Girls bowling: Scouting Lake County
Antioch
Coach: Phil Lindberg (second year)
Lanes: Antioch Lanes, Antioch
Top bowlers lost: Sarah Gagnon, Bianca Gallery, Samantha Hall, Brittany Hansen, Stevie Lindberg, Kelsey Schreiber
Top returning bowlers: Amanda Poders (Sr.), Katie Smart (Sr.), Cassie Giamarusti (Jr.), Kelsey Maldonado (Jr.)
Newcomers: Katarina Brooks (Jr.), Samantha Scroggin (Fr.), Erin Koch (Fr.)
Outlook: Antioch has made four straight state appearances and had a fourth-place finish just a few years ago. Can the Sequoits make another trip this year? Don’t count them out, even though they have to replace six seniors. “I’m seeing some really good things with these girls’ bowling abilities,” coach Phil Lindberg said. “I think we’ll surprise a lot of teams. I believe we can bowl with anybody in the conference. We’re definitely going to be an improved team. How much? I’m not sure, but we’re going to give it everything we have out there.”
Grant
Coach: Beth Miller (sixth year)
Lanes: Lakes Bowl, Round Lake
Top bowlers lost: Jessica Catinella
Top returning bowlers: Vanessa Foreman (Sr.) Sami Jo Zak (Sr.), Karly Lakowski (Sr.), Jenelle Nikolai (Sr.), Dani von Helms (Sr.)
Newcomers: Rachel Defabio (Sr.), Amanda Mastro (So.)
Outlook: Grant returns a veteran team and could be a dark horse. “We expect a lot of success on the lanes this season,” coach Beth Miller said. “This group of girls has the skill to post good scores and the determination to put in the necessary hard work to achieve their goals. Ideally, we’d like to see a few Bulldogs representing the NSC at the state tournament in February.”
Grayslake Central
Coach: Dianna Soenksen
Lanes: Brunswick Zone Vernon Hills
Top bowlers lost: Kelly Lewis, Ashley Newman (Campbellsville) Megan Wurzbach
Top returning bowlers: Katie Adkin (Sr.), Sarah Pols (So.), Josie Taylor, Sarah Polsgrove (So.)
Newcomers: Lauren Kirby (Sr.), Allison Gately (Jr.), Sydney Chamberlain (Fr.)
Outlook: The Rams could make some noise this season. “I’m excited to have so many returning bowlers this year,” coach Dianna Soenksen said. “It will be great to see the improvement that the girls have made in the off-season. We look forward to seeing continued growth in the team’s ability and success this season.”
Grayslake North
Coach: Laura Bertermann (fifth year)
Lanes: Lakes Bowl, Round Lake
Top bowlers lost: Lauren Corda, Melanie Martinez
Top returning bowlers: Catherine Kowalski (Sr.), Madi Bertermann (Jr.), Sarah Littleton (So.)
Newcomers: Jessica Vaughn (Fr.)
Outlook: Grayslake North’s bowling program continues to grow each year. Coach Laura Bertermann enters her 20th year and fifth for the Knights with an improving group. “I expect my bowlers to continue to work hard and improve as the season progresses,” Bertermann said. “I believe we have the talent to get at least an individual to the state tournament, if not the team, if we progress the way I expect.”
Lake Zurich
Coach: Mel Fox (seventh year)
Lanes: Brunswick Zone Deer Park
Top returning bowlers: Caitlin O’Donovan (Sr.) Stephanie Klein (Sr.), Erin Kyrk (Sr.), Dani Sikorski (Sr.), Anne Mattera (So.)
Newcomers: Alexis Waul (So.)
Outlook: Lake Zurich returns numbers — and skill. “There is a lot of talent on this team,” coach Mel Fox said. “We want the girls to work together and support each other so that we are competitive in each and every match and tournament this season.”
Lakes
Coach: Melissa Cross (seventh year)
Lanes: Antioch Lanes, Antioch
Top bowlers lost: Sarah Ende
Top returning bowlers: Samantha Potter (Sr.), Angel Boyd (Jr.), Tatiana Kuhn (Jr.)
Newcomers: Taylor Dishinger (Jr.), Stephenie Schaffer (Fr.)
Outlook: Lakes has been competitive in recent years, and the Eagles should continue doing that this winter. “We’re looking for a competitive team to dig deep within themselves to push through and bowl the best game they can in each match,” Melissa Cross said. “We’re always looking for them to follow the Eagle Way: Respect + Courtesy = Pride.”
Libertyville
Coach: Lindsey Siegel
Lanes: Lakeside Lanes, Mundelein
Top bowlers lost: Kayla Gibbs, Ashley Babetch
Top returning bowlers: Natalie Zeng (Jr.)
Newcomers: Emma Davelis (Fr.)
Outlook: Libertyville will be young. “I’m hoping that the team will bond together, so they may grow into their talent,” coach Lindsey Siegel said. “We have a lot of brand-new bowlers that I hope to teach them to love the game. It’s going to be a building year for us.”
Round Lake
Coach: Rebecca Hoffmann (fifth year)
Lanes: Lakes Bowl, Round Lake
Top bowlers lost: Dena Husk (Sr.)
Top returning bowlers: Julie Galler (Sr)., Felicia Klasak (Sr.), Sarah Milianti (Jr.), Sarah Steele (Jr.), Sierra Brinegar (So.)
Newcomers: Maddie Weir (Fr.)
Outlook: Round Lake would like to build on last year’s success. “We have some experience returning and we’re taking some small steps,” coach Rebecca Hoffmann said. “We’d like to improve on our personal-best scores, move up in the conference standings and hopefully take points at each match.”
Stevenson
Coach: Gina Johnson (16th year)
Lanes: eSkape Lanes, Buffalo Grove
Top bowlers lost: Alexis Hummel
Top returning bowlers: Ashley Wittert (Sr.), Erin Kobler (Sr.), Caitlyn Silver-Sullivan (Sr.), Sam Szura (So.)
Newcomers: Colleen Vandermeulen (So.), Kaitlyn Rudy (Fr.)
Outlook: Senior Ashley Wittert leads a strong group that welcomes some young talent. “Expect us to have a record-setting year,” coach Gina Johnson said. “We would like to have a top-three finish in our division (NSC Lake) and see an individual or our team participate in the state series.”
Vernon Hills
Coach: Andra Dalton (seventh year)
Lanes: Brunswick Zone Hawthorn, Vernon Hills
Top bowlers lost: Taylor Rigwood, Stephanie Wilson, Briana Wolf
Top returning bowlers: Meghan Calderone (Jr.), Kelly Kalsch (Jr.), Rebecca Whalen (Jr.)
Outlook: The Cougars are in rebuilding mode. “We have several brand-new bowlers this year,” coach Andra Dalton said. “I look forward to seeing them progress and develop their game. As always, our ultimate goal is to improve individually, so that we can be successful as a team throughout the season and postseason.”
Warren
Coach: Rick Novak (8th year)
Lanes: Bertrand Lanes, Waukegan
Top bowlers lost: Casey Brown, Kelly Morse, Kelsey Banks, Alexis Haith
Top returning bowlers: Terra Telow (Sr.), Emily Hughes (Jr.)
Newcomers: Ariel Feltman (Jr.), Lizzie Harrison (Jr.), Jamie Bratzke (So.), Ariel Haith (So.)
Outlook: Warren boasts some new talent, including Zion-Benton-transfer Lizzie Johnson. “We should be pretty good this year,” coach Rick Novak said. “I expect us to have ups and downs. We’re looking for experience from everybody. These bowlers have bowled at the lower levels.”
Wauconda
Coach: Mindy Lorence (sixth year)
Lanes: 3-D Bowl, Island Lake
Top bowlers lost: Shannon Franklin (Wisconsin-Whitewater), Rebecca Ledenbach (Kansas), Kristine Micheletti
Top returning bowlers: Dorina Badino-Berger (Sr.), Melissa Ohms (Sr.), Sierra Lincoln (Sr.), Cyndi Teuber (Sr.)
Newcomers: Jordan Meland (So.)
Outlook: Wauconda will defend its North Suburban Conference championship with a group that needs to make up for the graduation of several contributors. “I’m hoping for another successful year,” coach Mindy Lorence said. “The girls have been working hard to maintain averages from last year, and many have already exceeded their averages.”