Front Row: Stephen Riley, Stephen Bryant, Brayton Becktell, Alex Heseler
Back Row: Coach Steve Ludwig, Keith Bumgarner, Wec Villalobos, Chase Smith, Assistant Coach Linda Kniker
The 2006-07 Salem Wildcats bowling squad became the first team in school sports history to win a state championship in just its fourth year of existence. The Wildcats had qualified for state in each of their three previous seasons, which included a third-place state finish in the 2004-05 campaign.
Salem’s path to the state title endured its share of ups and downs during the regular season as the Wildcats were just 4-4 in dual competition. Salem posted victories against O’Fallon, Herrin, Taylorville and Highland. On the down side the Wildcats lost twice to Harrisburg and also were defeated by Alton and Herrin. During regular season tournament competition Salem posted a runner-up finish at its own invitational, a fourth-place effort at the Alton Invitational and a fifth place spot at the Collinsville Invitational.
Coach Steve Ludwig’s crew turned it on at the right time when they won the eight-team field at the Herrin Sectional. The Wildcats knocked down 6,254 pins, 196 better than runner-up Harrisburg’s total of 6,060. Senior Keith Bumgarner finished second overall at the sectional with a score of 1,323 pins and finished just two pins back of the individual championship. Team captain Alex Henseler finished in the No. 2 position for Salem with 1,255, while Stephen Bryant filled the team’s No. 3 spot with 1,248. Wes Villalobos held the fourth spot at 1,223, Chase Smith contributed 1,002 and Stephen Riley contributed 203 pins.
Salem used a huge come-from-behind effort to win the state championship. The Wildcats stood in fifth place out of 24 teams and 173 pins out of the lead with a team score of 6,078 after the first day of competition. Salem made up that gap and then some as it roared back with a round of 6,568 on day two and finished with a two-day score of 12,646. That was good for a 36-pin margin of victory over state runner-up Harrisburg, which had those two regular season dual meet wins over the Wildcats.
Henseler led Salem at state and finished second overall with a two-day total of 2,823 pins. Bryant also cracked the top ten at state as he was eighth overall with 2,598. Other contributors for the Wildcats at state were Bumgarner with 2,203 pins, Smith with 2,143, Villalobos with 1,886, Brayton Becktell with 1,837 and Riley with 154.