HH_113017

42 | November 30, 2017 | The Homer Horizon SPORTS
homerhorizon.com
This Week In...
Lockport Township
High School Varsity
Athletics
Wrestling
■Dec. ■ 1 host Bolingbrook, 5
p.m.
■Dec. ■ 2 at Washington Quad,
8 a.m.
Boys Basketball
■Dec. ■ 1 at Lincoln-Way West,
6:30 p.m.
■Dec. ■ 5 at Plainfield North,
6:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball
■Dec. ■ 2 at Minooka, 2:30
p.m.
■Dec. ■ 5 at Lincoln-Way West,
6:30 p.m.
Girls Bowling
■Dec. ■ 2 at Palatine Invite, 9
a.m. at Brunswick Zone Deer
Park
■Dec. ■ 5 at Sandburg, 4:30
p.m.
Boys Bowling
■Nov. ■ 30 host Plainfield
South, 4:30 p.m. at Strike &
Spare
■Dec. ■ 2 at Oak Forest Bengal
Invite, 8:30 a.m. at Oak Forest
Bowl
■Dec. ■ 5 at Lincoln-Way
Central, 4:30 p.m.
■Dec. ■ 6 at Yorkville, 4:30
p.m. at Yorkville Bowl
Boys Swimming
■Dec. ■ 1 at Lincoln-Way West
Warrior Pentathalon, 4:45
p.m.
■Dec. ■ 5 at Lincoln-Way
Central, 5 p.m.
Cheerleading
■Dec. ■ 3 at Sandburg, 9 a.m.
Dance
■Dec. ■ 2 at Minooka Invite,
8 a.m.
Porters host first Turkey Bowl tournament
Submitted by Lockport
Township High School
The J. Kyle Braid program
at Lockport Township
High School hosted its first
Turkey Bowl earlier this
month.
The co-ed flag football
tournament, organized by
the district’s outstanding
JKB members, provided a
fun event for students. The
event helped raise funds for
future members.
A total of 12 teams participated,
which was more
than 120 students. While
the weather was not ideal,
students had some great
competitions on the field
and demonstrated their
teamwork throughout the
night.
The JKB Experiential
Education Foundation provides
an interactive environment
outside of the high
school walls, designed to
promote successful experiential
learning. The transfer
of knowledge and good
judgment into the lives
of its students and those
around them is also a part of
the overall goal of the foundation.
RIGHT: Twelve teams
participated in the Turkey
Bowl.
The winning Turkey Bowl team shows off the shirts they
received for winning the tournament held earlier this month
at LTHS. Photos submitted
Athlete of the Week
10 Questions
with Alec Buchhaas
Alec Buchhaas is a senior at
Lockport Township and the
anchor and elder statesman
on the boys bowling team.
How do you think the
season has gone for the
team so far?
I think since the beginning,
we’ve got a lot better.
As a whole, everyone is
getting their shot down and
figuring it out. We’ve put up
some good scores the last
couple of weeks.
How did you get
involved in bowling?
When I was in the first
grade, my sister, Devan,
started bowling at Lockport.
She was a freshman
and just decided to go out
for the team. Then she was
a member of the 2009 state
championship team. So I followed
what she was doing
and fell in love with bowling.
My brother, David, was
on the 2013 state champion
team here at Lockport, too.
So, I followed him, too, and
always thought, ‘One day, I
want to be as good as them.’
So do you three get
together to all bowl
against each other
now?
We haven’t had a chance
to all get together in quite
some time. But when we do,
it’s quite competitive. Still,
until I get a state championship,
I can’t put myself
on the same level as them.
They’re still ahead of me.
Have you ever bowled
a 300?
Yes. Once in a game setting,
and I think five times
in practice. The game setting
one was in the summer
of 2015 in a league at Strike
and Spare II. I’ve bowled
some 299 and 298 scores in
high school.
What do you tell people
who say that bowling
isn’t a sport?
I also play basketball, obviously
not for the school,
and just with my friends. Although,
I played it at Homer
Jr. High. But bowling is
harder, especially mentally.
You have a team depending
on your shot, and [at the
tournaments] it’s an all day
event. Plus, there’s different
oil patterns that you have to
adjust to, so there’s a lot of
physical things, too. But it’s
a lot more mental than people
imagine.
During a typical
tournament, how many
bowling balls do you
bring?
I have a total of nine bowling
balls, and I bring six to
every tournament. I also
bring six to the dual meets.
I used to have a spare ball
that I used just to pick up
spares, but like a lot of other
bowlers, I taught myself to
use my regular ball to pick
up spares. That’s because
I could need all six of my
balls, depending on the lane
conditions.
What is your favorite
bowling alley?
Strike and Spare II. I grew
up there and actually used
to work there. I love being
there. I’m used to bowling
there. It’s what I grew up on,
22nd Century Media File Photo
so it’s my favorite.
What have you learned
from Lockport boys
bowling coach Ron
Davis?
I’ve learned a lot in the
four years that he’s taught
me. I just soak up everything
he says. He’s made me from
a good bowler to a better
bowler than I ever thought
was good. He’s just made
me so much better the last
four years.
Do you plan on bowling
in college?
Maybe. Right now, I’m
going back-and-forth between
bowling in college or
getting a job with the union
as a pipefitter.
What is the best thing
about being an athlete
at Lockport?
Definitely the people
that are around the school.
Our principal, Mr. [Dennis]
Hicks, found out I was on
the bowing team. So, now he
always stops me in the hall
and asks, “How’s it going?”
and “How did we do?” Plus,
we have great coaches, like
Mr. Davis, and great things
for recognition of the athletes
of the sports, like our
seasonal award banquets.
Interview by Freelance Reporter
Randy Whalen