Head coach Coley O’Connell reflected on last season’s historic undefeated regular-season run and outlined the team’s goals for the current bowling season. O’Connell discussed Central’s progress and expectations during the team’s media day at Lincoln-Way Central High School.
“Last season, we were undefeated in regular head-to-head play. First time ever in Central history. I think it was 14-0. Won our regional, won our conference, faltered a little in sectional, still made it downstate and ended up taking 18th in the state, which was a little below our expectations. But we got there, and that’s always our goal. We did graduate four, but we brought back a pretty deep team, and we started the season off pretty well,” said O’Connell, Head Coach Boys Bowling. “I think our goal is to make it to the second day of the state tournament. We’ve started off pretty well in tournaments — taking fourth and fifth in every tournament this year out of 44 teams and 40 teams. We want to make it to the second day of state. When I first started coaching almost 20 years ago, there were only a couple Saturday tournaments besides sectionals and regionals. Nowadays I tell you — mark your calendars for every Saturday in November and December, and hopefully all of January. They’re there six, seven, sometimes eight hours. It’s a long Saturday, so that’s a lot different.”
Central finished last season undefeated in regular-season head-to-head competition, marking the first such accomplishment in program history. The team won both its regional and conference titles last year and qualified for the state tournament, finishing 18th overall.
Despite graduating four athletes, Central returned a deep core of bowlers and opened the season with consistent top-five finishes in large tournaments. According to O’Connell, Central has placed fourth or fifth in every tournament this season, competing against fields of more than 40 teams.
The current lineup features multiple bowlers with prior downstate experience, including seniors and underclassmen who competed at state last season.
