More state tournaments being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. More heartbroken senior athletes.
No chance for a last hurrah. No chance for real closure.
Richards bowler Danny LaBonte is only a junior. He had plans to make a third straight trip to state and improve upon his fourth-place finish last season.
Disappointed? Sure. But he feels for others more than he does himself. We talked about the IHSA announcement before practice Thursday at Arena Lanes in Oak Lawn.
“It would be a lot worse if I was a senior,” LaBonte said. “I’m bummed out because I’d like to help the seniors this year go down to state. That’s gone now.”
For him, though, there is a next year.
“My focus until then will be to bowl each game like it’s the last game I’m going to bowl,” LaBonte said. “I just hope to get down to state next year.”
Coronavirus pandemic aside, there’s no reason to think he won’t.
Last season, LaBonte finished fourth in the state meet at St. Clair Bowl in O’Fallon. He had a phenomenal set of three-game series in which he totaled 719, 704, 651 and 679. His high game was a 250, and his low game was a 211.
That’s right, 12 straight games of 211 or higher, with a whopping 229.4 average.
“I was blown away myself,” LaBonte said, smiling. “Normally, there is one game that’s off. But I wanted to see our team do well. That was my mindset.”
His mind was also set on doing well the last time he and his brother, Matt, would bowl together in high school.
Matt, a senior, finished his four-year varsity career with a fine effort, averaging 210.9 at state in helping the Bulldogs post a program-best fifth-place finish. He’s in a gap year, but plans to continue his career at McKendree.
Now, Danny will carry on as the “big brother” for his freshman sibling, Jack.
“Yeah, it’s kind of weird being here without Matt,” LaBonte said. “The whole time I’ve had him there at my side. Now that he’s gone, I guess I’m taking his place in a sense with a younger brother to look out for.”
It’s quite a bowling trio, those LaBonte boys. Apples that didn’t fall far from the tree? Not exactly. Their father, Ray, enjoys bowling with friends but isn’t that serious about the sport.
However, dad had a ton to do with his sons falling in love with it. Danny threw his first ball at age 3.
“My dad would always take us to open bowl as a family,” Danny said. “Me and my brother, Matt, always found it fun to throw the ball down the lane.”
When Danny was 5, they were signed up for a youth league. Where it went from there? Check this out.
Danny qualified for the IESA state finals in sixth, seventh and eighth grade. He holds IESA state records with a 279 game and a four-game series of 912.
LaBonte shot his first 300 — get ready for it — at age 12.
“I was the youngest one in that league,” LaBonte said. “It was mostly people in seventh grade and eighth grade and high school. I thought it was cool to have people watching me shoot.
“I had a chance at a 300 once before but failed and shot a 287. Then I learned to cope with the pressure. Once I had 11 in a row, I just kept it inside of me and threw a good ball.”
As a freshman, LaBonte shot his second 300 game in the conference meet at Palos Lanes. His third perfecto came last season at an invite at Tinley Bowl.
I could see it right away when we talked at the lanes, but it was nice to hear one other thing about LaBonte from Richards coach Bradley Wright.
“Danny doesn’t get in your face about how good he is,” Wright said. “He’s not arrogant at all. He just lines up and bowls. He cares a lot about the game. I think that makes him a really strong bowler.”
And certainly one you’d enjoy watching.
