Waubonsie Valley ready for prime time

Waubonsie Valley girls bowling coach Marty Miller has the Warriors right where he wants them: Peaking at the right time.

Entering this weekend's state finals at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford, the quintet of seniors Angelica Hernandez, Serenity Quinteros and Mirica Yancey, junior Natalie Cura and sophomore Katelyn Orisek come off regional and sectional victories.

Returning from last year's fifth-place team, Yancey's score of 1,384 won the Metea Valley regional; Quinteros won the Oak Lawn sectional at 1,341.

Winning 17 of 22 competitions this season, including the Rockford Jefferson Invite at The Cherry Bowl, Waubonsie looks to compete with fellow sectional winners Lockport, Machesny Park Harlem and Herrin. Usual suspects Hoffman Estates, Oswego, O'Fallon, Salem and Freeport are among the 24 qualifying teams, as is York with senior Jessica Cwik, who two years ago went downstate as an individual.

Individual bowlers include Willowbrook senior Jordan Tiberi, West Chicago junior Kelly Lynch, Lake Park freshman Emily Tornabene and Downers Grove North senior Sophie Ottley and junior Katherine Hutto.

"You're just banking on the fact that all the work is done, all the drills are done, that your team is going to be able to implement those things. That's what we're counting on," said Miller, who has served as a private coach to each of the last four state champions, including the Warriors' own Julia Bond, now in her junior season at Nebraska.

"The girls have certainly matured during the season, I'm seeing good things from them. The thing I like to say is practice and competition are starting to meet. That's what you want," Miller said.

The father of former Waubonsie Valley basketball star Matt Miller, Marty Miller has led the bowling team to trophies four of the last five seasons with state titles in 2013 and 2014. Each of his three seniors is being recruited by colleges, including St. Francis in Joliet, North Carolina A & T, Lindenwood, Valparaiso and Jackson State.

"I've seen improvements all along, all season, but now they're starting to come together, starting to stay focused, starting to make shots," Miller said. "So they're peaking at the right time."

Tips by Jack

Not that the Waubonsie Valley girls need tips, but Lake Park senior Jack Bedtke could supply them.

On the Lancers team that finished seventh in the boys bowling state finals Jan. 27-28 at St. Clair Bowl in O'Fallon, Bedtke persevered through a do-or-die moment.

On Day 1 he averaged 222.2 pins over the six games to enter Day 2 in 16th place individually.

"I knew I had a chance of making all-state," he said, meaning a top-12 finish.

Sailing along with a 217.7 average during Saturday's three-game morning session, after the break he crashed with a 176 in his first game, falling to 22nd place.

His team was there for support.

"The big thing for me was my coach, Greg Edwards, he said, 'Don't give up. Give out.' Don't give up just because something's harder, give out more energy to try to achieve what you want," Bedtke said.

The senior responded with a 236, then a 256 in the finale, his best score of the tournament, to finish 10th.

Numbers and grit like that have landed Bedtke an invitation to practice this weekend with the bowlers at Lindenwood University, one of the nation's top men's club teams. Unlike women, men's bowling is not an NCAA sport.

Another tip: pick up what you can.

"I was consistent throughout the tournament," Bedtke said. "I relied on my sparing, which kept all my games over 200 for the most part."

That's sportsmanship

Feb. 9 was senior night for Waubonsie Valley girls basketball. The Warriors hosted Wheaton North, which a few days earlier had clinched the DuPage Valley Conference title.

Waubonsie Valley coach David Owles, at the microphone, congratulated the Falcons on that accomplishment, and after announcing his own seniors and presenting them with flowers, he did the same for Wheaton North seniors Bella Mullaney and Addy Lorentsen.

On Feb. 10 South Elgin's boys basketball team visited Wheaton Academy on the Warriors' senior night. Wheaton Academy also recognized the South Elgin seniors, but what was really special was an arrangement between Wheaton Academy coach David Osborn and South Elgin's Brett Johnson.

Wheaton Academy senior Tommy Blum had torn an ACL right before tryouts in November, but remained with the team in practices and games, home and away. Finally, he was cleared to at least suit up and take the court last Friday.

Announced last, Blum joined the Warriors' starting five. As Osborn and Johnson had agreed upon, Blum took fellow senior Jameson Teuscher's pass near the hoop and scored his first and only basket of the season. Blum returned to the bench, enveloped by hugs and applause.

"Seeing it come to fruition, to be out there with his teammates one last time was fun to watch," Osborn said. "It was a blast."

On to Halas Hall

IC Catholic Prep two-way lineman Jimmy Kenneally and Hinsdale Central quarterback Josh Bean earned National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Awards by the NFF Chicago Metro Chapter, and will be honored Monday at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. That comes with a trophy and a $4,000 college tuition scholarship.

Knights coach Bill Krefft needed 32 bullet points to detail Kenneally's qualifications, from a program-record 33 sacks to No. 1 class standing to editing the school newspaper and volunteering at church. Kenneally will attend the Naval Academy, having been nominated by Sen. Dick Durbin and former Sen. Mark Kirk.

"I'm kind of in the middle right now between (playing for) their varsity team and their spring football team, which is under 180 pounds," said Kenneally, a huge part of IC Catholic's Class 3A championship team.

Bean will play football and put that tuition check to good use at Columbia. The all-state quarterback and National Honor Society student has volunteered as a middle school basketball coach in the Jodie Harrison Basketball League at The Community House in Hinsdale, among other charitable pursuits.

"I really like helping the kids and it also made me realize I want to get into coaching in the future," Bean said.

doberhelman@dailyherald.com