Senior Jonathan Clemons knew that the bowling team’s match against Seton LaSalle in mid-January would be an important one.
“We thought if we beat them, we would take the section over,” Clemons said. “We had the first game with Seton and it was close, but after that it was just a clean sweep.”
Not only did Baldwin bowling win that match, but the team earned a section championship, losing only one match throughout the whole season. The Highlanders have clinched spots in WPIBL playoffs and regionals, with WPIBLs starting today.
Winning the section championship was special, since the Highlanders had finished in second place for the past several seasons.
“It was definitely a great feeling,” senior Kelson Kleinhampl said. “It was kind of cool that we’ve won the section in my senior year, and in most of our senior years, because most of us have been playing for all four years.”
When the team gets to regionals and WPIBLs, they are expecting to play against the best teams in the region.
“The team can compete against the top-tier teams in the league. There should be some very competitive matches with some of the top teams in the league,” bowling team Coach Dave Bonneau said.
The entire team has been consistent throughout the season, but senior Brady Malloy has stood out, according to Clemons. Malloy has an impressive average of 200 pins knocked down per game.
“He’s always really consistent,” Clemons said. “He is someone I can rely on all the time.”
Freshman Joe Renzi has also been key to their success when he has been called upon to start for the varsity team, Bonneau said.
“Joe Renzi has started a few games for the varsity a few times this year. He has shown a lot of passion and has the potential to be a very formidable opponent,” Bonneau said.
Each player contributes a good bit of their time to practice. Senior Nico Puglin and Bonneau believe that the team’s consistent practice is the key to their success.
“At our practice we were working on ‘reading the lanes.’ The oil that they put on the lanes makes the ball react differently. The different lanes in the area have a different feel. The faster we can see and feel the lane, the better the scores,” Bonneau said.
Kleinhampl finds practices to be a relaxing environment, but still very productive.
“They’re very chill. We just go on Sunday morning, we play three games and just kind of work on anything we need to work on,” Kleinhampl said.
The bowling team ended the year with just one loss, the best record for Baldwin bowling since 2009. The only game the Highlanders lost this season was against Carlynton.
“With all athletes, a loss hurts. It makes you wonder what went wrong,” Bonneau said. “With our last loss against Carlynton, it wasn’t that we bowled badly. We got out bowled. They just bowled a better game.”
At WPIBLs, Clemons believes that Thomas Jefferson High School could be their toughest competition.
“They have three really good bowlers and one of them is on fire right now. He’s averaging like a 220,” Clemons said.
In addition to making the WPIBL playoffs, the team has secured a spot in regionals, which start Feb. 28. They are confident in their ability to continue on to states.
“We’re making it to regionals. We have to make it to the states. I think we have the best chance,” Clemons said.
