Salem Wildcats bowling team competed in the U.S. High School Nationals over the weekend and into Monday.
The team competition was first on Saturday. The team finished the first session in First place going into the first cut. The cut was 51 teams down to 16. At the cut to 8, we were sitting in 3rd. At the cut to 4, we were still in 3rd, and that is where they ended! 3rd Place as a team at US High School Nationals – that’s pretty impressive!! Many of the State Championship teams along with other qualifying teams from all over the US were competing here this weekend! Even though in the moment they were disappointed with that finish, they have come around and realized that it is absolutely nothing they should hang their head about and that they are proud of that accomplishment!! We are Super Proud of them!
Individual competition started yesterday with 4 qualifying games. ALL FIVE of the Salem bowlers (Rhett, Ryan, Keaton, Dom and Silas) advanced past the first round. 350 plus bowlers cut down to 150. So, we all went back this morning to try to advance further. 3 more games before the next cut down to only 40 bowlers. Ryan was sitting 19th and Rhett in 91st going into today. Ryan and Rhett both had REALLY GOOD days and finished that round sitting in 8th and 15th.
The next round was one game and cut down to 10 final players. Rhett bowled well, and was happy with his game, but fell just short of the cut by 21 pins. Rhett finished his run in 12th place overall. Ryan moved on to that round sitting tied in 3rd. Next cut was down to 4 bowlers. Ryan made that cut sitting in 4th beating out one guy in front of him, but getting jumped by the one below him. So that took him to the round of 2nd, 3rd and 4th seed battling it out in one game to go to the Championship match.
The kid that won that round threw a heck of a game and deserved that win. Ryan bowled a good 220 game and finished the day 3rd place individually!
This was the last Wildcats bowling competition for graduate Dominick Winkler. Having been a part of 2 state championships teams and now a 3rd place in Nationals, and throw in his top 10 finish this past IHSA State Tournament, he will go down as one of the most successful bowlers in the programs history. And a huge shout out to former Wildcat Gavin Winkler who stepped in and did a GREAT job coaching the Cats during the team competition. Being there to bounce ideas off of an calm them down was huge, and it did not go unnoticed.
A big thank you to the Major Sponsors who allowed the Wildcats to make the trip and show the country what they have.
Thank you:
Schmidt Ford of Salem
Podergois Masonry
The Hole Dozen
Sager Insurance
Edward Jones – Shawn Garrett
Peoples State Bank
