Lions bowlers prepare for Hinsdale South sectional

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Updated: March 19, 2012 1:59AM

If there is a comfort zone for George Krstev, the Hinsdale South junior hopes to find it Willowbrook Lanes.

The Hornets will host their own sectional for the second consecutive year. Lyons Township, Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South are among teams that will vie for state-meet berths, beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday.

For Krstev, it will be a pleasure to bowl at home.

“I practice on it five games a day; it should be an advantage,” Krstev said.

The Willowbrook resident is Hinsdale South’s top bowler, with a 197 average.

“We hosted the sectional last year,” Krstev said. “There should be good competition. We need to be fully concentrated. Spares are No. 1. Spikes are nice, but if you pick up spares, that makes its hard for other teams to beat you.”

For Hinsdale South senior Danny Dorrance, the sectional is make-or-break time. It could be Dorrance’s final meet of his career if he cannot advance to the state meet, set for downstate O’Fallon Jan. 27-28.

“I’m a little excited, though I have not had the season I wanted,” Dorrance said. “I need consistency. I have to hit my mark every time.”

The Hornets finished eighth at the Plainfield Central Invitational on Dec. 26 and 10th at the Andrew Bash Dec. 29.

Lyons Township has four seniors — Kyle Gasteier, Matt Rivera, Ryan Suhajda and Joe Delpino — possibly making their final high school appearance in what’s been just the second year of the varsity program. The four seniors were original members of the team when it started out as a JV program three years ago.

“It’s really cool (starting the team),” said Gasteier, a La Grange resident averaging 180 this season. “Not too many people talk about bowling at the school. I’ve improved a lot. When I first started bowling for fun, I never thought I’d try out for the team or anything. I was never able to throw a hook. I kept practicing and saw improvement and got excited. I keep improving and never stop. Now I can throw a hook.”

Hinsdale Central’s top three bowlers this season have been Mark Doose, Cole Justus and Michael Cothard. Cothard is the only senior among the group. Doose is averaging a team-leading 191 pins, and could be the Red Devils’ best bet to advance from sectionals.

There likely won’t be another team at the sectional hotter than the Red Devils, who won six consecutive dual meets to end the regular season. Hinsdale Central scored a total of 3,325 in a win over Immaculate Conception for its highest score during that run, which started with a win over Lemont on Dec. 5.

But four of those season-ending meets came at home at Suburbanite Bowl in Westmont. The Devils have made only one previous appearance at Willowbrook Lanes: a 2,955 to 2,699 dual-meet loss to the Hornets on Nov. 17.

Hinsdale Central finished fifth at the Immaculate Conception Invite on Dec. 3, and 29th at the Plainfield South Invitational on Nov. 25.

Doose has thrown practice games on his own time at Willowbrook Lanes.

“At Willowbrook Lanes, people say the oil is heavier than at Suburbanite,” Doose said. “In our first dual meet at South, it was completely dry. I really like Willowbrook Lanes. I bowled there Saturday night for open bowling. The oil was not fresh, bit it was a pretty (good amount).”