Marengo bowlers move on to Day 2 at state

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

ROCKFORD – Susan Anthony picked the right time to put together her best performance of the season.

Anthony, who had been Marengo’s fifth scorer at the DeKalb Sectional a week ago, came through like an ace when the Indians needed her most at the IHSA Girls Bowling State Tournament on Friday.

After posting a 168 average during the regular season, the junior shined with three 200 games and a 199.3 average in front of the big crowd and bright lights at Cherry Bowl Lanes.

Anthony (1,196 pins) led Marengo down the stretch with a season-best 624 series in the second round to help the Indians end up in 11th place (5,721) and advance to Day 2 of the tournament. Only the top 12 teams compete today.

“It’s really exhilarating,” Anthony said. “My expectations weren’t that high going into the meet, but to exceed expectations like that is just awesome.”

Marengo’s Becca Czlapinski didn’t disappoint with a 1,227 to lead the second-year program. The steady senior shot a 614 series in the first round and a 613 in the second to place 40th overall.

Marengo, the second-smallest school in the tourney, has a chance to move up in the standings when the competition resumes at 9:45 a.m. today.

“It’s a big-time scene here, and you never know how the kids are going to react,” Indians assistant coach Dwain Nance said. “I thought our kids showed a lot of poise and character. It’s kind of exciting.”

Andrew took over first place (6,240) in the team standings after two rounds, Minooka holds second (6,163) and Waubonsie Valley is in third (6,149). Morgan Flaherty of Lincoln-Way West sits atop the individual leaderboard at 1,430.

Vernon Hills senior Taylor Rigwood (20th, 1,273) provided one of the most exciting moments when she rolled a 299 in her final game of the day.

Senior Krystal Alt (74th) chipped in with a 1,143 (605-538) for the Indians. Freshman Dominique Bailey (77th) added a 1,136 and rolled the team’s high game of the day with a 257 in the momentum-shifting third game.

The Indians faced an early breaking point when they stumbled out to 16th place after 10 team games. But senior Larissa Pfeiffer gave Marengo a huge boost off the bench with a 214 as the team rolled a tourney-best 1,062 in the third rotation.

“I knew we had a bad second game, and I had to get in there and pump things up,” Pfeiffer said. “And getting that 214 just kind of pumped everybody up.”

Pfeiffer followed it with a solid 193 in the first game of the second round. Freshman Megan Hanelt capped the day by putting up a key 195 in the decisive final game.

“We just kind of realized that if we wanted to come back tomorrow, we’d better step up our game,” Anthony said. “And I think that’s exactly what we did.”

“We just asked them to find it within themselves to do what needed to be done – to go out and get in that top 12," Marengo coach Patty Lange added.

After shooting a sizzling 648 series to open the tourney, Jacobs senior Sarah Siska just missed the individual cut, finishing in 69th place (1,155).