The Lyons Township High School boys bowling team once again will try to continue an impressive streak primarily with new faces.
The Lions not only are going for their eighth team berth to the state meet but for just their second streak of three straight berths to equal the 2015-17 teams.
“Very inexperienced, but a ton of potential,” LTHS coach Gary Morrill said.
“Moving forward, everything we’re doing is geared towards [the postseason in] January. A slow progression uphill is what we’re looking at.”
Junior Danny Haley (707 total for 4 games) and senior Cesar Izguerra (162 in 1 game) are the lone returnees from last year’s state lineup. The Lions (5,690) were 18th among the 24 team qualifiers in preliminaries and missed a top-12 finish necessary to advance to the second day. The Lions were 16th in 2022 (5,845).
Haley bowled the last two rounds (438) at the IC Catholic Prep Sectional, where the Lions finished third (6,163) to advance to state with a top-six finish. Haley also bowled two games (434) and Izguerra one (157) at the Naperville Central Regional, where the Lions were second (5,885).
Other team members this season are seniors Kalin Burns, Daxton Garon, Jacob Healy and John Bee, junior Conner Krisher and freshman Anthony Bonilla.
Haley is off to a strong start, averaging 218 pins a game. Haley finished second with a 1,311 six-game series in the Lions’ first invite Nov. 4 hosted by Glenbrook North. Haley was just 13 pins from first after a 156 first game.
Morrill said another varsity newcomer is averaging 192 and a first-year bowler is averaging 173 and continuing to improve.
“We’ve got a couple of other kids still getting used to what we’re doing and a couple of others with great potential,” Morrill said.
RBHS girls basketball
The Bulldogs (0-3) play at 10 a.m. Friday at Hinsdale Central for 15th place in the annual Brenda Whitesell Thanksgiving Tournament at Hinsdale South and Central.
In pool play at Hinsdale Central, the Bulldogs lost to Plainfield South 74-72 Monday after losing to St. Francis 64-34 Nov. 14 and Yorkville 57-54 Saturday.
Emily Organ (24 points), Mayan Covarrubias (18 points with 5 three-pointers), Alyssa Morris (11 points with 3 threes) and Niamh Larson (7 points) led the Bulldogs against Plainfield South.
RBHS trailed 71-63 with 2:16 left and 73-68 with 26.4 seconds remaining. After free throws by Covarrubias and Organ closed the gap to 73-72 with 6.8 seconds left, the Cougars made the last of four consecutive free throws with 4.5 seconds. Morris took the inbounds pass and quickly dribbled to the top of the key, just missing a three that would have sent the game into overtime.
RBHS had balanced offense against Yorkville with Organ (10 points), Larson and Morris (9 points each), Covarrubias and Arianna Hudson (8 points each), Julia Madera (6 points). Morris and Covarrubias had two three-pointers.
Organ (12 points, 11 rebounds) had a double-double against St. Francis, followed by Hudson (8 points. 7 rebounds), Covarrubias (5 points, 4 rebounds) and Amanda Buckley (4 rebounds, 3 deflections).
LTHS girls basketball
The Lions (2-0) opened their annual LT Thanksgiving Tournament beating Conant 69-22 Saturday and Oak Lawn 56-40 Friday.
Nora Ezike, the Lions’ honoree as Player of the Game, had 23 points and eight rebounds Saturday, followed by Emma O’Brien (15 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists) and Elin O’Brien (10 points).
LTHS Player of the Game Kennedy Wanless (20 points, 9 rebounds) and Emma O’Brien (10 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists) paced Friday’s victory.
