Jan. 31--Stevenson capped a record-setting boys bowling state tournament Saturday with its first state title and a pair of juniors atop the leaderboard.
The Patriots (13,361 pins) overtook Lockport after the first game of the day and held off a late surge from Rockton Hononegah (13,321) to win at St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights. O'Fallon (13,240) finished third. Lockport, the leader after Friday, fell into a tie for fourth with Machesney Park Harlem (13,110).
Stevenson's two-day pinfall eclipsed Andrew's 10-year-old state record by 210. No more than two teams had ever cleared 13,000 pins at the same state tournament. This year, there were five.
Junior Zach Singer (2,899) vaulted from his seventh-place finish Friday to first to claim the Patriots' first individual state title, and classmate Richy Zenner (2,879) climbed from an overnight fifth-place tie to be the runner-up. No teammates had ever finished one-two at state, and Singer became only the third champion also to win a team title the same year.
Stevenson's previous high finish at the tournament was eighth last year. No Patriot had ever finished inside the top 12 individually.
Harlem junior Jacob Nimtz and Carbondale senior John Lauzon rolled 300s in their last games of the day. Nimtz finished fifth and now has three perfect games at the state tournament over the last two years. He won the 2015 individual title after rolling two 300s on the final day. No other bowler has more than one perfect game at state.
Top 10 teams
Stevenson 13,361; Rockton Hononegah 13,321; O'Fallon 13,240; Machesney Park Harlem 13,110; Lockport 13,110; Sandburg 12,915; Cahokia 12,825; Andrew 12,816; Jerseyville 12,747; Plainfield North 12,635
Top 10 individuals
Zach Singer (Stevenson), 2,899; Richy Zenner (Stevenson), 2,879; Andrew Orf (O'Fallon), 2,863; Nate Stubler (LaSalle-Peru), 2,835; Jacob Nimtz (Machesney Park Harlem), 2,824; Brandon Mooney (Rockton Hononegah), 2,816; Connell Kelleher (Notre Dame), 2,799; Jack McGuinn (Lyons), 2,793; Mike Pruchnik (Lockport), 2,788; Trevor Smith (Sycamore), 2,759
