ROCHELLE — The Rochelle Lady Hub varsity bowling team is back at T-Byrd Lanes for the start of the 2024-25 season, which opened with the first practice this past Monday. The Lady Hubs will look to build on a 10-6 record and a fourth-place finish in the Interstate 8 last season.

Rochelle’s first meet of the season will be against Rockford Lutheran on Monday, Dec. 2. The Lady Hubs are returning two key starters including senior and Rock Valley College signee Cassidy Vincent, who’s a three-time All-Conference winner and IHSA sectional qualifier. Junior Kylie McCullough returns after earning an Honorable Mention in the Interstate 8 last year.

“We have 10 bowlers signed up and I’m really pleased about that,” head coach Eric Widick said. “The girls we have back this year all seemed to work hard last year. From what I’ve seen so far already, I’ve noticed some major improvements over last year and I’m looking forward to this year… Cassidy and Kylie will need to be my leaders. They’re the two bowlers I’ve had the longest, but I’ll be looking to see how our younger girls start the year and pick each other up.”

Rochelle also welcomes back a small group of underclassmen who gained competitive experience last season. Those players include sophomores Ava Norris, Magaly Belmonte, Karina Valdez and Chloe Rodriguez. Rochelle’s young players will need to step up, as the team is replacing four starters from last season including IHSA sectional qualifier Kenzie Liezert and McKendree University signee Faith Adams.

“Ava will be one to watch this year,” Widick said. “The key for us will be to take the emotion out of the game. When our leaders go down, the rest of our team will follow, but if they fight through it and keep working at it, the younger girls will follow… I definitely want to see improvement in our spare shooting this year. That hurt us the most last year and we’re going to work on that.”

Rochelle will begin Interstate 8 play against Sycamore at T-Byrd Lanes on Dec. 3. The Lady Hubs are scheduled to compete in five tournaments including the Jefferson Invitational as well as the LaSalle-Peru Cavalier Classic, Morris Charles Butterfield Invitational, Sterling MLK Invitational and the Interstate 8 meet. The IHSA State Series will begin in February 2025.

“I’m looking for us to finish in the second-third-fourth range in the conference,” Widick said.