O'FALLON – Alton's boys bowling team will be graduating a pair of seniors that has meant much to the success of their program this year.
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Derek Henderson and Justin Milliman bowled for the last time for Alton High School in the recent first two rounds of the 16th IHSA Boys Bowling Championship at St. Clair Lanes in O'Fallon; the Redbirds failed to make the cut for championship rounds, finishing 23rd out of the initial 24-team field. The top 12 teams moved into Saturday's final rounds as well as the top 30 individual bowlers from the 12 non-advancing teams and individuals who bowled on Friday.
Henderson rolled a six-game total of 1,029 pins with a fourth-game 190 being his top game of the day, while Milliman rolled a five-game total of 813, an opening-game 189 being his best game of the day.
“It was a great experience (bowling at the state tournament),” Milliman said following Friday's rounds. “It was really tough, a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be.”
When asked what he would miss about being a part of the Redbird bowling program, Milliman said “probably the people, like the coaches and my teammates; I've made a lot of good friends here.
“Being a part of the program means the world to me; it was what I wanted to do every single year.”
“Making it to state was a big achievement for the team,” Henderson said. “I was glad to have had the experience; we made it to state two years ago, but I didn't get to bowl in the tournament, and then we missed out last year; getting to bowl in state this year was a big achievement.
“What I'll miss will be the memories I shared with my teammates on the bus and in the matches.”
Milliman is hoping to attend Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey next school year “to get some generals done so I can start studying computer programming; I've heard Lindenwood has a very good (computer) program (following his time at LCCC). I do plan on bowling in tournaments and a whole bunch of other leagues” after his graduation from AHS in May.
Henderson does plan on continuing to bowl after his graduation as well. “I'd like to bowl in college if I could,” Henderson said. “I haven't decided where I want to go yet, but I do want to get into civil engineering or computer science.
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