Northwest preview
Girls bowling state tournament
When: Today and Saturday
Where: Cherry Bowl Lanes,Rockford
Local qualifying teams
Elk Grove: Sarah Bunta (Sr), Jenna Ciesielski (Jr), Micaela Powell (Jr), Sarah Ray (Jr), Caerlina Williams (Jr), Ashley Dolce (So), Dana Ohm (So), Tedra Tado (So).
Schaumburg: Kelly Judge (Sr), Julie Thomas (Sr), Jodi Gawlik (Jr), Cheryl Halas (Jr), Savannah Maiers (Jr), Anna Marshall (Jr), Cheyenne Pfieffer (So), Katie Schoen (So).
">The rest of the field: Antioch, Belleville East, Bremen, Cahokia, Collinsville, DeKalb, Dixon, Downers Grove North, Herrin, Jacobs, Minooka, Morris, Oswego East, Plainfield South, Resurrection, Richards, Rock Island, Rockford Guilford, Rockford Jefferson, Warren, Whitney Young, Willowbrook.
">Area qualifying individuals
Conant: Stephanie Vura (Sr)
Hersey: Carina Balan (Sr)
Leyden: Danielle Trevino (Fr)
Outlook
The Mid-Suburban League brings a teriffic 1-2 punch downstate behind the talents of juniors Gawlik (Schaumburg) and Williams (Elk Grove). Gawlik was best in the MSL this year with an average over 200 (213.77) and was medalist at the Rolling Meadows sectional. Williams was second in overall average in the MSL during the regular season (200.44) and leads a strong Grenadiers squad that rolled a plus 6000 series in winning the Meadows tournament. Grenadiers Tado, Dolce and Bunta all finished in the league's top 15. The Saxons, on their third consecutive trip to the state tourney, will be a force to be reckoned with as well, with senior Thomas (fifth in the MSL) and Judge not far behind. Juniors Ray and Powell have made significant contributions for Elk Grove this year while Halas has scored well for the Saxons all season. The MSL rivals will face some formidable opposition at Rockford even though last year's state champion, Lockport, failed to make it out of sectionals. But Rockford Jefferson is back with a dominant team that includes stellar senior Megan Buja. Oswego East and Plainfield South (fourth in state last season), who ousted the Porters at the Plainfield North sectional, will be tough, as will Collinsville (a third-place finish in 2009.) On the individual side, Vura and Balan boasted strong performances at the RM sectonal to qualify while Trevino moved on from the Whitney Young sectional with an at-large berth. Vernon Hills senior Nicole Sanhamel returns to defend her individual title.
What they're saying
"The girls have been working hard and preparing for this moment all season. They're excited more than nervous - they're performing right now at a very high level, and if we can bowl as well as we did at Saturday's sectional I think we've got a great shot." - Elk Grove coach Kim Sander
"We've got a very young team with not a lot of playoff experience. The key will be how well we can control our emotions and handle the butterflies." - Schaumburg coach Mark Kelly