FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — For the first time since 2019, the Hononegah boys bowling program stands atop Illinois again. And this time, the climb to the summit came with a late surge, a freshman phenom, and a senior who refused to let the moment slip away.
Hononegah claimed the 2025–26 IHSA Boys Bowling State Championship on Saturday at St. Clair Bowl, finishing with a two‑day total of 12,800 pins to edge Lockport by 67. The Indians entered the final day within striking distance but needing a spark. Senior Lucas Wheeler delivered it immediately.
Wheeler, the lone senior in the starting rotation, opened Saturday with a commanding 264 that sent a jolt through the Hononegah lineup and set the tone for the comeback. The Indians fed off the momentum, stringing together their most complete block of the tournament and steadily chipping away at Lockport’s lead until the final frame of the afternoon.
The championship marks Hononegah’s first state crown in seven years and adds another chapter to a program that has consistently produced high‑level talent and postseason runs. But this title run will be remembered just as much for its youth as its experience.
Freshman Ian Scharre, already well‑known in youth bowling circles after two middle‑school state runner‑up finishes, arrived at St. Clair Bowl with expectations—and somehow exceeded them. After trailing Morton’s Weston Sadler following Day 1, Scharre delivered a brilliant Saturday performance to capture the individual state championship with a 240.9 average…