Winter sports teams at Hinsdale Central embark on their seasons this month and next
The Hinsdale Central boys and girls bowling teams and girls gymnastics team all lost a lot of seniors to graduation last year, but coaches hope hard work and dedication will make up for the lack of experience. (file photos)
November marks the beginning of the winter sports season for most teams at Hinsdale Central High School.
Among the first to face competition are the boys and girls bowling teams and the girls gymnastics team, featured in this article. The remaining eight winter sports previews will run in the Dec. 5 and 12 issues.
Boys bowling
First meet: Nov. 9 Baker Kickoff Classic (V placed 4th in the bronze division)
Last year: 9-4, two bowlers advanced to sectionals
Head coach: Alex Hipskind
Seasons as head coach: 18
No. team members: five
Strengths: Very nice group of kids.
Challenges: Not a lot of experience but they are willing to learn.
Who to watch: Max Fellows has been on the team for four years and knows his way around the lanes.
Outlook: As always, I am looking for improvement. It would be nice to advance to sectionals as a team.
Girls bowling
First meet: Dec. 3 @ Neuqua Valley High School
Last year: qualified for sectionals for second year in a row
Head coach: Paul Parpet
Seasons as head coach: five
No. varsity team members: 8 to 10
Strengths: We have two returners back from last year's varsity. Junior Lainey Harvey is a third-year varsity player. The other girl that is returning that bowled on varsity last year is senior Peyton Weber.
Challenges: The past three years, we've had returners. This is the first year we only have two girls returning. It's going to be wide open to see who is going to take those last four spots. It is going to be a little tough to fill those spots. We've had some good teams over the past few years.
Conference competition: Our conference is very good. Two of the teams in our conference - Willowbrook and Downers Grove South - made it all the way to the state meet. It's very, very competitive.
Who to watch: From JV last year, juniors Grace Gits, Alexandra Fuller and Colleen Yopp. Those three girls, I'm hoping they are going to improve their skills and they'll bowl some varsity. We'll see.
Outlook: We have 26 girls coming (to the organizational meeting Nov. 19). I hope there are a couple more.
Furthermore: We will be hosting the regional meet again this year at Suburbanite Bowl, so that is exciting. We're getting ready to get the season going. I'm sure the girls are going to work at their craft and give it their best effort and see where the pins fall.
Gymnastics, girls
First meet: Nov. 27 @ Hinsdale South
Last year: 2nd at regionals, one gymnast placed third on vault at sectionals and 11th at state
Head coach: Kim Estoque
Seasons as head coach: 15
No. varsity team members: 10
Strengths: They're all hardworking, and with having 10 girls, it's a lot more depth. Pretty much all of them do all-around, so we'll have a good choice of being able to put different people up.
Challenges: We have a lot of freshmen on the team, so just them getting used to high school gymnastics will be a little bit of a change and trying to learn about team, how team comes first. I think just learning some of the skills that are needed and trying to add all of those into their routines.
Conference competition: I think Oak Park is going to be really good this year. Glenbard West (state champion last year) lost a lot of people to graduation last year.
Who to watch: Senior Caroline Klobach, who placed last year (at state). Sophomore Annette Sommers, she's just a good all-arounder, and junior Olivia Vidtfeldt, she'll be a good all-arounder.
Outlook: Right now it looks like we'll be very competitive in our conference and competitive again with our regionals and sectionals.
