Eryka Graham

ROCKFORD – Eryka Graham of Alton made it a point to improve Saturday in the IHSA Girls Bowling finals at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford.

She accomplished her mission.

Graham, a junior, shot a score of 2,515 for a dozen games overall. She rolled six of them on Saturday, the closing day of the two-day state tournament. Graham, The Advantage News Prep Girls’ Bowler of the Year as a sophomore, fashioned a 667 series and then ended with a 639 one.

“Eryka was a lot more relaxed Saturday than Friday and that enabled her to get over the hump,” Alton coach Jeff Woszczynski said.

She spun a 235, 225 and 207 in her first series the last day. Then she logged games of 237, 220 and 182 and was in 25th place at one point before settling for 32nd. Graham thus boosted her position from the first day, when she was positioned in 56th place following a 610 series and a 559 one.

“She stayed with it and made adjustments for the second day,” Woszczynski said. “It worked out well for her.”

He added, “It was a pretty nice weekend and set up Eryka for next year.”

Kyra Udziela, a senior from Lemont, won the individual state championship with a score of 2,748. Kierstein Vandenburg of team champ Lockport took second with 2,663 pins. O’Fallon junior Madison Kasza was 12that 2,597. And Southwestern Conference champion Collinsville had three bowlers finish between 21st and 28th places. Katelyn Wirtel led the Kahoks with a score of 2,574 for 21st.

Lockport outscored Collinsville for the team title. The Porters amassed 12,689 pins, or 148 more than the Kahoks. Salem came in sixth and Herrin was 12th.