NEW YORK STATE BOYS BOWLING: WAVERLY PLACES FOURTH AT D-2 CHAMPIONSHIPS (24 PHOTOS) (2023-03-12)

By TIM TAYLOR
Valley Sports Report
SYRACUSE — Waverly battled through some ups and downs before placing fourth at the NYSPHSAA Division 2 Boys Bowling Championships Sunday.

The Wolverines shook off a slow start in their opening game, a 944, to post games of 1,003 and 1,023, compiling a 2,970 total pinfall during the morning session. That put them in third behind West Seneca East at 3,110 and Cohoes with a 3,062.

Waverly opened the afternoon session with a 1,070, but struggled during their final two games, rolling 870 and 902 for a 2,792 series.

That left the Wolverines with a six-game total of 5,762. West Seneca East and Cohoes finished 1-2 with total pinfalls of 6329 and 6146, respectively. Marcus Whitman was third at 5,903.

WSE improved by 109 pins in the second session, while Cohoes boosted their score by 82. Meanwhile, Marcus Whitman jumped from fifth to third with a 259-pin increase.

“The first four I thought we did pretty well,” second-year coach Derek Bowman said. “We struggled with the first game. First game put us a little bit behind and I think we settled in after game one. Two, three and four were pretty good and I think it was just more mentally rather than physically.

“We struggled with the transition a little bit and then once we kind of just settled down, it was all right for us, and that's through games two and three. We were better in the transition than the other teams and that's what put us in the position in the spot we were in. And then in game five, after we sat over the afternoon, we struggled, and then once we started struggling mentally it kicked in and that's when I think we fell apart.”

With the exception of Vanderpool, the rest of the team had not experienced competition at the state level. Vanderpool bowled in the composite tournament last year.

“I'm proud of them,” Bowman said. “The seniors, really, they work hard and some of them have been six-year starters, so it's kind of cool to let them go out that way. I wish it was a little bit higher, but they'll go on to do good things. I know Zach’s going to college for bowling."

Of course, lane conditions became a factor as the tournament progressed into the afternoon session.

“I think 35, 36 was an extremely tough pair,” Bowman said. "Just even noticing Seaford’s score there (167 pins lower), that was tough, and then some of the ways they threw a couple of them through urethane, that affects everything. We're all bowling on the same thing, so it's just a mental grind and pushing through it and trying to figure that out."

Individually, Vanderpool placed 10th out of 57 competitors who rolled at least one game, recording a 1,268 total for a 211.33 average. He had games of 216, 214, 237, 225, 152 and 224. His 237 was the fifth-best score of the morning session.

Vanderpool enjoyed bowling with his team versus competing as an individual.

“It was great,” he said. “It's more fun with the team, with all your friends and being together for the weekend."

He also believed the experience of bowling at states last year helped him this time around.

“I definitely bowled better than I did last year when I was here,” Vanderpool said. “I think it makes a huge difference because you’ve already got the experience and already know what to expect.”

Freshman Derek Johnson was 18th with an 1,149 series. His scores included a 209, 233, 156, 191, 169 and 191 and he averaged 191.5 for the day.

Senior Ashton Pritchard took 25th with a 1,099. He scored 173, 174, 210, 234, 166 and 142 for a 183.17 average.

Junior Trenton Sindoni registered scores of 183, 159, 252, 150, 171 and 153. His total pinfall was 1,068 for a 178 average and his 252 was fourth highest in the morning session. He placed 31st.

Senior Michael Cole stepped in in the afternoon and had a 624 series behind games of 220, 212 and 192. He placed 43rd and his 208 average was tops among the 25 competitors who did not bowl all six games.

Freshman Tristan Campbell competed in the morning session and shot 163, 223 and 168 for a 554 series and a 184.67 average. He was 45th overall and fourth among those who bowled fewer than six games.

Senor Landyn Gunderson and junior Carter Hayes also participated for the Wolverines, each getting a few rolls in the final game of the tournament.

WSE’s Josh Zajac was the top bowler with a 1,368 series.

——————

PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.

Print Friendly Version