Big day for Prospect, Wheeling
Prospect sophomore Allison Walsh started the Mid-Suburban League bowling season on the junior varsity - but she was called up to varsity after the first meet.
Good decision.
Walsh and senior teammate Rachel Oehlert, both in the top 20 in MSL average, have quietly been leading the Knights to a very solid season.
The Knights defeated Rolling Meadows 7-2 Monday night to cement their hold on third place - while there were a few surprises in the evening's other matches at AMF Lanes in Rolling Meadows.
Wheeling handed previously undefeated Schaumburg (50-4) its first losses of the season, winning two of three games, but the Saxons squeaked through and won the match 5-4 on overall pinfall.
Second-place Elk Grove (47-7) moved to within 3 points of first with a 7-2 win over Conant. Hoffman Estates rolled to a 9-0 victory over Barrington, Buffalo Grove defeated Hersey and Palatine topped Fremd.
"This is exciting," said Walsh, who entered Monday's competition with a 193.18 average, eighth best in the MSL. "I'm having fun and the compeition is great."
Oehlert led Prospect's strong effort against Meadows with a 221 game and 576 series, and said that the Knights' success this year is because of terrific team chemistry.
"We're working well as a team," said Walsh, a senior. "We've gotten a lot closer, which helps us. "We're looking to improve from day to day and game to game, and a win like this gives us confidence - especially when we have to face the teams ahead of us."
The Knights still have upcoming matches against Schaumburg and Elk Grove, and both front-runners produced some strong performances Monday.
Sophomore Ashley Dolce led the Grens with a 636 series (219 high game), while Saxons senior Kelly Judge fired a 236.
Hoffman Estates bowlers Liz Saffold (649 high series of the night) and Lisa Papeck (246, high game) led the Hawks to the top pinfall of 2,954.
BG's Molly Jackson rolled a 209 game; Palatine's Julianne Borgardt fired a 565 series; Kylie Behnke (599 series) excelled for Conant; and Brittany Meyer (578) led Meadows.
But the performance of the night belonged to Wheeling.
The Wildcats' stellar effort, which came as no surprise to senior Jenny Schmitt, almost resulted in a big upset over first-place Schaumburg.
"We beat them one game last year," said Schmitt, who shot a 583 series. "So we came in knowing we had a chance even if we had to come from behind."
Wheeling won Games 1 and 3, but the Wildcats' total pinfall of 2,618 fell short of Schaumburg's 2,704 as the match came right down to the wire.
"Jodi (Schaumburg junior Gawlik) and I were standing next to each other on the lanes in the 10th frame, and we were kind of laughing and looking at each other saying, 'It's so close. We hate this,' " Schmitt said.
But Schmitt didn't mind the final result.
"To beat them two out of three is like the sugar on top of the cupcake," Schmitt said. "It's really good."