Since she started her high school career as a freshman, Cassidy Vincent has learned to trust herself and compete with a purpose.
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DEKALB — Since she started her high school career as a freshman, Cassidy Vincent has learned to trust herself and compete with a purpose. Vincent’s confidence and motivation to bowl at a high level culminated with All-Conference honors Monday evening, when the senior led the Rochelle Lady Hubs during the Interstate 8 tournament at Mardi Gras Lanes in DeKalb.
Vincent rolled a high score of 225 and posted a team-high 1,092 series over six games for the Lady Hubs, who took sixth in the tournament and finished fifth in the conference for the season. Vincent landed in 10th out of 36 players at the varsity level, earning five conference points to end the regular season with 40 points, second-most behind only LaSalle-Peru’s Anna Ricci. The final result meant that Vincent secured All-Conference honors for the fourth consecutive season.
“It puts a lot of my success into perspective because I get so focused on the negatives,” said Vincent, the lone senior on the varsity team. “Coming back to my mom and hearing her tell me that I won All-Conference for the fourth year in a row was such a surreal feeling… I’ve learned a lot of coaching skills and that’s opened me up to seeing a whole new version of myself. The girls on our team have been so amazing to work with and they have so much drive to get better.”
Junior Kylie McCullough bowled a 1,004 series with a high score of 211 for the Lady Hubs, who finished with a final count of 5,050 pins over six games. McCullough ended the regular season with 13 conference points to earn an All-Conference Honorable Mention in the Interstate 8 for a second straight season. Rochelle (4-11, 3-7 Interstate 8) posted a 2,465 series over the first three games, where Vincent led the charge with a 561 series and a 225 in the second game.
The Lady Hubs fired a 2,585 series over the final three games to end the tournament in sixth place out of six schools. McCullough and Vincent spearheaded the charge during the second set, with McCullough shooting a 548 series and Vincent following with a 531 series. Sophomore Ava Norris finished 21st in the tournament standings, spinning an 887 with a high game of 197.
Sophomores Magaly Belmonte and Karina Valdez added series scores of 743 and 730 for the Lady Hubs, who will conclude the regular season with their Senior Night match against Oregon at T-Byrd Lanes on Thursday evening. Rochelle will head west for the IHSA Dixon Regional on Friday at Plum Hollow Lanes, when Vincent will seek to become a four-time sectional qualifier.
“My confidence has definitely helped a lot,” said Vincent, who has bowled at the varsity level since she was a freshman. “I know that I have a purpose and I think that’s helped my confidence skyrocket. I've become confident in my abilities and I’ve learned to trust myself. I had no faith in myself when I started. I never thought I’d get better, but the trust and confidence that I’ve gained from seeing other coaches and the help of my high school coaches has been immaculate.”
