Gracie Plese, Joliet West girls bowlers hold off Freeport, defending champ Lockport to win state title

ROCKFORD – The Joliet West girls bowling team proved that if you can make it to the finals, anything can happen.

The Tigers led the entire day Saturday and fought off charges from Freeport and defending champion Lockport to win the IHSA state championship at The Cherry Bowl.

It was the first bowling title in school history and the second state championship in three weeks for the school, as the West competitive cheerleaders won state Feb. 6.

West rolled a two-day total of 12,613 to claim the title by 137 pins over Freeport. Lockport finished third with 12,398 and brought home another state trophy. Machesney Park Harlem was fourth, followed by Waubonsie Valley in fifth.

“I’m exhausted,” West coach Jeff Bailey said. “The girls wanted this and went out and got it. So much credit goes to my assistant coach, Larry Warwick. He is the technical guru of the program and the adjustments he made were crucial and so important.”

Bailey also becomes the first bowling coach in Illinois history to win state titles with a girls and boys team. He was the coach at Plainfield South when the Cougars won the 2010 boys state championship.

“They both mean a lot, but right now this one is so tough to put into words,” he said. “I have been with this group for four years. We’re senior dominated. It has been a rollercoaster ride and we finished on top. This is so special. I’m sure I will think about this for a long time.”

The Tigers were led by the all-state second-place individual finish from senior Gracie Plese. She bowled a 12-game total of 2,736 (228 average) and finished only 13 pins behind Jessica Soskich of Buffalo Grove.

“I was never thinking about placing individually,” Plese said. “It was all about knocking pins down to score for the team. I believe that thinking about the team first helped my individual game.

“For four years, we have put in the work. We are all friends off the lanes and the togetherness of this team was evident from the beginning of the season. Winning the title with this group makes me fell so connected to everyone. It’s absolutely amazing.”

Also earning all-state honors was senior Taylor Bailey, who finished 11th with a 2,618. It was Bailey’s second all-state award, as she earned the honor as a freshman.

“You can’t end your high school career any better than this,” she said. “We came together and held together this weekend. We never got down. We had each other’s backs and when someone didn’t throw a good ball, the next person did.”

A special moment in the tournament occurred when Taylor Bailey rolled her final ball and her father/coach, Jeff Bailey, came over and gave her a big hug.

“It’s the greatest feeling ever to win with your dad,” she said. “He has been there through everything. It’s such a different experience having your dad as your coach. This is what we dreamed of.”

“This is a very honorable feeling,” Jeff Bailey said. “Sometimes it’s hard to be the coach and dad, and it says so much about Taylor and how she has handled it. This is something we will share for the rest of our lives. It’s awesome.”

Senior Melissa March finished 34th at 2,503 and had a key third game in the morning session, rolling a 268 after a 140 second game.

“Everything was in my head early and I needed to quit thinking so much” she said. “I relaxed and just bowled. This was so fun and it shows how hard we worked and did this together.”

Junior Karlee Barton was 60th with 2,388 and senior Keylee Zukovich finished right behind in 61st with 2,368.

“I came in with all these seniors and was thinking go big or go home,” Barton said. “We weren’t going to let up. No rollercoaster ride this weekend. We went big.”

Zukovich, a senior, summed up the postseason best.

“We finished third at regionals, we were second at sectionals and won state. We kept climbing the ladder – better each week. This means everything, we put our hearts on the line and the work paid off.”

Lockport, which trailed West by 213 pins entering Saturday, posted a morning-best three-game total of 3,261. It moved the Porters into second place and only 82 pins behind West.

The Porters started the afternoon session with a 969 and then shared a pair of lanes with the Tigers in Game 5. The two rivals had an intense matchup that saw Lockport put up eight consecutive strikes only to be countered with West throwing 10 straight. West won the game, 1,080 -1,044.

“Joliet West was too much for us today, kudos to them on winning,” Lockport coach Art Cwudzinski said. “We battled all day and really made a charge in the morning. I’m so proud of this team. Our two seniors struck out in the 10th frame and that is a great way to end your high school career. We rolled the ball well and just missed too many spares.”

Senior Nikki Mendez led the Porters with a 17th-place finish at 2,581.

“To bring another trophy home is amazing,” the Youngstown State recruit said. “It’s sad to be done with high school bowling. I’ve grown up with these girls. We are so close.”

Lockport junior Paige Reiter finished 19th at 2,578 and sophomore Bailey Delrose was 54th at 2,456.

Youthful Minooka finished the first day at state in 19th place and did not qualify for Saturday’s six games. Indians junior Carmella Russell shot 1,246, freshman Kristina Sickler 1,167, senior Nora Russell 1,154, freshman Gina Russell 1,073 and junior Cheryl Eyman 1,027.

Lincoln-Way West senior Jessica Schram and Plainfield South junior Cassie Bucaro qualified for state as individuals. Schram shot 1,169 Friday, Bucaro 1,155 and they did not advance to Saturday.