January 9, 2019 at 1:12 p.m.
High school bowling teams start 2019 with wins
High school bowling teams start 2019 with wins
The Hodag boys earned a 5 1/2-3 1/2 win over Wittenberg-Birnamwood, while the Hodag girls successfully beat their average, going 9-0 bowling against themselves in Wisconsin High School Bowling Club District 9 play.
"Overall, I was happy with how they bowled," coach Mike Bourcier said. "No one was getting down. They were talking with each other, interacting with their game. It was a good showing there."
The Hodag boys bowled better than average as they beat the Chargers. Rhinelander/Elcho averaged 156.4 pins per game Sunday, nearly nine pins better than their average entering the game, and their fill percentage was 64.4 percent on the day, up from their season percentage of 59.3.
The Hodags (3-3, 24 1/2 points) came out strong, with games of 189 and 178 to take a quick 2-0 lead in the nine-game Baker series. Wittenberg responded with games of 185 and 162 in the third and fourth games to square the match.
Rhinelander/Elcho picked it back up in the fifth and sixth games, edging Wittenberg 167-156 and 144-140. The Chargers took Game 7, 151-144, the teams bowled to a 137-all tie in Game 8 and the Hodags cruised in the finale 164-126.
"We did pick up the pace from previous meets," Bourcier said. "We've been working a little more on picking up the corner pins which seems to be the biggest issue."
Jacob Wagler led the Hodags on Sunday, filling 17 of the 18 frames he bowled with six strikes and 11 spares.
"Basically, it was just telling Jacob what he needed to do," Bourcier said. "He started getting a little lazy and overdoing the ball. He started throwing the ball and projecting it down the lane, because the lanes were hooking enough for him."
Kody Litzen was 14 of 18 with seven strikes, Calvin Schneider went 11 of 17 with seven strikes, Jeremiah Braun was 11 of 18 with five strikes and Jeremiah Bellow went three of 18 with a strike.
On the girls' side, as the team with the bye in this round of league play, the Hodags bowled against their season average. Rhinelander needed to be 10 pins lower than their average or better in each game, meaning their target score was 124 pins.
The Hodags (2-4, 20 1/2 points) easily beat that score in every game except the fifth, as Katrina Blasius picked up two pins after leaving a split seven count on her first ball in the 10th frame to earn a narrow 125-124 win.
Other than the scare in the fifth, the Hodags easily exceeded their average in every game, with no other games below 140. The team's high mark was a 165 in Game 4. Overall, the Hodags averaged 149.2 pins over the series and filled 60 percent of the frames
"The girls, they're coming around," coach Bourcier said. "They were all gelling together. They were bowling as a team. They were all into it, all talking. They were able to keep each other up and not slow down because they weren't bowling someone (else)."
Mackenzie Bourcier, Mike's daughter, had the strongest showing of the day, going 15 of 18 with a season-high 12 strikes. Blasius was 13 of 18 with two strikes and Bella Walkowski was 10 of 18 with a strike.
"Bella's coming on," coach Bourcier noted. "She's been working really hard trying to change her game and it's showing. Her spare shooting's increased."
Alexis Kriesel went nine of 18 with three strikes and Brooke Mork was seven of 18 with three strikes.
Middle school
The Rhinelander/Three Lakes middle school squad suffered a close 6-3 loss to Marshfield in the Tigers' home house on Sunday, dropping three of the five games that were decided by 12 pins or fewer.
The Hodags picked up a couple of close wins - 152-149 in Game 2 and 139-131 in Game 9 to go along with a 152-115 win in Game 8 - but lost close calls in Games 3, 6 and 7. Marshfield took the third game 120-118, Game 6 94-91 and Game 7 125-113.
Overall, the Hodags averaged 121.4 pins per game, filled 45.6 percent of their frames and had high games of 152 in Games 2 and 8.
"They're learning things and most of them are making changes for the good. We see improvements with the kids," coach Bourcier said.
Cody Bednarz was 13 of 18 to lead the squad. Alex Hall filled 10 frames, Johanna Dellenbach had eight fills, Calvin Welch had seven fills and Cody Hall had three fills.
Schneider's 300
A day before Sunday's dual, Schneider achieved a milestone during junior league play at Hodag Lanes.
Schneider rolled a perfect 300 in his third and final game of the day, giving him a 724 series overall. It was Schneider's first perfect game and 700-plus series. Virtually all of his teammates were there to witness the feat.
"It's great when you watch kids you've been coaching and they come out and can throw perfection. All the kids had stopped and were watching him. He got it and everyone's cheering," coach Bourcier said, adding that Schneider went on to throw strikes on his first five balls during Sunday's match against Wittenberg. "He bowled really well and that helped him coming into Sunday's meet. He was throwing a really nice ball."
Friendly grudge match
This Sunday's meet at North Star Lanes in Antigo is perhaps the most anticipated of the season for the Rhinelander/Elcho boys' and girls' squads. That's because it's the only time in league play that the two teams will bowl head-to-head against one another.
"It's going to be a fun showdown in Antigo," coach Bourcier said. "I'm coaching the boys. Kevin (Litzen)'s coaching the girls. My daughter's on the girls (team), Kevin's son is on the boys (team). You want them all to do good. Our goal is to have really close matches, have them come down to a couple of pins and have everyone in the game."
Coach Bourcier said the friendly trash talk has already started between the two teams and there will probably be something else on the line, aside from bragging rights and district points.
"We'll figure something out by Friday what we'll have for what winner gets and what the loser has to do. We'll come up with something," he joked.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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