Rochelle Township High School sophomore bowler Austin Hartnett’s best game of the season came outside of a meet.

He bowled a 300 on Monday, Jan. 5, on a double date at T-Byrd Lanes in Rochelle.

“We were having a great time,” Hartnett said. “I didn’t really think, I just did it. I didn’t realize until the ninth frame that I had a chance at a 300 game. I got pretty lucky and I did it.”

Hartnett is in just his second year of bowling, picking up the hobby once he got into high school. He’s enjoys the new sport and hopes to one day get a scholarship for it.

His previous high-score game was a 279. That day he rolled a gutter ball in the first frame before throwing strikes the rest of the way.

“I was devastated about the first frame after that, but it was still really fun,” he said. “I thought that was the closest I’d ever get. I never thought in a million years that I would bowl a 300.”

Hartnett said a crowd started to gather at T-Byrd Lanes as he inched closer to the 300 game. He felt the pressure and was able to persevere through it.

“I thought I was going to miss it after all that. It felt amazing to roll that last strike,” Hartnett said.

The 300 game gave Hartnett confidence for the rest of his high school bowling season.

“It taught me not to think too hard,” Hartnett said. “My dad told me the reason I got the 300 was because I didn’t think about getting a 300. I was just practicing. During a meet, you want to get 300 and a high score and series. I think harder during meets.”