Girls bowling: Schaumburg, Hoffman lead MSL's big day
Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates are in the hunt for a title after Day 1 of the girls bowling state championship meet in Rockford.
The Saxons finished day with a 6-game pinfall of 5,955, just behind leader Machesney Park Harlem.
The Hawks are third, only 58 pins back of the Saxons.
Both Schaumburg and Hoffman are chasing their second state victory. The Saxons were champs in 2004, while the Hawks won it all in 2006.
"The girls were excited," said Hoffman coach Dan Pfligler. "They were glad to be here and glad to be a part of it.
"It was kind of an up and down day. We missed some spares we usually make, but we countered that by stringing some strikes together and that balanced everything out."
On the individual side, junior Kylie Frick of Schaumburg is the leader, starting her third consecutive state finals at Cherry Bowl Lanes in exemplary fashion.
Her series of 1,346 - including games of 266, 237 and 235 - boosted her to first place overall, 2 pins ahead of Abby Gray from Belleville East.
Friday turned out to be a stellar day for many Mid-Suburban League competitors. At the lunch break after 3 games were in the books, the MSL had four bowlers in the top 10 overall - Alexis Orwat of Hoffman was in second, Frick was fourth at the turn, Gina Lenoci of the Saxons stood in ninth place and Lily Meck of Schaumburg 10th.
After the dust had settled and the 6 games had been completed, Orwat found herself in third place individually.
Games of 269 and 241 and a total series of 1,310 leaves Orwat only 36 pins behind Frick.
"Alexis thrives on competition," said Pfligler of the junior. "She loves the big invites and the big meets."
Sophomore Rebecca Howard of Buffalo Grove rolled a top game of 212 at Cherry Bowl while another sophomore, Conant's Elizabeth White, fired a 218 in Game 1.
For the Saxons, junior Lenoci shot a 268 game (1,206 series); teammate Meck had a high game of 257; while freshman Haylie Frick excelled by shooting 3 games over 200 in the afternoon, including a 224 fifth game.
Hoffman's success was assisted by junior Emilie St. Clair (1,229, 238 top game) and senior Allura Magsino (1,208, 245).
Barrington junior Jenica Baron finished with the best game of day in the field by rolling a 276 in Game 3. Baron also shot a 239 in Game 6, and the effort saw her advance to Saturday's final round of competition.
"She's been rolling the ball really well," said Fillies coach Dan Giesey. "It's exciting that she gets to bowl again (in the Saturday session.) Her first 2 games today were not that good but she recovered to bowl that 276, and that's a character thing. That just shows how special she is."
Baron's first 2 games were 163-137, but she pulled out all the stops in Game 3 to make her mark at state.
"I knew I needed to make a change before it was too late," said the junior. "I switched balls and I knew at that point I had to buckle down. I was frustrated and actually it was kind of anger that fueled me. I had to make each shot count."
Baron also shot the stellar Game 6, the 239, shaking off the fatigue that sometimes affects the competitors on the final game of a 6-game series.
The 239 was the third-best final game of the day in the meet.
"My first two games in the afternoon were also not good," added Baron, "so I felt like I had to dig myself out of a hole.
"This is so exciting. I didn't think I was going to make the cut out of sectionals and I made it, and I wasn't sure I was going to make it out of the first day here and I made it. I'm super grateful - I'm a little nervous (to be bowling on Day 2) but I'm more excited than nervous."