Bowling. Something you don’t expect to read about everyday, but here you are reading about it. The bowling team has been through a lot of ups and downs through the season, but continues to work towards a a chance to go to state.
The team battled in every match and fought for a chance at state on February 11. (Amherst needed to beat Merrill and hoped to pull out a victory against their biggest rival, Antigo, in order to qualify.)
The Amherst boys team put in the work and showed dedication in effort to get to the state. They are currently 6-2 and looking to end up 7-3 or hopefully 8-2 (as of Feb. 8).
Seniors Alex Glodowski and Eathan Paulson have led this team with every ounce of encouragement to help the underclassmen practice and improve. Varsity members include Ian Dudley, Alex Duley, Maddox Brown, Isaac Glodowski, Maxim Wise, Gunnar Wierzba, Eathan Paulson, and Alex Glodowski. The JV team includes Kayden VanderLaan, Korbin Williams, Jonah Stubinski, Ayden Nelson, Andrew O’Neill, Gibson Kenyon, Reece Stormoen, Mario Giombetti, Jackson Hahn, and Kaleb Krupka.
Alex Glodowski stated, “I think the season is going very well this year. We are third in the conference and hope to clinch a trip to State this weekend. My biggest accomplishment this year will be making state, if we do.
“The thing I’m most proud of in this team is how well the young guys have done under pressure. We are a very young team and lost a lot of guys last year, but we’re hoping to get back to state this weekend.”
The girls team has also been through a lot of ups and downs during the year but are still fighting for their position, too. They have been putting in the work since the first day of practice, and they are also hungry to get to state. The girls team is made up of four girls from Amherst: Laura Krupka, Keira Konkol, Lauren Kenyon, and Taryn Loken, and two from SPASH, Shealynn Shurbert and Mariska Masias.
Laura Krupka says, “I think the season is going alright. Our teams have been working hard to get to State and it’s showing on the lanes. I think our biggest accomplishment this year is the effort and the improvement from everyone on the team. Something I am very proud of from this team is the motivation the team has. They have been pushing through injuries and just trying as hard as possible to come to practice and improve.”
“Bowling is a sport I have always loved,” said Ian Dudley, in reflecting on the season. “And one thing I have always lived by for any sport is no matter what situation you are in, it is always Go Time. I believe in the team this year and we all hope we can pull it off and get ourselves to State this year.”
JV bowling member Korbin Williams added, “Life is like a ratchet. To loosen the bolt you must go back, kinda how in life you can’t succeed without set backs.
“To throw the bowling ball explains the whole sport. Your back swing is the tough and hard times of trying new things, but you keep trying and you swing through and release, which shows all the hard work and dedication that you have put in.”
This year’s team will never forget the rough practices and the rough meets they should’ve won, but they kept pushing. They fought towards a goal, and did everything they could to reach it. The underdogs are sometimes proven wrong, but these underdogs are about to show the bowling community who they actually are, win or lose, and if not this year, then soon in the future.
Editor’s note (an update): On February 11, the team took their shot at State, and were unsuccessful. Bowlers fought hard but weren’t able to pull off the wins they needed to make it. Bowler Ian Dudley qualified as an individual. “The team had an emotional last day but it will be a day we remember for all our lives,” said Dudley. “I hope to win it (state) for the seniors that won’t be with us next year.” The individual state tournament for boys and girls is the first weekend in March. The Talon will report back on Dudley’s first appearance at state in the March edition.
