Boys bowlers earn sectional spot
HUNTLEY — A total team effort led the way for the Huntley boys bowling team, which advanced to the IHSA Sectional round with a third place finish at the Belvidere North Regional Jan. 17.
The Red Raiders finished with a team score of 6,001 pins for the third of four advancing team totals at Cherry Bowl Lanes in Rockford. The sectional round is Jan. 20 at Rockford’s Don Carter Lanes. Teams ahead of Huntley were champion Belvidere High School with a 6,087 score and Marengo, which edged HHS for second at 6,013. Sectional qualifiers will attempt to advance to the IHSA State Meet at O’Fallon Jan. 26-27.
At the regional, junior Matt Fishman led the Huntley individual scores with a third place overall finish, 1,274. Three teammates – junior Joey Humphrey was seventh, 1,244 pins; freshman Noah Waters eighth, 1,208 with a team high game of 254 and junior Austin Tenglin ended 13th, 1,175.
“This is an awesome opportunity,” Red Raiders head coach Jacob Wagner said of advancing. “When you throw 6,000 and no one is over 1,300, you have to be proud of each guy who threw it. Having four guys in the top 15 is great but each guy had moments when we needed them.”
Wagner commented on the individual efforts.
“Fishman led us, but the combo of Hoglind and Gaspari throwing 1,100 really helped us lock up a top spot at regional, Wagner said. “Waters came up big with a huge 254 placing eighth. Tenglin came up big all day in the anchor spot, finishing 13th. Humphrey really pushed hard to jump into the top four in the afternoon after a strong morning finishing just shy in seventh by 30 pins.”
The Red Raiders showed resolve against the area’s best bowlers.
“The best thing is the boys never hang their heads,” Wagner said. “They grinded it out big in the second half and never gave up on themselves. They are a strong willed group and love the game and battling for each other.”
Wagner praised how the weather situation was handled, from the original Jan. 13 date to Jan. 16 before settling on Wednesday.
“We had some crazy weather the past couple of days that pushed us back,” he said. “Having two days between an IHSA Regional and Sectional is not ideal, but I was impressed with how it was handled in a manner that protects our student-athletes from the cold and still allows us the opportunity to bowl. There are eight other teams bowling at our Sectional that bowled on Wednesday and have to adapt to the scheduling. We are excited to be bowling at the IHSA Sectional at Don Carter Lanes. From the looks of the scores we have a really good Sectional this year full of talent. It is going to be a fun day going in and bowling with some awesome programs.”
Area teams advancing from the Kishwaukee River Conference-Fox Valley Conference also include Harvard (fourth at Belvidere North) and McHenry.
