Boys Bowling: Deerfield’s Cole, Horwitz make cut for state meet

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Deerfield's Jon Lipsky, seen her during warm-ups at Saturday's sectional at Lakeside Lanes, didn't qualify to State but he did make all-conference. | Dan Luedert~Sun-Times Media

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Updated: February 27, 2012 8:23AM

What does a bowler eat for breakfast before a big tournament?

Just ask Deerfield’s Zach Cole. The answer may not surprise you.

“We stopped at McDonald’s,” said the senior Warrior. “I had a biscuit.”

Washed down with?

“A Dr. Pepper,” said Cole, who termed his pre-game meal, “the breakfast of champions.”

A nutritionist may object to such a categorization. But sports is about results, and Cole’s carbo-heavy food run was fuel for what he was seeking Saturday: another trip to the state tournament. His third-place finish (1332 pins) at the Stevenson Sectional was good enough to make the cut for the second year in a row.

The short, stocky, husky-throated Cole was high-fiving teammates and opponents after his final throw, a strike. It was an impulsive act by one of the area’s more popular bowlers. But how he reached the state tournament was anything but impetuous.

“Last year, I was stuck in one small comfort zone and I didn’t want to get out of it. I’ve practiced making better adjustments,” said Cole, a member of the 2009 Deerfield team that qualified for the state tournament. “I’ve practiced what to do when lanes get dryer — not to be afraid to make the ball switch and move left.”

Those changes were a function of hundreds of practice rounds, including several at Mundelein’s LakeSide Lanes — which hosted the sectional — in the days and weeks leading up to the tournament. Cole started hot on Saturday, totaling 725 after three games. After two straight games below 200, he finished the series with a strong 224, holding off challengers Max Galarce of Lake Zurich and Jake Thompson of Libertyville. 

Another key to his sterling, grace-under-pressure performance?

“I woke up early and did some jumping jacks to get myself loose,” Cole said. “I like to be loose.”

Recap: Cole will have to save a spot on the bus to O’Fallon — site of the state meet — for teammate Aaron Horwitz. The junior made the cut as an at-large qualifier, bowling a terrific series (1279), good for sixth place overall. There was drama going into the final game, as Horwitz was just 22 pins behind Cole. Libertyville’s Jake Thompson leapfrogged Horwitz for fifth place when he bowled a strike on the final throw of the sixth game. 

For the third year in a row, the Warriors fell just short of qualifying for the state tournament as a unit. Their score of 6011 was well short of second place Vernon Hills (6391).

“We had a great day — we just weren’t putting up big numbers we needed,” said Deerfield coach Peter Cullen. “We were putting up 1000s and a couple of high 900s, but we needed the 1100s to get us up there.”

Last year’s sectional champ, Quinn Thomas, had a disappointing day, finishing 24th overall (1196).

While this will be the last hurrah for Cole, and Thomas will graduate, the experience of participating in the state tournament should have a carryover effect for the rest of the Warriors.

“It’s good for the guys. We have half the team coming back,” Cullen said. “If they work hard in the offseason, they can get there. Horwitz is a perfect example.” 

On the schedule: Cole and Horwitz will compete in the state meet at St. Clair Lanes, in O’Fallon, beginning Friday morning.

Honors: The Northern Illinois Boys Bowling Conference (NIBBC) announced its all-conference team for the 2011-12 season.

The first-teamers are Mike Schmitt (Lake Zurich), Eric Swanson (Vernon Hills), Tony Giannecchini (Lake Zurich), Arnie Nadel (Stevenson) and Cole.

Second-teamers include Brenden Horwitz (Stevenson), Jake Thompson (Libertyville) and Jeremy Steininger (Vernon Hills), as well as Deerfield’s Quinn Thomas and Jon Lipsky.

Vernon Hills was the overall champ in the seven-team league, which also includes Evanston and New Trier.