Oak Lawn Spartan Boys Bowling Team Heads To This Weekend To Sectional

OAK LAWN, IL — Timing is everything, and for the Oak Lawn Community High School boys bowling team, the timing was just right to catch fire. Last weekend at the Illinois High School Association Boys Bowling Regional meet in Palos, the Spartans found just the spark they needed to win the championship.

The team knocked down 6,298 pins in all, cleared more than 1,000 pins in all six games, and advanced to tomorrow’s IHSA Sectional meet at Palos Lanes, where the top six teams of the 16 teams competing will advance to the IHSA State Finals in O’Fallon, Ill. Oak Lawn is looking to make it to the IHSA State Finals for the first time since 2015.

In the regional, Sam Bergamo led the attack by finishing second individually with a 226 average. Gavin Rybicki finished in fifth overall, Vinny McBrien was eighth, Charlie Dell was 14th, and Justin Canvin was 18th. The Spartans were scorching up the lanes.

“Sam led the way and was clutch again,” head coach Kevin Walery said. “It was a total team effort, great job by all. Good luck tomorrow at the sectional.”

Earlier this month, the Spartan boys bowling team “three-peated” by winning the South Suburban Conference Red championship.

Charlie Dell finished first overall, knocking down 1,376 pins and earning all-conference honors. Vinny McBrien finished fourth overall and Justin Canvin finished eighth overall. Both earned all-conference honors as well.

Sam Bergamo and Gavin Rybicki finished just outside of the top 10 but were instrumental in closing out Reavis in the sixth and deciding game.

“We were down 15 pins heading into the last game and came out on top with a 22-pin victory when it was all said and done,”OLCHS head coach Kevin Walery said. “Bergamo helped seal the deal with big strikes in the ninth and tenth frames. Way to go, Spartans.”

~ Contributed by Brian Frangella, OLCHS Staff Writer