After a lengthy hiatus, the North Shore Bowling team is already proving it belongs among the conference’s best.
The team recently wrapped up its conference schedule with a strong showing in Silver Bay before following that performance with runner-up finishes from both the varsity and junior varsity squads at the conference championship tournament.
Along the way, several bowlers earned individual recognition, two athletes qualified for postseason showcases, and the team is now headed to the state tournament.
For head coach Logan Fischer, the recent success is especially meaningful considering how far the program has come in a short time.
“For being our first year back in seven years having a team, I thought it was pretty good,” Fischer said.
North Shore entered the final stretch of the season in Silver Bay, where the team dropped its first two matches by 2-3 scores before rebounding with a win in its third match. Fischer said the team had a solid performance that kept it among the conference’s stronger programs despite what he felt were opportunities left on the lanes.
“We averaged 158 on the day,” Fischer said. “We just had a lot of missed opportunities, but overall, we did okay.”
Next up was the conference championship tournament, where both North Shore teams exceeded expectations.
After eight qualifying games, the varsity squad advanced into bracket play and battled its way to the championship round. North Shore lost the opening title match by 38 pins before regrouping to win the second match by 28 pins. When the scores were combined, the team finished just 10 pins shy of a conference championship.
The JV squad had an impressive run of its own. Entering the tournament as the fourth seed, the team upset the top seed before eventually finishing second in the conference.
The conference runner-up finishes were particularly notable for a program that only recently returned after a seven-year absence.
The performances reinforced what Fischer has seen developing throughout the season. While many conference programs are led by veteran upperclassmen, North Shore’s success has come from one of the youngest rosters in the conference.
“Our oldest athlete this year was in 10th grade,” Fischer said. “We have two more years before anybody graduates.”
That youth has not prevented the team from producing standout individual performances.
Emsley Fischer earned all-conference honors after finishing eighth in the conference standings with a 71.34 percent fill rate, a statistic that measures how often a bowler records a strike or spare.
Gabriel Russell narrowly missed all-conference recognition with a 14th-place finish, while Brielle Fischer placed 18th and Tait Goutermont finished 21st.
“We had four of our consistent varsity players finish in the top 21 in the entire conference, which is pretty good,” Fischer said.
The honors did not stop there.
Emsley Fischer and Brielle Fischer finished as the top two girls in the conference and qualified for a special end-of-season tournament featuring the top girls from conferences across the state. That tournament is scheduled for Dec. 12-13.
In addition, Brielle Fischer qualified for the Future Stars event, which showcases top seventh- and eighth-grade bowlers and is scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend.
“So overall I would say it was a really good season,” Fischer said.
The team’s strong season was rewarded with a trip to the state tournament Nov. 21 in Bloomington.
The coach said simply reaching this stage would be valuable for a roster that is still gaining experience and growing together.
“It’ll be a good experience for the kids,” Fischer said. “There are definitely some really good teams out there, but it would be a good experience for them to go down and see what it’s like so they know what to expect next year.”
That outlook may be the most encouraging sign for North Shore’s future.
In addition to returning every member of the current varsity roster, Fischer expects several younger bowlers to move into the program next season. Combined with a JV team that also reached the conference championship match, the foundation appears firmly in place.
“They did all this and were pretty much the youngest team in our conference,” Fischer said.
With no seniors to replace and additional talent waiting in the wings, Fischer believes North Shore is positioned to remain a contender for years to come.
“We should hold our spot as one of the top teams in our conference,” he said.
For a program that spent years on the sidelines, North Shore has already reestablished itself remarkably quickly and earned a trip to the state tournament. With its entire varsity roster expected to return and more young talent moving through the program, the future appears bright for bowling on the North Shore.
