The Lincoln-Way West boys varsity bowling team secured the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) sectional championship on Saturday, earning a spot in the state tournament. This achievement marks their seventh state appearance in the past eight years.
According to reports, the team’s strong performance followed a challenging season last year when they missed the state cut after the graduation of seven varsity members. The team’s efforts this year were rewarded with standout performances from senior bowlers Jayden Kristie and Logan Nicholls. Kristie finished in fifth place with a total score of 1,343, while Nicholls placed ninth with a score of 1,306.
Freshman Patrick Berlin also made an impressive debut, finishing in seventh place with 1,315. Berlin’s score of 268 was the highest for the team during the sectional competition. Junior Matthew Staniszewski, freshman Ryan Richter, sophomore Nolan Drake, sophomore Matthew McLean, and junior Nick Dul all contributed key scores that helped secure the championship.
“This team really came together, and we had one goal in mind — to make it to state,” said coach Scott Jablonski. “We worked as a family, supporting each other to push through the nerves and achieve our goal.” Jablonski emphasized that this victory represents a significant turnaround for the program after a difficult season in 2024 and sets up an exciting state competition in the coming weeks.