The Waterloo High School girls bowling team delivered a strong performance to win the Columbia Kegler Challenge tournament played at West Park Bowl on Dec. 12.

In the boys division, Columbia’s Cameron Touchette continued his amazing season.

A total of 24 high school teams swelled West Park Bowl for this year’s tournament. Local teams included host Columbia, Waterloo and Dupo, along with Belleville East, Freeburg, and Wesclin. Strong competition also came from Alton, Highland, Taylorville and Salem.

In the girls tournament, Alton started well in its title defense, followed by a strong Belleville East team, who trailed by only 17 pins after the four-game match play.

Although Alton and Belleville East got out to large leads over the rest of the field, a strong performance by Waterloo overtook Belleville East in the semi-finals of the two-game Baker single elimination bracket.

The Bulldogs then moved on to defeat Alton, 408-369, in the finals for the championship.

Local All-Kegler Team honors were earned by Waterloo’s Makensy Umscheid, who finished fourth as an individual while averaging 200. Courtney Argus of Dupo took first place honors, averaging 247 for the four games of match play.

In the boys division, Columbia continued its early success, bowling strong throughout match play with a 1,094 average for the four-game set.

Following Baker pool play, Columbia still held the lead but then fell to Salem in the semi-final of the single elimination Baker bracket.

The finals pitted a surging Freeburg team that had pulled two upsets to advance but could not withstand Salem in the two-game Baker championship match.

Local individuals making the All-Kegler Team for the boys were Sean Jerome of Columbia, who was sixth overall with a 216 average, and Cameron Touchette of Columbia, who finished first with 1,092 pins over four games.

Touchette’s performance also netted him a third all-time individual three-game high series of 834 for an Illinois high school state record.