Spartan bowlers thrive off Stewart's demeanor
At one point during the third game in the Class 5-1A bowling championship last March, Collegiate freshman Jack Stewart leaned over his seat and told coach Don Hapward just one thing:
"He very quietly said, 'I just have to throw strikes the rest of the way and I got this,' " Hapward said. "He had already mathematically calculated what he needed, and he did it."
What Stewart had done at Northrock Lanes was win the individual championship by 18 pins with a personal-best 766 series.
Stewart's message to Hapward defined what he had been all season — unflappable.
"It was real fun," Stewart said. "I got out there and the lanes were great. Every shot was... you can't ask for anything better. My shots seemed to work every time."
During a school year in which Collegiate had already won the 3A title in football, then boys basketball, Stewart's accomplishment didn't go unnoticed. Hapward said the school held a small ceremony for Stewart, and the football team carried him around in celebration.
As he enters his sophomore season, he's back to the way he was a year ago — humble.
"I just figure whatever happens, happens," he said. "I mean I want to do good, but I don't really want to rely (on being the defending state champ) as my big thing. I just want to go out and do my best. If that's doing really well at state, then that's what happens."
Picking up the game when he was 8, Stewart has three years to really think about his future in the game past high school. He said he would like to play in college, but he's not going to rely solely on bowling.
"I don't see bowling as my career opportunity," Stewart said. "Don't get me wrong, it would be great to be a pro and to go through college and all that. I don't like to rely on professional sports because I know the relative likelihood of becoming professional. I kind of would like to look into maybe engineering and other stuff, too."
So with three years of high school remaining, Stewart has plenty of time to plan out his future, but as far as his time left in high school, more titles might be a strong possibility.