Boys Bowling: Vernon Hills qualifies for state meet as entire unit

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Senior David Goldberg, seen here in earlier action, and the Cougars will be heading to the state tournament this weekend. The Cougars claimed runner-up honors at Saturday's sectional. | Ruthie Hauge ~ Sun-Times Media.

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Updated: March 26, 2012 1:57AM

Legendary race car driver Dale Earnhardt had a term for finishing in second place. He called it, “first-place loser.”

Don’t say that to the Vernon Hills boys bowling team. For them, second place at the Stevenson Sectional, held at Mundelein’s LakeSide Lanes on Saturday, meant one thing: another trip Downstate.

“I’m pleased with everybody,” said Cougars head coach Ron Long. “They know what it takes to get first or second. It’s a good group.”

It’s a group that had a strong chance to unseat Lake Zurich as sectional champ after the first three frames of the six-frame series. The Cougars were leading the Bears by 50 pins (3283 to 3233), but a streak of 15 strikes in a row by LZ in the fourth game slowed VH’s momentum.

A team-high 257 game from the Cougars’ Eric Swanson was 22 pins less than the total posted by Lake Zurich’s Mike Schmitt, who went on to win the sectional by 80 pins (1469 to Swanson’s 1389).

Swanson finished in second place, enough to earn a second straight trip to the state tournament as an individual qualifier. 

“I thought our team did amazing,” Swanson said. “We came out firing the first couple of games. At the end we dropped a little, but we still finished with a good series.”

A series strong enough to place three bowlers in the top 10. Jeremy Steininger (1262) tied for ninth place with teammate Sam Fink (1262). The pair of Cougars, along with fellow senior David Goldberg (14th place at 1238) and Parish Ashford give the Cougars an experienced, battle-tested team heading into this year’s state tournament. 

“We’ve been down there seven years in a row as a team,” said Long, whose team was runner-up to Rockford Guilford in last season’s state tournament. “Coach (Bill Spigner) learns something new about balls and equipment, so we’re more ready every year. Last year was good, but this year will be better.”

Added Swanson: “We have a lot of experience going Downstate. I’ve gone the last two years, and Jeremy (Steininger) and David (Goldberg) have gone down the last three, so it will be good to go again. Maybe this year we can get the first-place trophy.”

The Cougars will travel to O’Fallon for the state tournament, which begins Friday morning. It will take place at St. Clair Lanes.

Libertyville recap: It was a historic day for the Wildcats at the Stevenson Sectional, as they qualified a team member for the state tournament for the first time.

Junior Jake Thompson qualified with a total of 1291 — 12 pins better than Deerfield’s Adam Horwitz. There was intrigue leading up to the final throw, as Thompson needed a strike, though nobody had explained his position going into the final frame. Proving that ignorance is, indeed, bliss, Thompson lined up and calmly threw a strike, earning a trip to O’Fallon in the process.

“He told me at the beginning of the day not to tell him anything,” said Wildcats head coach David Kahn. “I let him know at the beginning of the sixth frame (that) it was within reach.”

Libertyville finished seventh overall (5677). In it’s fifth season of existence, Thompson’s sectional performance signifies a major achievement for the program. 

“Jake was our team leader this year. He’s very consistent,” Kahn said. “He put the time and effort in, and we are thrilled.”

Stevenson recap: The host Patriots finished fourth overall (5989) in the sectional.

Stevenson’s top performer was senior Brenden Horwitz, who ended his career by tying for seventh place overall (1270) with Lake Zurich’s Tony Giannecchini. Senior Arnie Nadel finished in 16th place (1229).

Honors: The Northern Illinois Boys Bowling Conference (NIBBC) announced its all-conference team for 2011-12 season.

First-teamers are Zach Cole (Deerfield), Mike Schmitt (Lake Zurich), Eric Swanson (Vernon Hills), Tony Giannecchini (Lake Zurich) and Nadel.

The second team include Brenden Horwitz (Stevenson), Jake Thompson (Libertyville), Jeremy Steininger (Vernon Hills), Quinn Thomas (Deerfield) and Jon Lipsky (Deerfield).

Vernon Hills was the team champ in the seven-team league, which also includes Evanston and New Trier.