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Lizzy Barton, Stephany Barton and Olivia Cassata each wore walking conversation pieces to school one day last week.
The trio’s Burlington Central girls bowling polos possessed such power because of their novelty.
Friends stopped the Barton sisters and Cassata by their lockers, at lunch and wherever else they roamed, asking where the shirts originated and when the Rockets suddenly formed a team.
Their answer prompted a somewhat layered explanation – the group actually competes as individuals – but the end result still humbles each student-athlete as Saturday’s Rockford Guilford Sectional looms.
"It's special because it took so long to get this chance, and now that we were finally able to do it, I'm just happy that we all advanced," said Lizzy Barton, a sophomore from Lily Lake. "Because it shows that we all care about bowling and it's one of the things that we like to do."
IHSA girls bowling dates to the Title IX era of the early 1970s, and opened its 43rd state series with last week’s regionals. The boys state series began in 2003.
Despite that history, however, the IHSA did not offer individuals the chance to represent their schools until the 2013-14 school year. Boys and girls competitions added a regional component then, with IHSA administrator Stacey Lambert saying “it just kind of seemed like a natural progression of the tournament” because individuals from non-advancing teams qualified for the next round, anyway.
Thirteen schools entered girls individuals for the 2014-15 state series. For the boys, it was 23. BC scrambled to be in that number last school year after learning of the rule change in the middle of the winter, but ultimately was too late.
After that experience, Ken Hudziak, Sr. vowed not to let another chance elude any aspiring Rockets keglers.
Hudziak describes himself as self-employed, but also is heavily involved at Elgin Lanes, where he’s in his seventh year as junior program director. His son, Charlie, is a junior at Central, and with classmate Brian Cremeens blazed a path as Central’s first boys bowlers last month.
Cremeens advanced from regionals to sectionals, but not before a frantic stretch in which Hudziak cemented his volunteer efforts by hustling to gain IHSA certification. Although he coached St. Edward bowlers in the mid-2000s, Hudziak still had to complete requisite courses, complying with IHSA bylaws.
Around the same time, BC athletic director Steve Diversey and assistant Jan Maas corresponded with the Bartons’ mother, Missy, who grew up with bowling and headed to various alleys on early dates with her now-husband, Tom.
Missy Barton also had sought an opportunity for her girls to compete outside of the St. Charles Bowl leagues they shared with Cassata. She contacted Hudziak and arranged for each of the girls to meet him at Elgin Lanes for a consultation. It wasn’t long before Hudziak agreed to assist that group, too, just a few weeks before regionals.
“With the stuff that Mr. Ken taught me, I think it helped make me more accurate and more consistent,” Stephany Barton said.
Stephany Barton, a junior, and Cassata, a sophomore, first met when Cassata and Lizzy Barton were classmates at Central Middle School.
Early conversations uncovered their shared passion for bowling, a notion Hudziak challenged with a fiery address as regionals at Poplar Creek Bowl in Hoffman Estates wound down.
With all three Rockets teetering on the cut to advance, Hudziak saved his most urgent oration for the end of the day’s sixth and final game. Over the ninth and 10th frames and the ensuing bonus rolls, Stephany Barton (947), Lizzy Barton (933) and Cassata (912) earned 11 of a possible 12 strikes.
“Let me tell you, it took me ... getting in their face, but they needed it. And that’s when they came alive, was in the ninth and 10th frames of the last game,” Hudziak said. “And that’s what put them through.”
Missy Barton and Cassata’s mom, Cindy, admittedly grew emotional when their daughters were announced as individual sectional qualifiers moments later.
BC’s morning announcements hailed the trio’s accomplishment early the following week.
“It was nice,” Cassata said. “I felt recognized and proud.”
Ideally, the group hopes its initial success eventually can spur a movement for full Central teams.
Until then, they’ll happily roll on as individuals. The Bartons and Cassata planned to wear their bowling polos Friday, too.
Swimmer's ear: St. Charles East boys swimming coach Joe Cabel grinned at the assertion he had inadvertently played an anthem for tapering Saints as Monday's practice concluded.
It turns out the blaring sounds of Peter Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like We Do?” over the Norris Center stereo simply represented the longtime leader of East’s boys and girls programs keeping up appearances.
“With the girls, it’s hip-hop,” Cabel said. “With the guys, it’s old-time rock ‘n roll.”
But could a spokesperson from either Saints side tell you that? As evidenced by this testimony from sophomore Nick Boryk, it doesn’t sound like it.
“I didn’t hear the music,” Boryk said. “You’re usually always talking to yourself or singing a song in your head and trying to get through the set to not make it as hard.”
Tell the Bell: Arizona Diamondbacks farm director Mike Bell missed a rendezvous with his dad, Buddy, while visiting Geneva for the Cougars' "Meet the Diamondbacks" event two weekends ago.
The brevity of Mike Bell’s stay was the culprit.
Buddy Bell, a former Major League player and manager, now serves as White Sox assistant general manager after several years in the organization and lives in downtown Chicago.
“He’s traveling more than he’s probably in Chicago. … Our schedules do, at times, sync up, but not this time,” Mike Bell said.
• Kevin Druley is a sportswriter for the Kane County Chronicle. He can be reached at 630-845-5347 or kdruley@shawmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @KevinDruley.