Wauconda rolls into competition

Building and growing is quite the phenomenon these days at Wauconda High School.

The Bulldogs added a new gym and auditorium this year.

They also created a girls bowling team that is ready to roll.

The Bulldogs featured a turnout of 16 girls who will bowl their home matches at Island Lake's 3-D Bowl.

For their inaugural season, the Bulldogs will compete in nonconference matches. They will join the North Suburban conference next season.

The Bulldogs have an experienced coach in Melynda Lorence, who was at West Aurora a couple of years ago before becoming a teacher at Wauconda.

"The school's been talking about it over the last couple of years," said Lorence, who was a high school bowler in the early 1990s for United Township in Moline -- a team that won the state title in 1991, finished second in '92 and fifth in '93.

"It's very exciting to see everything come together," Lorence said. "It's a new experience and it's a little different for me. Maybe, I can help them out from scratch. We've had some improvement in a short time with a few of them improving 20 pins in three weeks."

Senior Allie Payne and junior Ashley Franklin are both averaging around 170 for the Bulldogs.

Other bowlers who will round out the varsity roster include junior Amy Bundy, and freshmen Amanda Epp and Taylor Pryde.