Scouting girls bowling / Rolling Meadows sectional
Rolling Meadows girls bowling sectional outlook
Where: AFM Lanes Rolling Meadows
When: 9 a.m. Saturday
Teams to watch: Schaumburg; Elk Grove; Prospect; Hoffman Estates
Players to watch: Jodi Gawlik, Julie Thomas (Schaumburg); Caerlina Williams, Tedra Tado, Ashley Dolce (Elk Grove), Stephanie Vura, Brianna Carroo (Conant), Liz Saffold (Hoffman Estates), Ashley Cramer (Palatine), Jenny Schmitt (Wheeling).
Outlook: The top two teams from Saturday's sectional will advance to next weekend's state tournament in Rockford; and the big question is, can anyone stop Schaumburg? The Mid-Suburban League champions are loaded again and they'll be looking for a fourth straight state trip behind MSL individual champ Gawlik, a junior, and stellar senior Thomas. Senior Kelly Judge has been bowling extremely well for the Saxons lately as well as evidenced by her high series at last week's MSL championship tourney. Hoffman Estates will be looking for an amazing sixth state trip to Rockford, and they have the talent to make a run behind Saffold and Lisa Papeck. But the main threats to the Saxons will be MSL runners-up Elk Grove and third-place finisher Prospect. The Grens boasted three in the MSL's top 10 (junior Williams and sophomores Tado and Dolce) and fell just 3 points short of an MSL title. Prospect has come on strong in the latter stages of the season behind outstanding performances from Whitney Schmidt, Holly Fields, Allison Walsh and Rachel Oehlert. All 12 Mid-Suburban League teams will compete at Rolling Meadows, so expect some tremendous individual performances, especially from the likes of Vura, Caroo, Schmitt, Cramer, Katia Smith of Meadows, and Molly Jackson of Buffalo Grove. The Bison have an upset shot to advance as a team, as do the Mustangs, Wheeling, Conant and Palatine. Chicago's St. Scholastica Academy, Deerfield, Evanston, Loyola, Regina Dominican and New Trier round out the field.
What they're saying
"Schaumburg and Elk Grove have consistently outperformed the rest of the teams this year, and if they bowl up to their potential, the rest of us have little chance of qualifying. But this sectional meet is unlike any other, with pressures that are more intense than any other Saturday. And if those two teams struggle under that intense pressure, then several other teams have a real chance. It will depend on which team can stay patient and focused enough to stay close to the Saxons and Grens, and then take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself." - Prospect coach Greg Troyer.