Trusky's 4th place helps Antioch also take 4th

ROCKFORD - Antioch's aim was right there for a shot at a state trophy.

The Sequoits girls bowling team competed with the state's best teams and never let up - all the way through the 12th and final game of the IHSA state bowling tournament at Cherry Bowl.

The Sequoits ended up in fourth place with a total pinfall of 12,232 - missing the third spot and a trophy by 76 pins to Rockford Guilford's 12,308.

Collinsville won the state championship, setting a state record with 12,450. Rockford Jefferson was the runner-up with 12,316.

"We knew we had to roll (Saturday)," said Sequoits coach Jeff Childress, whose team started the day in third place - 33 pins out of the top spot.

"The girls did it all day. We were fighting to get the pins to carry. You have have to congratulate the first-, second- and third-place teams. They were the ones to get carry that we didn't. We just couldn't get the corner pins to fall."

Jefferson made the biggest move among the top four teams over the last six games, jumping from fourth to second.

The Sequoits set a school mark with their fourth-place finish - the best for a team from Lake County. The Sequoits had a couple of fifth-place finishes in 1994 and 2006.

"It's not like we shot bad scores," Childress said. "We just didn't have enough. I used all eight girls and nobody complained once about it. I thought the girls laid it on the line and poured their hearts out. They fought all year long and fought hard again (Saturday). We would've liked a trophy, but a fourth-place finish was better than any other Antioch team has done before."

Kaitlyn Trusky set a school-best individual finish, taking fourth place with a pinfall of 2,697. Trusky ended up 59 pins behind the top bowler Frannie Steiner of Collinsville, who knocked down 2,756.

Trusky finished strong over her last three games, shooting 246, 225 and 209 for a 680 after throwing a 575 in the three-game morning session.

"I thought I could do it and kept working, working and working," said Trusky, whose goal was a top-10 finish. "It also was a good feeling getting the top five (team) and it was our goal."

The Sequoits' Alyssa Alvarez fired a final game of 279, helping her take the ninth-place medal with 2,640 pins that included series of 686 and 694. Alvarez, who had 11 strikes in her finale, left a wobbling 9-pin in the third frame.

"I knew it was my last game ever in high school and I wanted to finish with a good game," said Alvarez who will bowl at Valparaiso in the fall. "It seems like it happened a lot, I didn't have good carry for the entire tournament. It was a good game and I hoped to get a medal."

Other Sequoits' scorers included Katlyn Bain (26th) 2,456, Samantha Rolph 1,935, Allyson Mathias 1,482, Kelsey Schreiber 537, Stevie Lindberg 331 and Rachel Gebauer 154.

Last year's state champion, Nicole Sanhamel of Vernon Hills, started Saturday in 30th place and moved into a tie for fifth with Emma Plese of Joliet (2,661).

Sanhamel rolled an impressive 739 in the morning with games of 263, 242 and 234. In the afternoon, Sanhamel tossed games of246, 220 and 214 for a 680.

"Deep down I knew I could make it this far," said Sanhamel, who had averaged 120 entering her freshman year - and averaged 221 over the weekend "I've always bowled good on these lanes. All the 700 series I've had except for a couple have come here."

Grant's Brie Brugioni finished 59th with a pinfall of 2,332.

Jacobs' Becca Payne finished 67th with a pinfall of 2,302, She rolled a 565 in the morning and 570 in the afternoon.

"I thought I did better in the afternoon than the morning," said Payne. "I progressed throughout the day. I was a bit more nervous than I thought I would be. (Friday), I had the whole team with me and (Saturday) I just had my coaches. I thought it was a great accomplishment."

Willowbrook's Tammy Priola finished 43rd with 2,403. Priola had a 611 for the first three games and hit 600 over the last three. Her high games were 248 and 236.

"I thought I did really good and beat my goal," said Priola, who wanted to average 200 and hit that mark. "I needed to have confidence and needed to do it mentally. I also had my entire team behind me screaming so loud and it helped."

Rachel Oldham of Downers Grove North rolled a 2,345 series over the two days and ended up 54th. Dayna Mackie of Glenbard East threw a 2,333 for 58th place.