Published: December 03, 2008 09:32 am            

Phillips’ debut boosts Rams scoring against Wildcats

By JEREMY HALL

jeremy.hall@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — A new scorer has been found for the Mt. Vernon boys bowling team.

Senior Mike Phillips, in his first three-game series for the varsity Rams, finished with a 571 for Mt. Vernon in its 2,898-2,796 loss to Salem on Tuesday at Nu Bowl Lanes.

Phillips had bowled one game in a tournament for the Rams before making his full-time debut on Tuesday. He bowled a 200 in his first game before tacking on a 199 and a 172.

“He did very well,” said Rams coach Dave Wagner. “He’s willing to learn. He’s willing to listen to what needs to be done. And he’s making the adjustments and it’s showing in his game. He’s picking his spares up; he’s getting strikes. I’m very happy with him.”

Phillips’ score was third-best among all bowlers in the varsity boys match, behind teammates Josh Reeves (596) and Johnny Beckham (587).

“I was a little bit nervous at first,” said Phillips, “but just kind of got into form. I hit my mark and it just went right in. It was a good day.”

The Rams trailed 1,085-1,000 after one game and 2,082-19,26 after two before outscoring the Wildcats 870-816 in the third game.

“The guys came back today,” said Wagner. “They started throwing the ball very nicely. My leadoff guys did a very nice job of setting the pace for the team.”

Mt. Vernon had four 200 games in the first set, with Alex Bronson leading the way with a 240, Reeves tallying a 208 and Beckham finishing with a 206 to go along with Phillips’ 200.

Reeves then led the Rams with a 221 in the second game while Beckham nearly reached 200 again by bowling a 193 in the final game.

“That’s nothing to sneeze at,” Wagner said of the scores posted by Beckham and Reeves. “They were a little bit down on themselves. They started beating themselves up a little bit during the third game [and the] scores fell. But they did very well.”

Chase Smith paced Salem with a two-game tally of 445, while Tyler Simmons finished with a 420 in two games and Cole Piper added a 419 in his two games.

Salem won the varsity girls match 2,754-1,668. Katie Bunting led the Lady Rams with a three-game score of 383, while Jeanette Odle added a 319.

Ashley Garrison bowled a team-high 170 in the first game for the Lady Rams, a marked improvement according to Wagner.

“Probably about six months ago her average was a 113,” he said. “So she’s doing very well.”

The junior varsity Lady Rams fell 2,232-1,870 to Salem, getting a 210 from Casey Southerd in the second game in the only 200 game of the JV girls match.

Salem won the JV boys match 2,871-2,510.

Adam Jolly posted a three-game tally of 537 to lead the Rams in that match.

Tuesday’s match concluded a two-match season-opening homestand against state powers Herrin and Salem. Wagner said his team, in its second season, is getting more comfortable facing the level of competition provided by longer-standing programs.

“Salem and Herrin are two tough teams,” the coach said. “But I think we can be competitive and give them a run anyhow; make them work for it.”

The Rams and Lady Rams bowl at SI Bowl against Carbondale today, facing a first-year Terriers program.

        

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