Sarah Littleton has been a winner from the very start of her prep bowling career.
Back on Dec. 29, 2011, the then-unheralded Grayslake North High freshman burst onto the girls prep bowling scene when she stunned the field by winning he Grayslake North Invitational at Lakes Bowl in Round Lake.
This coming weekend, Littleton will end her prep career as she started … as a winner
Granted, she may not the win the individual state title during the Friday/Saturday event at Cherry Bowl in Rockford, and her Grayslake North Knights may not capture. the team championship.
But for bowling excellence for a sustained period – in this case, her entire four-year prep career — it’s hard to top and impossible not to appreciate the right-hander as a model of consistency.
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Last Saturday, Littleton bowled three-game series of 685 (186-245-254) and 624 (237-211-176) to lead Grayslake North to a third-place team finish in the IHSA’s Rolling Meadows Sectional.
Team bowling consists of five-girl teams, with each bowling six games, and the top four teams in the 12-team sectional earned a trip to Rockford.
The Knights finished with a 5,731 total (191 average for 30 games), behind Schaumburg (5,841) and Hersey (5,758), and ahead of Hoffman Estates (5,710). Stevenson (6th), Warren (7th), Zion-Benton (8th), Lake Zurich (9th) and Libertyville (12th) also competed at the sectional. The teams that competed in the sectional advanced out of regional play that was held earlier in the month.
This will be Littleton’s third appearance at state and the second time she’s going with her teammates.
As a freshman in 2012, she averaged 199 for six sectional games, but didn’t qualify for state either with her team or as an individual. In sectional bowling, the top scorers who aren’t on a state-qualifying team also get to bowl at state and compete for the individual title.
As a sophomore in 2013, she led the Knights to a 20th-place finish at state out of 24 teams. Individually, she finished 41st, averaging 199 for 12 games. (Factoid to show how the bar for girls bowling has risen: In 2013, Grayslake North qualified for state with a six-game sectional team score of 5,206. The Knights qualified on Saturday with the 5,731 total.)
As a junior in 2014, Littleton qualified for state as an individual and finished 18th overall with a 12-game average of 213.
Last Saturday, her 218 average for six games was third-best in the sectional.
And her teammates delivered as well, with senior Kait Christiansen averaging 185 for six games, and freshman Gaby Silva averaging 201.
Joining Grayslake North’s team at state be Zion-Benton senior Natalie Liewehr and Stevenson junior Kaitlyn Rudy. They both qualified for state as individuals. Liewehr averaged 200 in the sectional and Rudy was the sectional champion as she had series of 710 (225, 226-259) and 697 (224, 219-254) for a 234 average.
TOP SECTIONAL TEAM SCORES
1) Lockport 6,372; 2) Belvidere North 6,115; 3) Oswego East 6,088; 4) Herrin 6,010,
TOP SECTIONAL INDIVIDUAL SCORES
1) Abby Ragsdale (Oswego East) 239 average; 2) Kaitlyn Rudy (Stevenson) 234 average; 3) Madison Kasza (O’Fallon) 224 average; 4) Felicia Montecinos (Bolingbrook) 222 average; 5) Samantha Sztym (Lake Park) 221 average.