Boys Bowler of the Year Justin Milliman of Alton

Pete Hayes, phayes@thetelegraph.com

 Published 7:07 am CDT, Saturday, July 21, 2018

Photo:

Billy Hurst | For The Telegraph

Alton High bowler Justin Milliman captured the individual championship at the Jersey Regional and helped the Redbirds eventually grab a state tourney berth. He is the 2018 Telegraph Boys Bowler of the Year.,

ALTON — Justin Milliman had quite a postseason for the Alton High boys bowling team - and it all helped land the Redbirds kegglers an all-expense-paid trip to … O’Fallon.

While a trip to another Metro-East community might not normally enthuse the young bowlers and their famlies, the reason for it sure did:

The IHSA Boys State Bowling Tournament at St. Clair Bowl.

And Milliman, a senior, was right in the thick of the postseason action.

Milliman captured the individual championship at the Jersey Regional Tournament, paving the way to the sectional, where AHS claimed a state team berth at the two-day state tourney.

With a strong bowling tradition at AHS, Milliman was perhaps surprisingly the first Redbirds boys bowler to win an individual regional crown. He won the regional championship by 34 pins and missed just 10 spares. He rolled a 1,305 for his first tournament championship of any kind.

And he was loving every minute of it.

“I was so happy when I found out I won,” Milliman said. ““This is like no other, but it was pretty stressful.”

Led by Milliman, Alton repeated as the regional team champ, getting past host Jersey in the battle for the top spot, 5,891 to 5,819. Abingdon was third at 5,727 and Roxana nabbed the final team berth at the Mount Vernon Sectional Tournament. The Shells got past fifth-place Marquette Catholic 5,551-5,450, which slipped past Civic Memorial by eight pins for the fifth spot. Taylorville finished seventh with 5,385 pins, followed by Southwestern with 5,231, West Central 5,192, Hoopeston 5,155 and East Alton-Wood river 4,767.

Milliman also posted the high game for the day with a 259. He beat runner-up Nate Simpson of Abingdon by 34 pins for the individual championship. Jersey’s Zane Longley was third with 1,260 pins and Tyler Jones of North Mac, competing as an individual, was fourth with 1,230.

At the ensuing Mount Vernon Sectional the following weekend, Alton rode a roller coaster and slipped past rival Highland for the sixth and final team state-qualifying spot at the Mount Vernon Sectional at Nu Bowl Lanes

After the fifth game of the afternoon session moved the Redbirds up from eighth to seventh place, they stepped up and combined for a 1,017 sixth game to ease past Highland.

“After the fifth game, (assistant coach) Brian Stawar and I had a talk with the boys,” Alton coach Dave Meyer said, “and let them know they were 100 pins out of state qualification. The boys stepped up.”

O’Fallon won the sectional team crown, followed by Collinsville, Belleville East, Columbia, Freeburg .. and Alton.

Milliman had the second-highest Alton pin total at the sectional, wth 1,253. Teammate Derek Henderson led the way for the Redbirds with 1,346.

The Redbirds stumbled at the state tournament, finishing 23rd on the first day. But what a ride they had heading to O’Fallon.Boys Bowler 

Bowling Coach of the Year Dave Meyer of Alton
Pete Hayes, phayes@thetelegraph.com Published 7:00 am CDT, Saturday, July 21, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dave Meyer
Dave Meyer
ALTON — For Alton coach Dave Meyer, the 2017-18 prep bowling season was case of just over the jump - and almost.

The Redbirds boys bowlers eased their way to the IHSA State Tournament and the girls came oh, so close.

But each team, both of which are coached by Meyer, enjoyed its fair share of postseason happiness, including individual regional champions by each.

The Alton High boys bowling team earned its state tournament berth by slipping past Highland for the sixth and final team state-qualifying spot at the Mount Vernon Sectional.

After the fifth game of the afternoon session moved the Redbirds up from eighth to seventh place, they stepped up and combined for a 1,017 sixth game and moved past Highland.

“After the fifth game, (assistant coach) Brian Stawar and I had a talk with the boys,” Meyer said, “and let them know they were 100 pins out of state qualification.

“The boys stepped up.”

At the Jersey Regional a week earlier, Alton, led by individual champion Justin Milliman, repeated as the regional team champ, getting past host Jersey in the battle for the top spot, 5,891-5,819.

The Redbirds girls finished out of the running for a team slot at the state meet in Rockford with an 11th-place finish at the Mount Vernon Sectional at NuBowl Lanes.

“The girls didn’t finish the season as they had hoped,” said Meyer, in his second year as the AHS bowling coach. “I’m very proud of the girls for advancing as a team to the sectional.”

At the Alton Regional, the Redbirds grabbed the fourth and final sectional team spot and Redbirds junior Alex Bergin was the individual champion.

“The girls worked hard as a rebuilding team,” Meyer said after the sectional, “and bowled a few higher games than in other tournaments.”

Cassie Bowman led the way for Alton with a 1,169 series for six games and Bergin followed with a 1,150 series.

“Alex had a great look in the morning and was in sixth place,” Meyer said, “but she had a rough afternoon.

“We have a lot to look forward to next year, because we’re only losing four senior bowlers.”

Bowling Coach of the Year Dave Meyer of Alton
Pete Hayes, phayes@thetelegraph.com Published 7:00 am CDT, Saturday, July 21, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dave Meyer
Dave Meyer
ALTON — For Alton coach Dave Meyer, the 2017-18 prep bowling season was case of just over the jump - and almost.

The Redbirds boys bowlers eased their way to the IHSA State Tournament and the girls came oh, so close.

But each team, both of which are coached by Meyer, enjoyed its fair share of postseason happiness, including individual regional champions by each.

The Alton High boys bowling team earned its state tournament berth by slipping past Highland for the sixth and final team state-qualifying spot at the Mount Vernon Sectional.

After the fifth game of the afternoon session moved the Redbirds up from eighth to seventh place, they stepped up and combined for a 1,017 sixth game and moved past Highland.

“After the fifth game, (assistant coach) Brian Stawar and I had a talk with the boys,” Meyer said, “and let them know they were 100 pins out of state qualification.

“The boys stepped up.”

At the Jersey Regional a week earlier, Alton, led by individual champion Justin Milliman, repeated as the regional team champ, getting past host Jersey in the battle for the top spot, 5,891-5,819.

The Redbirds girls finished out of the running for a team slot at the state meet in Rockford with an 11th-place finish at the Mount Vernon Sectional at NuBowl Lanes.

“The girls didn’t finish the season as they had hoped,” said Meyer, in his second year as the AHS bowling coach. “I’m very proud of the girls for advancing as a team to the sectional.”

At the Alton Regional, the Redbirds grabbed the fourth and final sectional team spot and Redbirds junior Alex Bergin was the individual champion.

“The girls worked hard as a rebuilding team,” Meyer said after the sectional, “and bowled a few higher games than in other tournaments.”

Cassie Bowman led the way for Alton with a 1,169 series for six games and Bergin followed with a 1,150 series.

“Alex had a great look in the morning and was in sixth place,” Meyer said, “but she had a rough afternoon.

“We have a lot to look forward to next year, because we’re only losing four senior bowlers.”

Bowling Coach of the Year Dave Meyer of Alton
Pete Hayes, phayes@thetelegraph.com Published 7:00 am CDT, Saturday, July 21, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dave Meyer
Dave Meyer
ALTON — For Alton coach Dave Meyer, the 2017-18 prep bowling season was case of just over the jump - and almost.

The Redbirds boys bowlers eased their way to the IHSA State Tournament and the girls came oh, so close.

But each team, both of which are coached by Meyer, enjoyed its fair share of postseason happiness, including individual regional champions by each.

The Alton High boys bowling team earned its state tournament berth by slipping past Highland for the sixth and final team state-qualifying spot at the Mount Vernon Sectional.

After the fifth game of the afternoon session moved the Redbirds up from eighth to seventh place, they stepped up and combined for a 1,017 sixth game and moved past Highland.

“After the fifth game, (assistant coach) Brian Stawar and I had a talk with the boys,” Meyer said, “and let them know they were 100 pins out of state qualification.

“The boys stepped up.”

At the Jersey Regional a week earlier, Alton, led by individual champion Justin Milliman, repeated as the regional team champ, getting past host Jersey in the battle for the top spot, 5,891-5,819.

The Redbirds girls finished out of the running for a team slot at the state meet in Rockford with an 11th-place finish at the Mount Vernon Sectional at NuBowl Lanes.

“The girls didn’t finish the season as they had hoped,” said Meyer, in his second year as the AHS bowling coach. “I’m very proud of the girls for advancing as a team to the sectional.”

At the Alton Regional, the Redbirds grabbed the fourth and final sectional team spot and Redbirds junior Alex Bergin was the individual champion.

“The girls worked hard as a rebuilding team,” Meyer said after the sectional, “and bowled a few higher games than in other tournaments.”

Cassie Bowman led the way for Alton with a 1,169 series for six games and Bergin followed with a 1,150 series.

“Alex had a great look in the morning and was in sixth place,” Meyer said, “but she had a rough afternoon.

“We have a lot to look forward to next year, because we’re only losing four senior bowlers.”

STATE BOUND: Alton High's bowling team, Roxana's Bertoletti advance to Fairview Heights

 

 

MOUNT VERNON – Alton's boys bowling team and Roxana's Christian Bertoletti have advanced to next weekend's IHSA Boys Bowling Championship at St. Clair Bowl in O'Fallon.

The Redbirds finished sixth in Saturday's IHSA Mount Vernon Sectional at NuBowl Lanes to move into the state tournament, which takes place next Friday and Saturday; the Redbirds were led Derek Henderson, who had a total pinfall of 1,346 in his six-game set Saturday; he was followed by Justin Milliman (1,253) and Gavin Taylor (1,110) among Redbirds who rolled all six games on the day.

The Alton High varsity bowling team consists of Jeremy Grover, Grant Stricklar, Jared Cochran, Justin Milliman, Carl Crumer III, Matt Engdale, Derek Henderson, Gavin Taylor, Trevor Vallow and Chris Duke. Coaches are Brian Stawar, assistant coach, and Dave Meyer, head coach. The boys and coaches are pictured above.

 

 

“The boys bowled well in the morning finishing for lunch in sixth place, just making the cut," Coach Meyer said on Saturday. "Alton had a bad fourth game bowling a 914, moving them to eighth place. The fifth game the boys came back better with a 960 this moved them into seventh place. Brian Stawar and myself had a talk with the boys letting them know that they were 100 pins out of state qualification. The boys stepped up with Derek (259) Trevor (224) and Chris (204) for a 1017 game pushing them past Highland.”

O'Fallon won the team championship with a total pinfall of 6,480, followed by Collinsville (6,159), Belleville East (6,147), Columbia (6,088), Freeburg (6,001) and the Redbirds (5,991); the top six teams advanced to the state tournament. Highland (5,984) just missed the cut with a seventh-place finish; they were followed in the 16-team field by Herrin (5,865), Roxana (5,801), Centralia (5,747), Abdington-Avon (5,722), Marion (5,698), the host Rams (5,679), Triad (5,459), Anna-Jonesboro (5,426) and Jersey (5,130).

Betoletti was the only area individual to advance to state with a total of 1,336, finishing second among individual bowlers on non-qualifying teams to state; the top seven bowlers from non-qualifying teams advanced. Freeburg's Tyler Hunter won the individual title with a total pinfall of 1,416 on the day.

Play at the state tournament begins at 9 a.m. Friday for the 24 teams and 30 individuals who have advanced to state; following Friday's first day, the field will be cut to the top 12 teams and top 30 individuals from teams not making the cut for Saturday's second day. Play begins at 9 a.m. Saturday for the final two rounds of the tournament.

The boys will practice Monday thru Wednesday at Bowl Haven in Alton Thursday at St. Clair Bowl and begin the state tournament Friday morning at St Clair Bowl.

 

Brent Feeney also contributed to this story

If you have a news, human interest or sports idea, e-mail Danbrannan@riverbender.com or call or text 618-623-5930. Follow Dan Brannan on Facebook and on Twitter.

Alton defeats Edwardsville in dual bowling match

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALTON – Alton and Edwardsville met Thursday evening in a Southern Illinois High School Bowling Conference Southwestern Division competition at Bowl Haven Lanes in Alton.

 

 

 

Alton's boys and girls won their varsity competitions on the evening, while the Alton JV boys threw a 7-0 shutout on the Tigers. The Redbird boys scored a 37-3 win over the Tigers, while the AHS girls defeated the EHS girls 32-8.

On the girls' side, Alton's Alex Bergin rolled the day's top series for her team with a three-game total of 559 (161-200-198); Robi Dublo had a 490 (193-164-133), Cassie Bowman rolled a 483 (160-167-156) and Sami Dublo bowled a 435 (156-135-144). The Tigers' Sydney Sahuri led all bowlers for the day with a 608 series (including the day's high game of 262-166-180), with Rachel McTague followed with a 477 (149-179-149) on the day and Amy Malacherek turned in a 372 (113-128-131).

On the boys' side, Gavin Taylor led Alton with a 656 set on the day (217-236-203) while Derek Henderson had a 641 series on the day (212-203-226) and Trevor Vallow rolled a 625 series on the day (213-236-174); both 236s were equal high games on the day. The Tigers were led by Spencer Gray's 551 series (201-162-188), with Zak Keiser turning in a 540 (162-208-172) and Michael Jenkins rolling a 531 (224-172-135).

Chris Duke had a two-game series of 585 to lead the Redbird JVs (228-257) while Hayden Meyer rolled a three-game 404 for the Tiger JVs. Both teams will be in the Alton Invitational at Airport Plaza Bowl in Bethalto Wednesday, with the Redbirds bowling in the Panther Invitational Jan. 30.

 

 

 

 

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