MM_111518

34 | November 15, 2018 | The Mokena Messenger sports
mokenamessenger.com
Athlete of the Week
22nd Century Media File Photo
10 Questions
with DJ Armbrecht
This Week In...
Knights Varsity
Athletics
Boys Bowling
■Nov. ■ 17 - at Plainfield North
Tournament, 9 a.m.
■Nov. ■ 19 - at Joliet Central,
4:30 p.m.
■Nov. ■ 21 - at Bradley-
Bourbonnais, 4:30 p.m.
Boys Basketball
■Nov. ■ 19 - at Joliet West
Tournament, 5;15 p.m.
■Nov. ■ 21 - at Joliet West
Tournament, 5;15 p.m.
Girls Basketball
■Nov. ■ 16 - host Lincoln-Way
Central Tournament, 5 p.m.
■Nov. ■ 17 - host Lincoln-Way
Central Tournament, 10:30
a.m.
■Nov. ■ 19 - host Lincoln-Way
Central Tournament, 5 p.m.
■Nov. ■ 20 - host Lincoln-Way
Central Tournament, 5 p.m.
Girls swimming and
diving
■Nov. ■ 16 - at IHSA State
Final, TBA
■Nov. ■ 17 - at IHSA State
Final, TBA
Wrestling
■Nov. ■ 21 - at Lincoln-Way
East Quad, 3:30 p.m.
Griffins Varsity
Athletics
Football
■Nov. ■ 17 - at Loyola, TBA
Boys Basketball
■Nov. ■ 19 - at Joliet West
Thanksgiving Tournament,
5:15 p.m.
■Nov. ■ 21 - at Joliet West
Thanksgiving Tournament, 4
p.m.
Girls Basketball
■Nov. ■ 19 - at Marist Redhawk
Thanksgiving Tip Off Classic,
4:45 p.m.
■Nov. ■ 20 - at Marist Redhawk
Thanksgiving Tip Off Classic,
6:15 p.m.
■Nov. ■ 21 - at Marist Redhawk
Thanksgiving Tip Off Classic,
7:45 p.m.
Boys bowling
■Nov. ■ 17 - at Plainfield North
Invite, 9 a.m.
■Nov. ■ 19 - at Minooka, 4 p.m.
■Nov. ■ 20 - at Bolingbrook,
4:30 p.m.
Girls swimming
■Nov. ■ 16 - at IHSA State
Final, TBA
■Nov. ■ 17 - at IHSA State
Final, TBA
Wrestling
■Nov. ■ 20 - at Andrew Oak
Forest Triangular, 5 p.m.
■Nov. ■ 21 - host Lincoln-Way
East Quad, 3:30 p.m.
Girls competitive dance
■Nov. ■ 17 - at Andrew Invite,
8 a.m.
DJ Armbrecht is a senior on
the Griffins boys bowling
team.
How long have you
been bowling, and how
did you get started?
I’ve been bowling since
eighth grade and my grandma
got me started in bowling.
What do you most enjoy
about the sport?
Being better than my competition.
What is your biggest
strength as a bowler?
I think my mental game
would probably be my biggest
strength -- just staying
focused.
What does this year’s
team do really well?
I would say that we have
really good team chemistry.
I’d say we can help each other
out a lot since we’ve been
bowling together for so long.
What are you most
looking forward to this
season?
I’m looking forward to
going to state. I think me and
my team are able to compete
this year and go on to state.
What advice would
you give to someone
starting out with
bowling?
I would say that it’s a process.
Take your time, and
obviously you’re not going
to be the greatest in the
world when you start, but
you’ll get better and progress.
You’ve just go to keep
practicing.
Do you have a role
model?
Yeah, Jason Belmonte.
He’s the No. 1 bowler in the
world. He’s a two-hander. I
think I bowl a lot like him.
Are you involved in
any other sports or
activities?
I do some basketball and
baseball.
What are your plans for
after high school?
I was hoping to see what
would happen with the
scouts that come to bowling,
if they talk to me or
anything, then we’ll see
what happens from there.
But if not, two years of
community college and then
we’ll see where it goes from
there.
If you won a million
dollars tomorrow, what
would you do with it
and why?
I think I’d spread it
around the family and give
it to as many people as I
can.
Interview conducted by Contributing
Editor Nuria Mathog
Lwe
From Page 35
Edwardsville thanks to a
steady dose of pressure from
the defensive line, resulting
in six sacks, two forced
fumbles and fumble recoveries,
and an interception by
Kenny Palmer.
“In practice, we always
work on our passing angles,”
Shelton said. “Our coaching
staff calls great stunts,
and we feel we work collaboratively
together and
that’s honestly how we get
it done.”
Shelton had a sack and
a fumble recovery, while
teammate Adrian Wilson
had two-and-a-half
sacks and Mick Stewart
had two sacks. Mike Manning
had the other fumble
recovery.
Meanwhile, the East offense
could hardly be contained
by the Edwardsville
defense, as Baltz
went 14-of-24 for 172
passing yards and three
touchdowns and just one
interception.
East senior wide receivers
Jackson Ritter (5 receptions,
84 receiving yards, 2 receiving
TDs) and Matt Judd (4
receptions, 28 receiving
yards, receiving TD) were
the main beneficiaries of
Baltz’s big day.
East got another strong
effort from junior running
back Devon Williams, who
had 75 rushing yards and
three touchdowns on 19
carries. Griffins senior running
back Jordan Corbett
added 71 rushing yards on
10 carries, while sophomore
Jamal Johnson added
84 rushing yards on three
carries.
It was another complete
effort by the Griffins, despite
a game played in the low 20s
and with a lot of chippiness
from both sides much of the
game.
“Definitely the stakes are
high,” Baltz said of the chippy
nature of the game. “We
really wanted it. And everything
we do, if our guys
are getting hit at the end,
our guys are there to back
them up. That’s why it can
be a little chippy out there,
because our players want
to keep each other safe. It’s
good to know that we’ve got
guys out there that have your
back.”
Shelton saw that from the
defensive side, too.
“It was a different style of
play than what we get from
most teams,” Shelton said.
“The physicality was there.
They wanted it just as much
as we did, but we just came
out and played better on this
certain day. I think we wanted
it more in the end.”
Now, with the win, the
focus shifts to the Class 8A
semifinals. A trip to Champaign
for the 2018 Class 8A
state final is on the line.
“I’m looking forward to
just doing our job and trying
to get the W,” Wilson said.
The Griffins will play at
1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, at
Loyola.