FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — The Morton Potters got it rolling at the IHSA Boys State Bowling Finals in Fairview Heights.
Morton, with its program just in its fourth year, finished fifth in the state Saturday and missed a trophy by just 50 pins at St. Clair Bowl.
Morton sophomore Weston Sadler rolled a 300 game in the second round of the two-day, four-round finals.
He finished second overall in the state individual results with a 231.3 average. Aaden LaMar finished 14th among individuals with a 217.2 average in 12 games.
Sadler only started bowling three years ago.
“I saw him in an intramural tournament event at Potter Lanes in Morton, where I coach,” Morton head coach Pete Burdette said. “He was a junior high kid, and I had to talk him into coming out and bowling for us in high school.”
Rockton Hononegah won the state title, followed by Lockport Township, Mount Vernon, Waterloo and Morton among the top 12.
“We came in expecting to have a chance of winning and we did, we were third after the first day, had a really good day,” Burdette said. “Second day we didn’t get some of the breaks, ended up fifth. Three more spares and we could have been there.”
Morton had finishes of 23rd and 13th in the previous two years as the program builds.
“I’ve only been with this game for three years,” Sadler said. “I’ve picked it up pretty quick, and I really enjoy it.”
Sadler shot his 300 at the finals. Teammate Chase Hopper shot a 300 in a match in Bloomington in December. Three weeks later Max Carter shot a 300. Then a week later Owen Taylor shot a 300 in a tournament at Champaign. Sectionals Sadler shot a 300.
They are a collection of athletes from other varsity sports. Sadler is a cross country runner. LaMar plays football. Owen Taylor is a baseball player. Chase Hopper is a golfer.
“My freshman year was our first year as a team,” LaMar said. “Every single one of these guys on this team I wouldn’t know if not for bowling. We all met each other here.”
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Morton High School sophomore runner-up in IHSA state bowling
Reporting by Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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