Following in the footsteps of a state champion can be tough, as the Collinsville girls bowling team found out last season.
The Kahoks won the 2009-10 state championship, with Frannie Steiner claiming the individual title. Steiner is now as a sophomore at McKendree University and is concentrating on academics this year after bowling for the Bearcats last season.
"We didn't make it to state last year, but it just wasn't our day at the sectional," said Collinsville coach Sean Hay. "Overall, we had a 10-3 record in a tough (Southwestern) conference and had two tournament victories (Collinsville and Taylorville). Elizabeth Beauchamp, who was a bench player on our state championship team, finished 14th at state and is now doing very well at Lindenwood University.
"We had to live in the shadow of a team that was absolutely great. We graduated six seniors from that group, so we didn't have a lot of experience. Every time they bowled, they weren't competing against their opponent, they were competing against that (state champion) team."
This year, the Kahoks have more experience, with Beauchamp as the only graduation loss. Key players include seniors Katie Crafton, Jessica Fowler and juniors Sarah Crafton, Amber Burns and Courtney Bruncic.
"Katie is throwing the ball better than I've ever seen her throw," Hay said. "At the end of last year, she was taking her lumps trying to get the system we were teaching.
"Jessica didn't get a lot of varsity time last year as a first-time player, but she's put in a lot of time and is also throwing the ball better than ever. Sarah was our leading scorer last year with a 204 average in conference and I can see her going a lot further.
"Amber was very solid and steady last year, but she worked all summer and I think she's improved too. Courtney kind of had a baptism under fire as a sophomore because she didn't have a lot of experience, but like Amber, she made a big progression over the summer."
The Collinsville boys, meanwhile, struggled at times last season.
"The system that we started to implement takes a while to set in, although Ben Bauer picked it up pretty quickly," Hay said. "It's kind of like learning how to putt - it takes feel and it takes time.
"This year the boys have been bowling in a travel league and they're leading it as a unit. We're looking to start to get back to where we were a couple years ago."
Hay describes Bauer, now a senior, as the rock of the team.
"In practice, he's had strikes on the front nine (frames) three times and he almost bowled an 800 series," Hay said. "Charlie Barger is a senior and he came on strong at the end of last year."
Other members of the varsity squad are seniors Joe Legendre, Chris Mitchell and Jonathan Bell and junior Matt Flanagan and Evan Smith.
"Joe is one of the few people on the team that has actually thrown a 300 game and he's looking tough coming off a successful football season," Hay said. "Chris came out as a freshman, but because of personal obligations, he didn't bowl the last two years. He came on like gangbusters in tryouts and did fantastic, so we're pretty excited to have him in the mix.
"Matt has been pretty solid in tryouts and has steadily been averaging 200. I can see him breaking out this year."
The boys opened the season Saturday in the Kahok Invitational at Camelot Bowl. O'Fallon (7256) won the 26-team event while the Collinsville White team (one of two squads from CHS) finished fourth. Waterloo's Chris Lang (1381) edged O'Fallon's Ryan Sullivan by one pin for the individual title. Sam Clark (1305, eighth place) was the top finisher for Collinsville.
Both squads face O'Fallon Tuesday at home, with the girls hosting the Kahok Team Challenge on Nov. 26.
"The short-term goal is to continue working in the system we've got, which is all about getting a good release," Hay said. "We also want to improve our spare percentage from last year.
"Finally, we want to be competitive and give ourselves a chance to win every tournament that we're in. If we can eliminate mistakes and keep our low games high, we'll let the pins fall where they may."
