Senior-backed New Trier bowlers going to state for 2nd time in 3 seasons

The vibes among New Trier girls bowlers were good following a state-qualifying sectional performance on Saturday evening.

Truth be told, the vibes were good long before then.

At the start of the season, coach David Hjelmgren and the senior-led Trevians joined a tournament at Cherry Bowl in Rockford, a competition of heavy hitters at the site of the IHSA championships.

“In early December, we had on our radar that we wanted to get back to Rockford,” Hjelmgren said. “We said from Day 1, getting to state was our primary team goal, and now all we can do everything we can do to surpass that team goal and keep on rolling.”

For the second time in program history, New Trier is one of 24 teams that will compete in the IHSA finals beginning Friday, Feb. 21, at Cherry Bowl. The Trevians inaugural state appearance was in 2022, when they placed 15th.

New Trier punched its state ticket with a runnerup finish on Feb. 15 in the Hoffman Estates Sectional at Poplar Creek Bowl. Senior Ariella Peterson led the way with a 1,113 pinfall (185 per game) across six games, as the Trevians totaled 5,134 pins, not far behind sectional champ Hersey (5,198).

Senior Becky Witzel (1,085), junior Kirsten Hedberg (992), senior Madeline Blake (974) and senior Ari Fabes (970) contributed to New Trier’s well-rounded effort. Seniors Charlotte McElvenny and Karina Rubinshteyn and junior Emma Devitt round out the state-qualifying roster.

The Trevians were coming off a 2023-’24 season — one with zero seniors — that ended in the opening round of the postseason. What a difference a year makes.

“This group has grown together,” Hjelmgren said. “We have four senior captains (Peterson, Witzel, Blake and Fabes). All four have been amazing.”

Other local teams in the state finals include Evanston, Mundelein, Taft and Hersey.

South suburban teams have recently dominated the state finals. Joliet West won last year’s championship, while Lockport Township won the three titles before then. Harlem, out of Machesney Park near Rockford, is also a state powerhouse and has three runnerup finishes and two state titles since 2017.

Hjelmgren said the key to his team’s success this season is keeping things simple. The team motto is: “Clean the frame.” Do that roll by roll and good things will happen, he said.

And they have.

“For me the big thing is how proud I am of them,” Hjelmgren said. “This is just a great team. When one is down, somebody else picks them up. I’m really proud of them and this is exactly how I wanted to spend this upcoming weekend.”

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