Area Sports Roundup: Freshman Noah Jones rolls 300, leads Stagg to first boys regional title

By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer

The Stagg boys bowling team had never won a postseason tournament.

That changed Jan. 14, thanks in part to a sensational postseason debut by Noah Jones.

In the second game of the Oak Lawn Regional at Palos Lanes, Jones rolled a 300. He wasn’t perfect the rest of the way, but he was good. Jones was the tournament’s individual champion with a 1,377 six-game series, leading the Chargers to their first regional crown with a 6,149 — 27 pins ahead of Oak Lawn.

The Spartans had a two-pin lead heading into the sixth and final game.

Helping Stagg make history were senior Robert Janski (1,314), sophomore Matthew Montoya (1,231), junior Tyler Hribar (1,165), junior Andrew Hallman (893 in five games) and junior Daniel Hernandez (169 in one game).

Oak Lawn senior Ramiro Garcia led the runner-up Spartans with a 1,303. Marist finished fourth and was led by senior Joe Waszak’s 1,254.

All three area schools head to the Plainfield North Sectional, which is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 at Town & Country Lanes in Joliet.

At the Reavis Regional, held at Palos Lanes on Jan. 13, the host Rams finished second and St. Laurence finished fourth. Reavis was led by senior Ethan DeLuna’s 1,225 and the Vikings were led by Marco Cedillo’s 1,132. Both teams head to the Immaculate Conception Sectional, scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 at Bowlero in Glendale Heights.

Lyons finished second and Morton fourth in the Naperville Central Sectional. Senior Tommy Hennessy led the Lions with a 1,316 while freshman Matthew Roman led Morton with a 1,229. Both teams will compete at the Immaculate Conception Sectional.

Sandburg had a long trip to the Oswego East Regional and placed second. Woodley Dangerfield shot a 1,433 to lead the Eagles, who head to the Plainfield North Sectional.

More honors for White
Mother McAuley junior volleyball star Ellie White added another award to her already impressive collection by being named Gatorade Player of the Year for Illinois for the 2022 season.

Earlier in the year, the Michigan recruit was named PrepVolleyball.com National Junior Player of the Year. In December, she was named vballrecruiter.com Junior Player of the Year.

Fast time for Franklin
Saint Xavier sophomore Lendale Franklin, an Argo graduate, won the 60-meter hurdles in a school-record 8.40 seconds Saturday in the Sean Brady Invitational indoor track meet hosted by Trine University in Angola, Indiana.