Bowling Wins Chicago Catholic League Championship
January 19, 2010

Anyone who saw the Saint Patrick High School Shamrocks win the Chicago Catholic League (CCL) Conference Bowling Championships at Wheaton Bowl on Jan. 16 learned to never underestimate the power of a team. A strong effort by all five Shamrocks placed the CCL Championship trophy in their deserving hands at the end of a steady battle for first place. Led by junior Zak Smigla (St. Juliana), who banked a seven-game total of 1,401 pins (Ave. 200), the Shamrocks won six of their seven matches to win by almost 200 pins.

“They bowled as a team and won it as a team. It was sweet,” said head coach Pete Dougherty. “They have never bowled to their potential until now, when it counts.” Dougherty couldn’t stress enough the enormity of his players’ team effort. He noted that the title was St. Pat’s despite the fact that none of the Shamrocks won any individual awards for highest game or average series. “As the day went on, we got better and better,” said Dougherty.

Co-captains senior Jim Ulczak (CCL All-Conference; St. Giles) and junior Joe Netzel (Canty) along with Smigla each completed four 200-plus games. Junior Tim Smolen (Ave. 193; Elm Middle School) was not far behind his teammates after a 225-pin effort in game six. Freshman Steve Randazzo (St. Bartholomew) rounded out the Shamrock’s five players, keeping the team at the top of the board. Dougherty noted that the Shamrocks maintained their second placed standing after their only loss in game four—against Notre Dame—because their overall pin count was still increasing. After the fifth game the Shamrocks were up thirty pins. By the sixth the lead more than doubled to eighty. “I told the guys ‘you don’t have to worry anymore about winning [games], just get the pins,’” said Dougherty.

Ulczak said the team hopes to feed off their enthusiasm from the come-from-behind victory to work toward a state-qualifying spot out of Saturday’s St. Ignatius Sectional. He believes that if his teammates continue supporting each other as they did at conference, they will continue to improve. They especially look forward to competing against Proviso East, a solid team they would like to defeat. Junior Josh James (Thorp), who spent the better part of the season up on varsity, will most likely compete in the fifth position on Saturday.

The Shamrocks hope to see a strong contingent of students at the sectional meet which will be held at Cicero’s Town Hall Bowl (5025 W. 25th St.). Doors open to the public at 7:45 a.m. The first round of play begins at 8 a.m. followed by a break at 10:45 a.m. and a second round at 11 a.m. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. Entry fee is $5. No outside food is allowed.