Girls bowling: Deja vu – Joliet West celebrates state title

JOLIET – Winning a state title is a tough task.

Yet Joliet West celebrated its second IHSA title this month with a ceremony honoring  the girls bowling team, which won the title Saturday at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford.

“They are all special, but to have two in three weeks is unbelievable,” West athletic director Steve Millsaps said. “Tiger pride is sweeping the city.

“We have talked about changing the culture – that has changed. We have a motto ‘Embrace the target, dominate the day.’ Our coaches and students have bought in. Just look at the results. When you look at the two titles, neither team won the sectional, but both did their best when it counted most.

“This championship was so different. This is a two-day grind. I was a wreck. My stomach was in knots. There were times I couldn’t watch.”

Joliet Township High School District 204 Board of Education President Jeff Pierson discussed what this means to the district.

“It’s phenomenal,” he said. “School spirit is so high and it’s so special to bring the title back to the City of Champions. This is a special time for the district. We are putting so many resources into the facilities and programs and the students and community are embracing it.”

The Tigers won the title with consistency over the two-day event and rolled the second-highest total in tournament history. The Tigers took the lead in the second game Friday and never relinquished that lead through the next 10 games.

Seniors Gracie Plese (second place) and Taylor Bailey (11th) earned all-state honors. They were joined by seniors Melissa March, and Kaylee Zukovich, juniors Karlee Barton and Ashley Lindstran and sophomores Emily Plese and Alexis Wagner.

“This is the most talented team we have ever had,” coach Jeff Bailey said. “When I talk about talent, it’s about every aspect of the team, not just the bowling. It’s from their personality, to the perseverance and the attitude this team possesses – especially the four seniors.

“They embraced the fact that they were role models. They are giving back to the future of the program. They wanted this, they were consistent and never let anything shake them. Freeport and Lockport made charges, but it didn’t matter, they were there to do a job. They embraced the challenge.

“It’s an emotional time and I don’t know if it has really set in. I’ve always told the parents that at practice they all become my daughters. The seniors and I have been through so much over the four years, but this is just the beginning for them.”

Bailey became the first coach in Illinois to win a state bowling title for the girls and boys. He was the coach of the 2010 Plainfield South boys title team.

District Superintendent Cheryl McCarthy also praised Bailey for his role as coach.

“Jeff [Bailey] deserves so much credit. It’s a difficult task to be a coach, let alone also coach your daughter. It’s a very fine line of separation, we have all been there when you have kids.”

“This is such a special moment, not only for the team, but the parents and the community. It’s amazing to see the pride in people waving from their cars along the parade route. Success breeds success, and there is no stopping Tiger pride.”

Dr. Teresa Gibson, the West principal who just recently was named Great Principal of the Year by the Illinois Principal Association for the Three Rivers Division, said the impact was much bigger than the win.

“The legacy of the seniors is enormous, not only because you won, but the culture you embraced as role models and mentors for everyone in the program,” she said. “That speaks of your character and the lives you live.”

Board member and alumni Don Dickinson summed up the last three weeks.

“We used to come to the school hoping to win. Now, it’s we want to win,” he said. “Steve [Millsaps] has changed it and brought that winning culture to the athletic program. Credit everyone, from the administration to the coaches and athletes for buying in.

“It’s so cool to be a graduate and see this.”

JOLIET – Winning a state title is a tough task.

Yet Joliet West celebrated its second IHSA title this month with a ceremony honoring  the girls bowling team, which won the title Saturday at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford.

“They are all special, but to have two in three weeks is unbelievable,” West athletic director Steve Millsaps said. “Tiger pride is sweeping the city.

“We have talked about changing the culture – that has changed. We have a motto ‘Embrace the target, dominate the day.’ Our coaches and students have bought in. Just look at the results. When you look at the two titles, neither team won the sectional, but both did their best when it counted most.

“This championship was so different. This is a two-day grind. I was a wreck. My stomach was in knots. There were times I couldn’t watch.”

Joliet Township High School District 204 Board of Education President Jeff Pierson discussed what this means to the district.

“It’s phenomenal,” he said. “School spirit is so high and it’s so special to bring the title back to the City of Champions. This is a special time for the district. We are putting so many resources into the facilities and programs and the students and community are embracing it.”

The Tigers won the title with consistency over the two-day event and rolled the second-highest total in tournament history. The Tigers took the lead in the second game Friday and never relinquished that lead through the next 10 games.

Seniors Gracie Plese (second place) and Taylor Bailey (11th) earned all-state honors. They were joined by seniors Melissa March, and Kaylee Zukovich, juniors Karlee Barton and Ashley Lindstran and sophomores Emily Plese and Alexis Wagner.

“This is the most talented team we have ever had,” coach Jeff Bailey said. “When I talk about talent, it’s about every aspect of the team, not just the bowling. It’s from their personality, to the perseverance and the attitude this team possesses – especially the four seniors.

“They embraced the fact that they were role models. They are giving back to the future of the program. They wanted this, they were consistent and never let anything shake them. Freeport and Lockport made charges, but it didn’t matter, they were there to do a job. They embraced the challenge.

“It’s an emotional time and I don’t know if it has really set in. I’ve always told the parents that at practice they all become my daughters. The seniors and I have been through so much over the four years, but this is just the beginning for them.”

Bailey became the first coach in Illinois to win a state bowling title for the girls and boys. He was the coach of the 2010 Plainfield South boys title team.

District Superintendent Cheryl McCarthy also praised Bailey for his role as coach.

“Jeff [Bailey] deserves so much credit. It’s a difficult task to be a coach, let alone also coach your daughter. It’s a very fine line of separation, we have all been there when you have kids.”

“This is such a special moment, not only for the team, but the parents and the community. It’s amazing to see the pride in people waving from their cars along the parade route. Success breeds success, and there is no stopping Tiger pride.”

Dr. Teresa Gibson, the West principal who just recently was named Great Principal of the Year by the Illinois Principal Association for the Three Rivers Division, said the impact was much bigger than the win.

“The legacy of the seniors is enormous, not only because you won, but the culture you embraced as role models and mentors for everyone in the program,” she said. “That speaks of your character and the lives you live.”

Board member and alumni Don Dickinson summed up the last three weeks.

“We used to come to the school hoping to win. Now, it’s we want to win,” he said. “Steve [Millsaps] has changed it and brought that winning culture to the athletic program. Credit everyone, from the administration to the coaches and athletes for buying in.

“It’s so cool to be a graduate and see this.”