May 11, 2016 at 2:43 p.m.
Hodag bowlers take second in middle school state tournament
Hodag bowlers take second in middle school state tournament
The Hodags averaged more than 175 pins per game in a 12-game series and finished second out of 37 teams in the boys/co-ed division of the Wisconsin Middle School Bowling Club state tournament in Green Bay.
The Hodags' 2,102 total pinfall was only 22 pins behind state champion Menomonee Falls.
"It was just a really good feeling," Rhinelander/Elcho coach Mike Bourcier said. "I'll take placing in the medal round anytime, no matter what position it is. It was a little tough to see we missed first place by only 22 pins, but they did great."
Most of the team had competed in the state singles competition earlier in the day and Bourcier said he tried to keep the pressure off the squad heading into the team portion of the event.
"I told them, 'Do your best. If you do good, you do good. If we do bad, we do bad. I just want you to have fun, keep smiles on your faces, enjoy this and have a good time," and they did," he said.
Bourcier figured it would take at least a 160-pin average to be in contention and the Hodags started the day right on that mark, rolling a 162 in Game 1. They had only three games lower than that the rest of the way - a 161 in Game 3, a 134 in Game 6 and a 150 in Game 8.
Eighth-grader Calvin Schneider bowled anchor - the fifth and 10th frames - for the Hodags in the first eight games, but Bourcier said he decided to shake things up for the final four games after hearing where the Hodags stood in the overall competition.
"After the eighth game they announced what the standings were and from third place to us was only 16 pins difference," he said. "I made some lineup changes. Our lineup, we started out fine. I had Calvin at anchor and he started struggling a little bit. I think he was getting tired because of the singles event earlier. The mental part of it is a huge thing."
Mackenzie Bourcier, Mike's daughter, anchored the Hodags to a 213 in Game 9, Katrina Blasius bowled anchor for a 196 in Game 10, Kody Litzen bowled the fifth and the 10th as the Hodags posted a 165 in Game 11 and Jacob Wagler closed on the day at anchor as Rhinelander/Elcho posted a 182 in Game 12.
"We knew we finished really strong. We knew we were only 16 pins out (of third)," Bourcier said. "We knew we had a chance, but were worried about a few opens throughout the day."
The strong finish was enough to leapfrog Watertown, which led the tournament after the fifth and 10th games, but Menomonee Falls roared from behind over the final two games, finishing with a 223 and a 199 to vault from seventh place to the championship.
Earlier Saturday the Hodag bowlers, with the exception of Litzen, competed in the singles portion of the state tournament. Schneider and Wagler finished sixth and 27th, respectively, in the boys' B division. Mackenzie Bourcier tied for seventh and Blasius tied for 19th in the girls' A flight.
"Overall, I'm good with how the kids bowled in singles," coach Bourcier said. "I know they wanted to do a little more, but they threw what they threw. They had chances. The execution was there."
On the girls' side, Blasius opened with a 200 but faded with games of 151 and 161 to finish with a 512 series. Mackenzie Bourcier was 31 pins better at 543 after overcoming a slow start.
"Katrina started out really well, had a 200, and then kind of struggled," Mike Bourcier said. "The lanes were changes a little bit. We tied to make some changes and she wasn't carrying the strikes. She was throwing a decent ball, hitting the pocket, but it wasn't carrying and getting the strikes. She got a little frustrated. Mackenzie came out and just struggled the first game. We made a ball switch finally and I probably should have done it earlier. She shot 129 and then comes back to shoot 222 and 192 to be 30 pins out of the medal round. She bowled well after getting things lined up."
Wagler, bowling with an injured hand and a newly-learned technique, rolled games of 145, 136 and 171 for a 452 series.
"Jacob was bowling this whole thing with a bone chip in his bowling finger," Bourcier explained. "He jammed it playing sports. So I had him bowling something new. He's done it at practice, having fun, but we worked on it a lot in practice last week, bowling two-handed. It's something that's been seen more and more around the state and the country, two-handed bowling, and he struggled in singles a little bit trying to get his bearings down, but when we got to the team (event), we were able to settle him down and be with him after every shot. That helped."
Schneider went 172, 189, 220 for a 581 series. All four Hodag bowlers were playing at the same time across the 60-lane Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley facility and Bourcier said Schneider ended up using some advice he received from a coach of another squad in Rhinelander's district.
"Calvin just needed some adjustments and actually one of the Antigo coaches was coaching one of their boys on the lane next to him," Bourcier explained. "I come down and he says, 'Hope you don't mind, I told him he needed to move a couple little bits here.' I said, 'No, that's great.' I'm spread out (watching the other bowlers) and I know the Antigo coaches. I've coached with them and everything, so they helped out a little bit there. Calvin bowled well, he was just in the stronger division."
Though the Hodags didn't medal in singles, Bourcier said the experience in the morning flight helped them prepare for the team competition later in the day.
"I think it helped them when it came to the team event because they already had three games in," he said. "They were already on the shot. They'd bowled it. It was a fresh lane condition so we were able to make some adjustments and moves right away with them."
With four of the five state participants slated to return, Bourcier said the Hodags hope to do well again next year.
Schneider will graduate to the high school ranks where he will be eligible to bowl with the Rhinelander/Three Lakes club team.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
WEATHER SPONSORED BY
E-Editions
Latest News
E-Editions
Events
August
To Submit an Event Sign in first
Today's Events
No calendar events have been scheduled for today.
Comments:
You must login to comment.