Sports
Boys Bowling: Sandburg's Joey Kopera Wins Individual State Championship
Sandburg senior Joey Kopera kept plugging along through two days of competition at the IHSA boys bowling state tournament. His perseverance paid off when he overtook Herrin's C.J. Kirchner in the final game Saturday to capture the individual state title.
Call him Joey. Call him Mr. Kopera. And call him State Champ.
Joey Kopera, a Sandburg High School senior, was crowned the individual state champion on the second day of competition at the IHSA boys bowling tournament on Saturday at St. Clair Bowl in downstate O'Fallon.
Kopera edged C.J. Kirchner of Herrin by three pins as the two dualed through 12 games over the course of two days in a nail-biting battle that went right to the wire. Kopera finished with a pinfall total of 2,733 and an average of 227.8.
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Kirchner placed second with his 2,730 total and an average of 227.5.
Mike Schmidt of Lake Zurich (2,706), Josh Powell of Andrew (2,704) and David Cliffe of Hononegah (2,699) rounded out the top five in the individual standings. Andrew's Josh Dory placed seventh (2,671).
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Powell and Dory teamed to lead the T-Bolts to the team title with a pinfall total of 12,821. Vernon Hills placed second at 12,652, followed by Hononegah 12,575, O'Fallon 12,396 and Romeoville 12,303.
Kopera bowled games of 200, 236, 233, 265, 227 and 257 on Saturday. He overtook Kirchner in the final game as Kirchner slumped to a 184.
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