Oregon’s Ava finishes 31st at IHSA girls bowling state tournament

Oregon's Av Wight walks back to her coach during the finals of the girls state tournament held at Cherry Bowl in Cherry Valley on Saturday.

Oregon senior Ava Wight had a strong second day at the IHSA Girls Bowling State Tournament on Saturday, finishing her career with a 31st-place finish.

Dixon senior Grace DeBord also bowled well both days at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford, and placed 43rd in her final high school meet.

Wight opened with games of 223 and 224 in a 623 morning series, then started off the afternoon session with a 237 game on her way to a 600. That gave her a 1,223 six-game series on Day 2, and a total pinfall of 2,346 for the weekend. It was just 48 pins fewer than when she finished 20th at state last season as a junior.

DeBord had a 222 opening game in a 566 series in the morning, then finished off an afternoon series of 583 with games of 221 and 214. Her Day 2 total of 1,149 gave her a two-day score of 2,306 in her first trip to the state tournament.

St. Charles East senior Lida Burgos won the individual title with a 12-game score of 2,763, 72 pins ahead of runner-up Morgan LiCausi, a senior from Lockport, who rolled a 2,691. Lockport rallied from fifth place after Day 1 to take the team title, finishing with an 11,975 to top overnight leader Joliet West (11,942) by just 33 pins. Harlem took third with an 11,878.

Boys swimming

Byron sending contingent to state: Dixon freshman Gage Helfrich was one of four individuals for the TigerSharks to qualify for state out of the Rockford Jefferson Sectional, and he was also part of a relay team to advance.

Helfrich won the 500-yard freestyle in 4:54.93 to move on to FMC Natatorium next Saturday in Westmont. He also teamed with Levi Schamper, Nathan Bell and Tyson Politsch to win the 200 medley relay in 1:37.95.

Schamper, Bell and Politsch also advanced in individual events. Schamper won the 100 butterfly in 51.16 seconds, while Bell took the 200 IM in 1:56.96, and Politsch won the 100 breaststroke in 59.69 seconds.

Byron placed third as a team with 199.5 points, behind sectional champion DeKalb (230) and runner-up Hononegah (201.5).

Oregon's Av Wight walks back to her coach Al Nordman during the finals of the girls state tournament held at Cherry Bowl in Cherry Valley on Saturday.
Oregon's Av Wight gets ready to bowl during the finals of the girls state tournament held at Cherry Bowl in Cherry Valley on Saturday.
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Ty Reynolds

Ty Reynolds

Ty has covered sports in the Sauk Valley for more than two decades.