Girls bowling: Howard sisters lead Buffalo Grove to MSL title

It's a family affair this year for the Buffalo Grove girls bowling team.

Sisters Rebecca, Ally and Nicki Howard have all excelled for the Bison, who rose to the top of the Mid-Suburban League Saturday in an exemplary season-long performance.

BG won the MSL crown at the title meet at Arlington Lanes, and Rebecca Howard, a senior, led the way.

Rebecca Howard won the individual championship with an overall average of 209.103, and BG took the team title with a total score of 185 points, besting second place Hersey (151).

The point totals cover not only the Saturday tourney but also the regular season scores.

"This was our goal," said Rebecca Howard of the victory. "I wasn't sure that we could pull it off, but I knew it was attainable. We just had to keep working hard, and we worked our tails off to get where we are today."

"She (Rebecca) is very motivated," said Ally Howard, a sophomore, of her sister. "Rebecca can persevere through even the toughest times, and she always does her best. It's been so much fun being on the same team as my sisters and we have a very close bond. It's really easy to get along with them."

Haylie Frick of Schaumburg, a junior, helped lead Schaumburg (145.5) to a third-place team finish. Frick finished the year second overall individually with a 205.744 average, and had a top game of 244 Saturday.

"I started a little slow this year," she said, "but I was able to pick it up as the season went along.

"I feel like I'm able to block out the noise and the pressure, the pressure never seems to get to me," added Frick of her season-long success. "It's just so much fun to be on this team and be among a bunch of girls who just love to bowl."

Lyz White of Conant was third in MSL overall average with a 191, and the senior also had the top game in the conference this year, a 279.

"I'm so proud of our team," said White. "The biggest thing this year is that I wanted to go out and have fun with these girls and we've accomplished that. We've grown so close and have done so well together."

White said that when she rolled the 279 - in the latter stages of the season - it went through her mind that a 300 game was within reach.

"I personally thought that I was finally going to bowl that 300," she said, "but I had a 10-pin on the first ball of the 10th frame. That was such an exciting day but the 10th frame - honestly it was kind of sad."

Hersey had three bowlers in the top 11 of MSL average, as Maddie Ritter (179.179) was eighth, Morgan Breden (178) finished in the ninth spot and Lauren Brown (175.692) was 11th.

"There's a lot of senior leadership on this team," said Breden, one of six seniors on the Huskies' squad. "Everyone on our team did a great job, and like our coach (Mark Gunther) says, sameness is greatness. If you can do the same thing over and over again, and do it well, it really helps your game."

"I chalk everything up today to senior leadership," said Gunther. "I like to say that we don't have that superhero bowler but we have a lot of very, very good bowler. For us to hit we've got to have a great team score, and I think there's even more room for us to improve next week at regionals."

Rounding out the Top 10 in individual average in the MSL were Jemma Skweres of Conant, who took fourth with a 185.821; Sara Clay from BG, fifth with 184.718; and Jessica Donovan from Hoffman Estates, sixth at 183.25

Autumn Fox of Barrington took seventh at 179.639; and Emily O'Bryn of Barrington was 10th overall at 178.821.

At Saturday's tourney, Ritter posted a 6-game series of 1,122, while BG's Rebecca Howard shot a 1,218 series (top game of 244).

Rebecca Howard had the top 3-game series of the year in MSL regular season play, a 760, while teammate Sara Clay rolled an 1,146 series Saturday.

"It's very satisfying, no question about it," said Bison coach Chris VanGrondelle of the win.

And as far as coaching the Howard sisters, VanGrondelle added that it's a pleasure to have them all on the team.

"They all have extremely different personalities," said the coach," but they're also all very talented athletically."