Warriors roll to state

Similar to the old adage, “It’s who you know,” on Saturday it was all about where you bowl.

Sterling rolled to the state tournament, winning the Galesburg sectional title at Northgate Lanes by 341 pins. Their total pinfall of 5,699 would have placed sixth in the Oregon Sectional at Plum Hollow Lanes, where the Dixon Dukes finished third with 5,850 total pins.

“It was a wonderful effort by all of our girls both in the morning and in the afternoon,” Sterling coach Dennis Black said. “But my heart broke for [Dixon coach] Larry [Lacoursiere] when I saw their results. They probably bowled the best they have all season.

“As a team, we were really fortunate.”

Heather Wolf took the individual title in Galesburg with a six-game series of 1,241. She also had the best three-game series with a 658 in the morning session. Her Golden Warriors are state-bound for the third time in her four-year prep career.

“We had to make some adjustments, and I’m proud of myself for being able to make them,” Wolf said. “But, really, I’m just so happy we’re going back to state.”

Brandy Behrens’ 1,139 series was 10th-best in the 19-team field, and Amber Granzow was right on her heels with a 1,131. The Warriors took a 300-plus-pin lead into the finale.

“After the fifth game, I knew we’d won the title,” Black said. “It was nice that I didn’t have to bite my nails this time around.”

The Duchesses were chasing their third straight sectional title, but ran into a veritable gauntlet in the form of several Rockford teams that descended on Plum Hollow. After hanging neck-and-neck with Harlem and Jefferson throughout both sessions, they outrolled the latter 923-812 on Lanes 3 and 4 and felt confident they’d punched another ticket to Rockford next Saturday.

But, about a dozen lanes down the line, Guilford snakebit them with a final game of 1,023 that put the Duchesses 20 pins in their wake. Guilford’s anchor, Shannon Carlson, finished her day with an eight-bagger.

The Duchesses’ captains led the charge as junior Autumn Day and senior Samantha Bay racked up series of 1,229 and 1,222, respectively. After a slow start, junior Devan Gearhart rolled at least a 211 in her last four games.