West Aurora moved from 14th to ninth based on its sectional success.
Williams' goal for her girls is, first, to advance to Saturday's round of 12 teams. And, if successful there, to finish top-three.
"I want them to enjoy the moment but I also want them to focus on what their goal is but not to get caught up in the anxiety," she said. "If they have a bad ball, a bad frame, you've got to move on."
doberhelman@dailyherald.com
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