Leyden duo has high hopes

Last year, there were a lot of nonbelievers.

Not many thought the youthful Leyden girls bowling team would be even close to making it to the state tournament.

“We were such a young team,” said Eagles junior standout Danielle Trevino. “We had no seniors and everyone was doubting us. They thought we were building for the future. I don’t think anyone realized just how good we could be.”

Very good indeed, as it turned out.

In the 2010-11 season the Eagles, led by Trevino and freshman Reba Hall, won the Fenton sectional and qualified for the trip to the state tourney at Cherry Bowl Lanes in Rockford. They acquitted themselves quite nicely with a 16th-place finish.

This year the Eagles, who won’t be surprising anyone with their talented lineup, look for another solid season and a return to Rockford behind Trevino, Hall and a solid and experienced supporting cast that will include some senior leadership.

Leyden has high hopes of not only another trip to Cherry Bowl Lanes — but also have their sights set on the ultimate goal of a possible state championship.

“We had the great accomplishment of a sectional title last year, and our team should be very good again this year,” said longtime Leyden coach Chris Aylward. “We have everyone back from last season, plus a few more key additions.”

The Leyden squad will include seniors Sara Danek and Nicole Witczak, junior Jeanette Treto, sophomores Nicole Lassin and Erika Pimentel and freshmen Nicole Pitsenbarger and Ashley Kriston.

But it’s Trevino and Hall, who finished 44th and 50th individually at last year’s state meet, who will be the team leaders.

Last year’s trip to Rockford was the second consecutive for Trevino, who qualified individually as a freshman. Trevino flirted with averaging 200 for the season in 2011-12 in a stellar all-around showing.

Hall, who was the state’s top freshman bowler last year, set a school record for pinfall at the Leyden invitational, and won top honors at the sectional tourney in Bensenville with a score of 1,257.

“Reba is an extraordinary bowler,” said Aylward, “as is Danielle. They’ve both got tremendous potential.”

Trevino and Hall took similar paths to becoming outstanding players. Both, encouraged by their parents, participated in youth leagues at an early age — Trevino in the suburbs, and Hall on the North Side of Chicago.

Trevino took a break from the game for a few years but rediscovered her love of the sport in middle school, which had a direct effect on her high school success in her first two seasons.

She started on JV but was called up to varsity midway through her freshman season, where she first got the taste of prep competition at a high level.

“I was struck by how serious everyone was about the game,” said Trevino. “Everyone was so competitive, and just by watching and being around the varsity girls, I became very competitive, too.”

Hall was also able to excel on varsity from the get-go in her first year and the teammates trip to Cherry Bowl last year is etched in their memories.

“So much was going on (at state) last year,” said Trevino. “There were tons of great bowlers there, and we even saw a couple of 300 games early on. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”

“It was a little nerve-racking,” added Hall, “but the great thing was that we had our entire team there, working together.”

Both athletes excel in other sports, such as softball, and in the classroom Trevino — who as a junior will soon be thinking about college — hopes to parlay her experience working in park district youth programs to a possible future career as a special-education teacher.

The teammates and friends will also be working together on the lanes again for greater goals in 2011-12 and they both have similar expectations as to how the upcoming season will unfold.

“We want to win sectionals again,” said Hall, “and do even better than last year at state. Individually, I’d like to finish in the top 20.”

Trevino couldn’t agree more.

“This year we’ve set out to improve our pinfall in tournaments to become even more competitive,” said the junior.

“We want to get back to state and try to win it all.”