Girls Bowling: Waubonsie Valley’s Felton sisters could bring home a title

Updated: February 9, 2012 7:18PM

Waubonsie Valley girls bowling coach Marty Miller promotes the idea that his team is a family, which has been easier to do this season because part of the team literally is family.

Sisters Kaylene and Rachael Felton are enjoying their first year on varsity together and are two reasons why the Warriors could take home their first state championship this weekend at the finals at Cherry Bowl Lanes in Rockford.

Kaylene, a senior, is the team captain and the only one with state experience, having finished 41st last year as an individual. But the emergence of Rachael, a sophomore who has had a breakout season, has helped the Warriors realize the high expectations that they, but few others, had this winter.

“It’s really been interesting,” Kaylene said. “It’s brought us a lot closer, being on the team, because there is a dynamic there where you have to be teammates, but at the same time, you can’t take it home with you. There’s certain things that you have to keep separate.”

There’s no sibling rivalry even though Rachael, who has improved her average from 138 to 203, has sometimes outshined her more experienced sister.

“We don’t really think about individually how we do until after the fact,” Kaylene said. “[Rachael’s success] makes me very, very proud of her. That’s my baby sister.”

From Kaylene, Rachael and another sophomore, leading scorer Julia Bond, have learned how to handle the pressure of big meets. Waubonsie had never won an invite before this year but captured four of the six it entered, including one at Cherry Bowl last month.

With a roster that includes juniors Charley Barbary and Marianna Guerrieri and senior Julie Schumacher, the Warriors know they don’t have a weak link.

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