An injury prevented Saint Patrick freshman Eric Liedke from bowling for his school this winter, but Liedke didn’t allow that injury to keep him down for long. Last weekend, Leidke placed seventh in the state in the Major Boys Division of the Illinois State Bowling Proprietors Association (ISBPA) Team Tournament of Championships. Liedke’s performance helped lead his team from the Bowler’s Edge Pro Shop in Morton Grove to the State Championship of the Major Boys Division. Bowler’s Edge posted a score of 3,303, easily defeating the second-place team from Detore’s Town Lanes in Ottawa by 163 pins. The 3,303 pins was the most knocked down by any of the teams in the 12 different divisions at the Team Tournament of Champions, and only three other teams posted scores over 3,200.

A broken collarbone prevented Liedke from bowling for the Shamrocks as they captured the first Illinois High School Association Sectional Bowling Championship in Saint Patrick history. The Shamrock bowling program was re-started three years ago, and has been a great success, earning a berth in the IHSA State Finals each of the last two seasons.

The mission of the Illinois State Bowling Proprietors Association is to enhance the profitability of our members and further the growth of bowling. The ISBPA is a co-operative non-profit membership association of bowling establishments throughout the state of Illinois and performs a variety of operating, management, promotional and technical services for its member establishments and local affiliated associations. The ISBPA represents over 200 of the finest commercial bowling establishments of all sizes have joined together in a mutual cause to accomplish collectively that, which cannot be done on an individual basis in promoting the industry and the game of bowling.