Boys Bowling: St. Charles East's Edgar Burgos has team state title in his sights this year

Edgar Burgos has a bold goal ahead of the state bowling competition this weekend, and it doesn't just involve his individual success.

"My number one goal [this weekend] is not to win state individually. I want my team to win state as a team," said Burgos, a St. Charles East sophomore.

As a freshman Burgos won the state individual title, while leading St. Charles East to fourth place as a team.

Now he wants more.

"I feel like we've worked to that this whole year – not for me to win individually – but for the team to win as a team," Burgos said. "I want the team to win first."

This season, the Saints rolled to a regional championship behind Burgos' individual 1,390 score, while the team had a 161-pin advantage over Sycamore. At sectionals last Saturday, St. Charles East placed fourth as a team.

The state tournament is held Friday and Saturday at St. Clair Bowl in O'Fallon. Today is the team's travel day, which includes a practice round in the afternoon. The Saints will compete as a team, while St. Charles North junior Zachary McCormick advanced as an individual.

St. Charles East's lineup, though, is uncertain.

"Right now, four of our teammates are sick with the flu," Saints senior Nick Cutrara said on Wednesday. "I guess this is kind of putting in perspective how important it for us to work through these hardships and still try to bowl to the best of our ability."

The rise to the top of the competitive field has slowly progressed since the beginning of the season for the Saints.

"I feel like at the beginning of the season, we were still like last year's team," Burgos said. "We were still missing spares as a team. We were still too nervous to talk to each other. But, as the season moved on, we created a family. And, now we trust each other way more than we did last year. I feel like that's going to pay off."

Cutrara, a four-year varsity member, is slated to bowl leadoff, just like the last three seasons.

"For me, it helps with my timing and how I feel," Cutrara said of his leadoff spot. "In bowling, [some] talk about the lineup and it's dependant on how good you are. 'If you're the best, you're going to be last so you can anchor. If you need to clutch up in a situation, you can do that.'"

"I think [going] first is technically considered third-best," Cutrara continued. "But, I don't like to think of it like that. I just like to get into my own rhythm. I enjoy leading off because it lets me help the team talk about transition, especially when we change lanes. I can help the team [and] tell them if they need to adjust because I'm the first one throwing."