Upbeat St. Charles North girls bowling eyes sectional challenge

ST. CHARLES – Like clockwork, bowling alleys resound with the clatter of rolling balls and falling pins at any given moment.

The St. Charles North girls team aims to go above the noise every time it competes, supporting one another with cheers and positive feedback. Saturday’s IHSA Rolling Meadows Sectional at the Mount Prospect Brunswick Zone is no different.

“We’re always not just trying to improve on ourselves, but help our teammates out,” North Stars sophomore Alyssa Byers said. “I think we all try to make sure we stay positive. Even though we might bowl bad one game, you really try to step it up for the next game and help our team out.”

North finished second among 12 teams at the Lake Park Regional at the Roselle Brunswick Zone this past weekend, rolling a 5,185 over six games. Host Lake Park won the event with a 5,643. St. Charles East (4,788) placed fourth, claiming the final team qualifying spot.

To advance to the state tournament, held Feb. 19 to 20 at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford, the North Stars must place in the top four of the team standings. North knows that’s a challenging task, but team members figure they have the stomach – and the vocal cords – for pursuing it.

During a compact season in which competition only begins on the final Friday of November, obstacles inevitably sprout. The North Stars use their collective resolve to clear them.

“Practicing,” said Jessica Miller, the team’s lone senior. “Throwing balls at 10 pins. Throwing them at seven pins. Just keeping the repetition up and keeping our energy up, especially when we’re actually playing. Just so we can bring each other up.”

The North Stars find themselves in a familiar position. The program has finished second at regionals in each of the three seasons since the IHSA added that component to the state series, beginning with the 2013-14 school year.

However, sectional success has not always been guaranteed. North placed eighth in that round in 2014 and 10th last season, although Claire Sebastian, now a junior, advanced to state as an individual in 2015.

North coach Lindsay Madej has been encouraged with the team’s consistent progression, including last month’s competitive loss to Upstate Eight Conference power West Aurora.

“That was really exciting,” Madej said. “Because they’re clearly dominant.”

The North Stars look to maintain those vibes and an optimistic attitude this weekend.

“I’m really glad that my team has helped push us up,” Miller said. “We all get along so well, and I don’t want this season to end.”