MM_120717

mokenamessenger.com sports
the Mokena Messenger | December 7, 2017 | 47
fastbreak
22nd Century Media file
photo
1st-and-3
Team 22 football
1. State champs Lincoln-
Way East (above)
got seven players on
the first-team squad,
led by quarterback
Brendan Morrissey
and tight end Turner
Pallissard, and defensive
linemen Devin
O’rourke and Jaden
Hacha, linebackers
John Christensen
and Declan Carr, and
defensive back Max
Cesario.
2. Lincoln-Way Central
secured two spots
on our first-team list,
highlighted by running
back Mike Morgan
and linebacker
Matt Granberry.
3. Second team honors
went to wide receiver
A.J. Henning, offensive
linemen Anthony
Sottosanto and Troy
White, and kicker
Dominic Dzioban
for East. Central’s
second team honors
went to running
back Matt Pollack,
defensive lineman
Mark O’Reilly and defensive
back Peyton
Nigro.
Warriors’ balanced attack hands Knights their first loss
Steve Millar
Freelance Reporter
Lincoln-Way West senior
Caleb Kirby knew it was
important for his team to
have a better mindset when
it took the lanes against rival
Lincoln-Way Central on
Nov. 28
The Warriors had struggled
the week before, dropping
a dual against Bolingbrook.
“After our win against
Sandburg, we kind of
slacked off and didn’t have
good attitudes [the following
week],” Kirby said. “Our
coaches talked to us about
it, and we knew it ourselves,
too. We came out and did really
well (Nov. 28).”
Behind a balanced attack,
the Warriors cruised
to a 2,119-1,847 series win
over the Knights at Laraway
Lanes.
West took the opening
game 1,023-939 and the second
and final game 1,086-
908.
“We’ve never bowled
well against Central,” West
coach Scott Ullian said.
“They’ve owned us the last
three years, so it was nice to
get this win. We knew it’d be
tough. They’re a great team.
It just wasn’t their day.”
West improved to 5-1 in
duals, including 3-1 in the
SouthWest Suburban Conference.
It was the first defeat
for the Knights, who fell
to 5-1, 3-1.
Sophomore Cameron
Jablonski led the Warriors
with a 449 series, following
a 201 with the dual’s high
Listen Up
“We’ve got to get loud and get some team spirit going.
When we’re quiet, everybody gets down. Individually,
we’re good, but team-wise, we’re still building.”
Alex Nolan – Lincoln-Way Central sophomore bowler, on the teams’ lack of
enthusiasm during games so far.
Lincoln-Way Central’s Ricky Wesel, who bowled a 389 series, warms up before the match
against the Warriors. Adam Jomant/22nd Century Media
game of 248 in the finale.
“It was a little rough at the
start, but got better at the end
of Game 1,” Jablonski said.
“I was able to carry that over
to Game 2. Once I got going,
I just had to keep rolling. My
teammates helped me the
whole way.”
Kirby (437), George Dennison
(427), Alex Kubitz
(426) and Mike Nork (370)
also contributed for the Warriors.
“We were the most balanced
we’ve been all year,”
Ullian said. “No one shot
crazy good, but no one shot
bad. Having that balance really
helps because it’ll keep
people from trying to do
too much themselves. One
person can’t try to carry the
team. You’ve just got to go
up there and bowl.”
TUNE IN
Boys basketball
6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8
Kirby said the Warriors remained
positive throughout
the match.
“We all feed off each
other,” he said. “If someone
gets angry and throws a bad
shot, the guy who goes up
there next is going to be mad
and throw another bad shot.
You’ve got to know that it’s
a team effort and if you have
a bad shot, you can’t get too
stressed.”
The energetic Jablonski,
in the leadoff spot in the
Warriors’ lineup, was a tonesetter
in that regard.
“I put Cam in the leadoff
spot because he’s usually got
a great attitude and keeps
people going, especially
when he gets on a roll, like
this match,” Ullian said.
“They can all feed off him.
Attitude’s contagious.”
• The Knights host Bradley-Bourbonnais
Ullian was happy to see
his team get back on track.
Kirby, who spent his first
two years at Central before
transferring to West when
Lincoln-Way North closed,
enjoyed bowling against the
Knights.
“It’s always fun to see
friendly faces and to cheer
them on as well,” he said. “It
brings back memories, but I
like this team better, so I’ll
stick with this one.”
Sophomore Alex Nolan
(425) and junior Jack Davern
(423) had strong days
for the Knights. Ricky Wesel
(389) and Steven Plane
(313) also contributed while
Trevor Amir (157) and Denis
Gelembuks (140) bowled
one game each.
“It was just one of those
days for us,” Central coach
Index
43 – Athlete of the Month
43 – Athlete of the Week
Coley O’Connell said. “We
can learn from it and take
a lot away from it. We’re
still 3-1 in conference, but
we lost a lot of points (Nov.
28).
“In the end, though, it’d
be great to win conference,
but the main goal is to get
to state. We’ve just got to
keep learning along the
way. We’re going to try to
do some different things going
forward, put these guys
in some different situations,
and we’ve got some JV guys
pushing to get into the lineup.”
O’Connell said Nolan and
Davern have been strong
leaders.
“Those two have been carrying
us,” he said. “They’re
teaching the other kids.
Those guys have bowled
their whole lives, while the
others just started in eighth
grade or when they got to
high school.”
Nolan said it was important
for him to stay focused
even when his teammates
were struggling in the match
“I had to keep my head
up,” he said. “We were all
down, but it happens. When
you’re missing spares, your
scores are going to hurt. I
just had to keep making my
spares and stay consistent.”
Nolan hopes to see more
enthusiasm from his team
going forward.
“We’ve got to get loud and
get some team spirit going,”
he said. “When we’re quiet,
everybody gets down. Individually,
we’re good, but
team-wise, we’re still building.”
FASTBREAK is compiled by Editor T.J. Kremer III,
tj@mokenamessenger.com.com.