Antioch’s Scroggin thrives on life in the fast lane

Antioch’s Sammie Scroggin knows how deal with pressure, which certainly helped out Wednesday afternoon as it all came down to the last ball, in the last frame.

Scroggin, a freshman, picked up a 7 pin on her last shot which gave Antioch a 1-pin victory over Wauconda in the final game Wednesday afternoon.

It might seem like a lot for a freshman, but Scroggins isn’t your typical freshman. Her other sport, the one she spends time with when she’s not bowling, is drag racing.

Scroggin posted a 197 in that last game Wednesday as Sequoits won 912-911. Antioch also won the opening game 783-767.

But Wauconda outscored Antioch in the second game 936-823 to win the series 2,604 to 2,518 at 3D Bowl in Island Lake. The Bulldogs took the match points 5-4.

Scroggin rolled 176 and 159 in her other games for a 534 series.

Her drag racing interest brings her to Great Lakes Dragaway in Union Grove, Wis., on Saturdays from March through October.

“I do have the patience for both,” said Scroggin, who averages 185 and has been drag racing for the last five years. “I’ve learned both skills in both sports.

“I’m going 90 mph down an eighth of a mile in a car that weighs about 4 tons more than I do. There’s mental stability and calmness.

“Then there’s mental skill of throwing at the right marks, throwing with the right speed and doing the right things with my hand.”

Cassie Giamarusti led the Sequoits with a 569 series and a 211 high game to lead Katie Smart (499), Katrina Brooks (488) and Amanda Poders (429).

“We need to stay consistent for three games,” Antioch coach Phil Lindberg said. “It’s been a good battle with Wauconda for the last few years. It’s a motivator for us.”

Wauconda won the North Suburban Conference last year and is unbeaten through the opening month of the season. It seems the Bulldogs control their own destiny once again.

“It was a close one here,” Wauconda coach Mindy Lorence said. “They have been doing well. When one is down, another one brings them up.

“This really was for the division title. We still have some teams to face. We’ve seen some better scores this year over last year.”

Melissa Ohms led the Bulldogs with a 601 series and games of 167, 199 and 235. Cyndi Tauber tossed a 540 series followed by Sierra Lincoln (518), Dorina Badino-Berger (511) and Jordan Meland (434).

Wauconda also finished in second place behind Leyden at the Streamwood Invitational last Saturday and had its first game of the season over 1,000 with a 1,030.