Belvidere boys, girls split with Belvidere North in bowling

By Bob Balgemann

REPORTER

It was all Belvidere North last year when the cross-town rivalry with Belvidere returned to the bowling alley.

Not so this year.

Varsity newcomer Greg Suthers improved on his opening-day series by 216 pins as the Bucs stunned the Blue Thunder, 3,470-3,248, in NIC-10 competition.

He rolled a three-game 679 series that included a 257 high game, both personal bests so far this season. His average for the day was 226 per game.

Team-wise, the Bucs won two of three games and set the tone for the day in the opener, winning by 207 pins. The next two games were close. Belvidere won the second, 1,153-1,050, while North took the third, 1,152-1,070.

The Bucs received another top-notch performance from Joe Gallagher, who recorded a 615 series over his three games. That was his season high so far.

Another personal best came from Ben Deardorff with a 540 series.

Anthony Gutierrez notched a 558 series; Brock Irwin a 548; and Kevin Jenkins, a 530.

Belvidere North was led by sophomore Justin Bragg with a personal best 656 series. Jonathan Powell bowled in his first varsity match and turned in a 534 series that included a high game of 179. He averaged 178 for the day.

Garrett Nelson was over 600 for the second consecutive week, this time with a 607. He was followed by Jose Gonzalez with a 465; Alex Schauer with a 455; and Max Rukhaberlen with a 452.

Junior Varsity action

Both the girls’ teams from Belvidere and Belvidere North received personal best outings from numerous competitors in their Friday, Dec. 2 match.

First of all, team-wise, the Lady Blue Thunder stormed to a 1,152-973 lead after the first game and continued on to a 3-0 sweep, finishing with a total pin fall of 3,307-2,969 for Belvidere. The 1,152 single game was third best on the day among the five matches involving 10 conference teams.

Individually, North was led by Brynn Lambrecht with a 662 series, her best so far this season. Other individual highs for the season were a 635 series by Rachel Nelson; a 586 by Alexis Bendorf; a 518 series and 182 single game for Camile Spencer; and a 420 series by Sidney Baird.

Giovannina Castaldo appeared in her first varsity match and rolled a three-game 427 series.

Belvidere’s Holley Steelberg turned in a season’s best 621 series, along with a 229 single game, to lead her team. Other high marks were turned by Hailey Carter, a 247 single game; Alexis Sherman, a 185; Hannah Widby, a 456 series; and Elyce Turnipseed, a 410 series.

In junior varsity action the same day, Belvidere North took both the boys and girls matches.

The Blue Thunder boys won, 2,548-2,391, to remain in a tie for first place with a 2-0 record. They’re being led so far this season by Patrick Bender with a 196 average over six games, as well as a 201 high game and 543 series. The Bucs’ top performance to date has come from Aaron Rochon, who’s averaging 196 with a 233 high game and 543 series.

Belvidere North’s girls took two-of-three games and their match was much closer. They won by 28 pins, 1,723-1,695, rallying from a 12-pin deficit after two games. They also are tied for first place with a 2-0 record.

Cailyn Kottman is leading the Lady Blue Thunder with a 147 average, a 158 high game, and 442 high series.

For the Lady Bucs, Allison White is averaging 134 for six games with a 179 high game and a 405 series.