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November 14, 2022

Huntley boys bowling team leaders are, front row, head coach Jacob Wagner and senior Caleb Vergona. Back row, senior Josh Waters and assistant coach Jason Waters.
Steve Peterson
Huntley boys bowling team leaders are, front row, head coach Jacob Wagner and senior Caleb Vergona. Back row, senior Josh Waters and assistant coach Jason Waters.

Sports • November 14, 2022

Boys bowling starts season strong; sport family project for Waters

By

HUNTLEY – Fresh off a school-first IHSA State Boys Bowling tournament appearance last year, the Huntley High School squad has picked up where it left off last year with a strong start.

The Red Raiders have one dual match victory, one third place finish at the Sycamore Tournament and a ninth place finish at the Lake Park Invite. Senior Caleb Vergona led HHS at Lake Park with a 39th place finish Nov. 12.

“I am extremely proud of the start to the season,” third-year Huntley coach Jacob Wagner said. “We have a lot of work to do but we are getting better every day. Having six great kids with a positive attitude and a will to grind when it gets tough makes the invite a ton of fun.”

“Vergona had a consistent day (at Lake Park) and led us in total pin fall,” Wagner said. “There was a ton of great talent there and he hung with them all day. He is a great young man who works hard at his craft. He can have a big game at any time and his game is growing daily.”

 

Sport is family effort

 

For the Waters family of Huntley, bowling has long been a long-standing favorite sport. Dad Jason is assistant coach for the Red Raiders boys bowling squad while Josh is one of two HHS seniors. Daughter Prianca is a sophomore on the girls team and eighth-grader Noah is waiting his chance.

“I bowled in college at Penn State University as I grew up in western New York State,” Jason Waters said.

Jason said Josh Waters has shown interest in bowling since an early age in learning the game.

“I love the sport,” Josh Waters said. “My dad has been very helpful over the years.”

Josh Waters is excited about the team’s start. He prepped for the season by participating in junior bowling tournaments and local leagues.

Wagner commented on the contributions of assistant coach Jason Waters. “Jason has great knowledge of bowling and is a full-time supporter of both the boys’ and girls’ squads,” he said.

Jason Waters has several 300 games to his credit and a top series of 815. The senior duo of Josh Waters and Vergona enjoy assisting the many underclassmen.

“We like to help the younger kids, how to make adjustments in their game,” lead-off bowler Vergona said. “As coach Jason says, a split is just as important as strikes.”

“And how to handle the pressure because they may see us making a lot of strikes and try to imitate that,” Josh Waters said.

The Red Raiders are hoping to build on last season’s success. HHS finished 11-2 in duals, third at the Sycamore Regional and qualified for state, for the first time, with a fifth place at the Hononegah sectional.

“We finished as high as we’ve ever had at the Sycamore Invite,” Wagner said of the early going this season. “We play in a lot more invitationals which get us ready for state.”

Huntley, after finishing third at Sycamore Kickoff Meet, downed Belvidere North in dual match play.  At Belvidere North Nov. 9 as the Red Raiders won 3,690-3,518. Sophomore Matt Fishman bowled a 746 series to lead HHS.

The Red Raiders gained top 10 finish with a ninth place at the 40-team Lake Park Lancer Invite Nov. 12. Vergona led with a 1,208 total pin fall while sophomore Austin Tenglin was 43rd, 1,198; sophomore Joey Humphrey, 1,173; Fishman rolled a 1,165 and Josh Waters contributed 1,146.

The coach explained the top priorities as the season started.

“Build the program’s youth, advance to the sectional tournament and build up Huntley’s bowing program as a whole, both boys and girls,” Wagner said.

Eight seniors led the Red Raiders to an 11-2 dual record; third place at regional, fifth at sectional and 21st at the IHSA State Tournament.

“Nicholas Zummo; AJ DeBello; Matthew Racila; Hayes Porsche and Chase Porsche. They were all on our state team last year. Dean Lee, Chris Welzien and Sean Mhyre were also seniors that were important to our team. They all graduated last spring and their leadership and attitudes will be missed. They have left a legacy for these younger guys as they were the first bowling team in school history to make it to the state tournament.”

Wagner added more about his background.

“I have been bowling since I was a kid,” he said. “I come from Oswego, and was part of the inaugural boys team there. We were also the first team to make it to the state tournament and won the conference championship as an individual and as a team.”