Locals team up on SU bowling team

One of the top collegiate bowlers in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is Southern University senior Kaylene Adams – a two-time All-Conference performer for the Lady Jaguars.

When Adams graduates, the next in line just might be true freshman Colleen Cheramie – a young, promising standout who landed at Southern after winning a pair of state titles in high school.

Both the veteran Jaguar and the newbie are local – each calling Golden Meadow home.

The Lady Jaguars’ bowling efforts for 2014-15 got under way recently when the team started its season with a ninth-place finish at Tulane on Oct. 17.

No matter how things shake up for Southern this year, there will be some local flavor to the team’s efforts, as the Lady Jaguars rely heavily upon Adams and Cheramie, who starred at South Lafourche and Vandebilt, respectively in their prep bowling careers.

“Colleen and I are working so hard to make my last year and her first year a really good one,” Adams said. “We definitely are motivated to make this year a great one.”

For Adams, she hopes that her final season will be her best. To do that, she’ll have to put together a heck of a season.

The former Lady Tarpon was a Second-Team All-SWAC selection in each of the past two seasons, thanks to her consistency and ability to put together high scores to help Southern’s cause.

Adams said she’s been the team’s captain for the past three seasons, including in 2014-15. The senior said she relishes being a veteran member of the team because she loves being a leader to her younger teammates.

Adams said she spent the offseason working on different throwing techniques so that she will be able to better adjust to the different lane conditions that she may see throughout the course of the season.

“It feels great to be a veteran because I have learned so much during my years at Southern,” Adams said. “All of the girls on our team know they can ask me anything and that can be very helpful to them.”

Adams mentioned her ability to adjust to lane conditions to post a dominant score for her team. When she’s on her game, she’s awfully tough to beat.

Adams said her career-best game was a 288 – 12 pins shy of bowling’s perfect score of 300.

To roll a 300 game, a bowler must throw 12 strikes in a row. Adams certainly flirted with it on the day of her 288, opening the game with 10 strikes in a row, losing the perfect game in the final frame.

“Oh yes!” Adams said with a laugh when asked if nerves got the better of her in the final stages of that game. “It’s very nerve racking.”

While Adams looks to finish her collegiate career on the right foot, Cheramie is looking to jump out of the gate on top.

Cheramie signed with Southern out of high school after collecting a handful of championship rings during a storied career at Vandebilt.

Cheramie won an individual state title with the Lady Terriers and was also among the captains for a squad that won the Terriers’ first-ever bowling state title, as well.

But as a freshman in a new program, Cheramie said she’s eager to make her mark to make an early impact with the Lady Jaguars.

With a solid average and the capability to bowl deep into the 200s on any given game, Cheramie said she’s relishing the additional practice time that being a college bowler brings.

In high school, Cheramie’s time was spread among many sports and activities, including competing as a captain for the Terriers’ State Championship cheerleading squad – the third state title she won in her career.

“The practices are more advanced and helpful,” Cheramie said. “It’s those one-on-one practices and being able to practice every day that is really going to take my game to the next level. The best thing for me is being able to advance my skills and be that much better of an athlete.”

But perhaps the most remarkable thing of all for Adams and Cheramie is just the journey they’ve made to college.

A decade ago, prep bowling wasn’t offered by many schools in Southeast Louisiana – there just weren’t enough local teams to compete against to make a full schedule.

But now, almost every school has a team – easily the fastest-growing prep sport in our area.

Adams said she never expected to be bowling collegiately. She added that she’s grateful to everyone at South Lafourche and also Southern’s coaches for giving her a chance to compete.

Cheramie said the same, expressing gratitude for her opportunity to shine.

“I never thought I would have made it to be a collegiate bowler,” Adams said. “I am from a small town and to get a chance like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to prove myself and make a name in bowling for myself, my town and my university.”