Ten-pin bowling takes on a whole new meaning at the 2012 IHSA Boys Bowling State Finals, as the tenth edition of the event unfolds on Friday   and Saturday, January 27 and 28 at St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights. St. Clair’s 50-lane layout has been the only home the IHSA Boys Bowling State Finals have ever known and O’Fallon High School will once again be serving as the tournament host. IHSA.tv will be there to document all the action and will have highlights posted on the website in the days that follow.

Guilford High School became the second team from the city of Rockford to hoist the team state title a year ago (Jefferson in 2003), but did not qualify for the field in 2012, leaving Andrew as the only school to win back-to-back crowns (2004, 2005) in the first decade of the state meet. A host of usual suspects, including Vernon Hills (2nd in 2011), Lake Zurich (3rd) and Lake Park (7th) all return to the team field, but the literal host also needs to be seen as a top contender.

No team in the state produced a higher team score (6,591) than O’Fallon during Sectionals this year and the Panthers will have the comfort of their home lanes for the state tourney, as sophomore Billy Goodman (1,379) and company look to ride the momentum from Sectionals to the school’s first state crown in the sport.

Lake Zurich and Vernon Hills both lost several key contributors from a year ago to graduation, but the 2012 editions reloaded to post the fourth- and fifth-best Sectional totals (LZ-6,423, VH-6,391), respectively, in the state this season. Lake Zurich is paced by junior Mike Schmitt, who is a top individual title contender after placing second a year ago with a two-day total pinfall of 2,772, while Vernon Hills junior Eric Swanson earned a Top 30 individual finish in 2011.

Lake Park is in search of its second team state title (2009) and despite graduating all of its participants from the 2011 state meet, the Lancers were second only to O’Fallon in team Sectional scores this year (6,575) behind the play of senior Zach McLaughlin (1,383 in Sectionals).

Three other Top 10 teams from a year ago return to the field in 2012, including two-time state champ Andrew, Romeoville and a Plainfield Central club looking to follow the lead of fellow district school and 2010 state champ Plainfield South.

Lake Zurich’s Schmitt posted the state’s top individual Sectional score (1,469) this season, but Rockford Christian junior Jonathan Melton (1,446) and Centralia sophomore Justin Sligar (1,433) weren’t far off his pacesetting total.

Sandburg senior Joey Kopera (1,402, 2012 Andrew Sectional champ) will likely be a top individual contender as well, as he looks to build off of last year’s two-day state total of 2,705 that gave him fifth-place individual honors. Deerfield senior Zach Cole also returns after placing seventh individually with a total pinfall of 2,634 a year ago at St. Clair.

SITE
St. Clair Bowl (Fairview Heights)
Host: O'Fallon High School
Directions


SCHEDULE
Friday, January 27
9:00 AM
Opening Ceremonies

9:45 AM
Start Round One

1:00 PM
Start Round Two


Saturday, January 28
9:15 AM
Introductions

9:45 AM
Start Round Three

1:00 PM
Start Round Four


QUALIFIERS
Qualifers & Lane Assignments


WATCH
A highlight package from the tournament will be posted on www.IHSA.tv in the days that follow the tournament.

LISTEN
No audio broadcasts currently scheduled for this event


RESULTS & LIVE STATS
Friday Prelim Results

Saturday Finals Results


TICKETS
Day Pass-$10


INTERACT
Chat

Photos

Video


HISTORY & RECORDS
2011 State Series Results

Past Team Champions

Past Individual Champions

Record Book