With over 25 competitions on the schedule this winter, the Edwardsville bowling team will be busy over the next few months.

The boys’ team, coached by Craig Ohlau, practices four days a week for two hours at SIUE’s Cougar Lanes.

“We do drills, practice games and some minor working out,” said junior Jackson Budwell who has been bowling competitively for three years.

Since the season started in November, Budwell claims to have bowled decently, however, there is still plenty of time for improvement.

“I have averaged about 180 this season,” Budwell said. “I really need to stop muscling the ball.”

In normal matches typically three games are played, while in the postseason tournaments there are six games played and the total added score from the games ranks the players and teams.

On the girls’ side, under Coach Kimber Moscardelli, sophomore Ashley Kuethe returns for her second season with the team.

“I used to bowl when I was younger and I missed it a lot,” Kuethe said. “So I decided to try out for the high school team.”

The team is smaller than last year, having 19 members on the roster. Regardless of size, Budwell has hope for team improvement.

“We need to work on spare shooting…” Budwell said. “[The] team’s goal is to make it out of regionals.”

Other members of the team also have high hopes for making it out of regionals.

“I believe we have good potential for it [Regionals] come January,” Senior Michael Jenkins said, “We’ve got another month or so to prepare and I like our lineup of players.”

Jenkins, who has been close to qualifying in the past, hopes to make it to state for his senior year.

Last year Edwardsville qualified one boy for the state finals but has never qualified a team.

The Tiger’s next home competition is against Belleville West at SIUE’s Cougar lanes on Dec. 10.