MONROE — The hands have gone up, and they’ve stayed there. Monroe High School’s boys bowling team hasn’t stopped celebrating all season.
“We’re loud,” Hornets senior captain Trey Lambert said. “We keep the energy going all match.”
“It’s every day,” Monroe coach David Rolph added. “If you’ve got thin skin, they’re probably not a good group of bowlers to bowl against — because they do get after it.
“When we’re quiet, we don’t bowl good.”
There haven’t been many stagnant moments on the lanes for the Hornets, who are taking their undefeated record into the final week of the regular season.
Monroe is currently 19-0, has won 22 consecutive Southwestern Buckeye League matches and is 66-12 dating back to the 2019-2020 season.
The Hornets have already clinched at least a share of their fifth consecutive SWBL title and will face Ross in a regular-season finale on Thursday, Feb. 15, at Eastern Lanes.
“Atmosphere wise and what they’re doing, this team has stood out the most in terms of how successful they are,” said Rolph, who is in his ninth season at Monroe.
While the Hornets lost a couple key bowlers from last season because of various circumstances, Rolph said he’s been most impressed with how well his squad has gelled.
“The leadership we have — that’s why they’ve bonded together so quickly,” the coach said. “They all bowl together all the time. They practice all the time.”
Lambert and junior Corey Williams-Carter have consistently been the conference’s top two bowlers. Williams-Carter bowls a 204.2, while Lambert is a mere .2 pins behind him with a 204. Lambert bowled a 299 against Mount Healthy last month.
“We’ve just said to take it one game at a time right now,” said Lambert, who plans to bowl at Ohio State. “We win games when we stay clean. I think we can play with anybody. As long as we stay clean, bowl our game, hit our mark and don’t let the nerve get to us, we’re a pretty good team.”
Lambert said senior Zach Bachmann’s personality and grit gets the team rallied together.
“He’s one of those kids that always has the energy,” Lambert said of Bachmann, who bowls a 183. “We all feed off him. He plays a major role in getting us pumped up.”
That energy has brought plenty of confidence — especially for some of the younger bowlers. Freshman Eli Putnam averages a 182.7 and senior Jaxson Hounchell bowls a 174.
“You’re going to have to be above your A game to beat us in Baker’s,” Lambert said with a smirk. “Because nine out of 10, we’re going to whoop that butt.”
Monroe advanced to its first-ever Division I district tournament as a team a season ago and was close to getting its first state qualifier. Lambert missed out by 13 pins.
He said the Hornets are aiming for different results this coming postseason.
“There’s no selfish thing about this team,” Lambert said. “We’re all about being a team. As long as we pick each other up, keep the mentality and keep a winning attitude, I think we can hang with anybody.
“We’re not going to settle this time around. We’re going to use the momentum we’ve got going for us.”
