Comebacks power team winners at Bergen bowling tourney by Greg Tartaglia of The Record
HACKENSACK – Pascack Valley changed its wardrobe.
Lyndhurst changed, among other things, its lineup.
Both schools ultimately changed their place in the standings with come-from-behind efforts in the afternoon session of Saturday’s Bergen County boys bowling tournament at Bowler City.
Pascack Valley trailed two-time defending champion Indian Hills by 42 pins in the Groups 3-4 division after the three-game morning round. The Indians then scored 264 points higher over the final three games to total 5,930 and capture their first overall title since 2011.
Lyndhurst sat sixth in Groups 1-2 at the lunch break and erupted for a 3,086 afternoon series that included a five-player 1,119 in the final game. The Golden Bears (5,763) earned their second group title in three years and overtook Indian Hills (5,708) for second overall.
Bergen Catholic’s Kyle Laube was the high series winner with a 670, and Tom McGrath of Ramsey shot a 266 to earn high game. With the tournament adopting a new format this year – the top 50 percent in each group bowled the full six games – individual awards were handed out after the morning.
Pascack Valley had the second-best team game of the afternoon, a 1,041 in game five, to pull away from Indian Hills. The Indians sported brand-new uniforms, featuring black shirts with names in green on the back.
“We decided to get new shirts to surprise the coach,” said Tom Smith, who shot a second-place 667 in the morning and a 618 after the break.
“It’s the shirts, and the team – this was a total, six-man team effort,” Pascack Valley coach Judy Lucia said, her shirt imprinted with “Coach Loosh.”
Scott Morris (207), Trevor Lauber (224), Brian Biml (202) and Henry Tipping (216) all had 200s in game five, and Brian Sumereau bowled in the fourth game, when the Indians went ahead to stay.
Lyndhurst did not take the Groups 1-2 lead for good until its game six explosion. The Golden Bears were tied with NJIC Meadowlands rival (and defending group champ) North Arlington, 4,644-all, after five.
Senior Ryan Donohue then blasted a 266 in the finale to cap a 695 afternoon set, tops in the house on the day.
“Two hands – he only resorts to that [delivery] when the one-handed thing isn’t working,” Lyndhurst coach Brianna Balkin said, noting the key to Donohue’s late-day breakout.
“We made some personnel adjustments, we made some ball adjustments … we switched everything up for the second half,” she said.
The first half of the day belonged to Laube, Bergen Catholic’s fourth individual county champ all-time and first since Tim Downey in 2006. Downey and the Crusaders’ first high series winner, Sean Sullivan (1984), were present Saturday.
“It’s pretty crazy, Tim winning it himself and just coming in and helping us coaching this year is really great,” said Laube, a senior from New Milford. “And with Mr. Sullivan, we got to take a picture with the three of us together.”
Ridgewood (5,581) edged out Bergen Catholic by five pins for third place in Groups 3-4, thanks to a big P.M. series from anchor Matt Myers (665).
The top game of the afternoon belonged to Glen Rock senior Matt Carbone. He began the day with a 263, helping his team to a 1,001 in game one, and ended it with 10 consecutive strikes for a 280, part of a 1,018 game-six total.
The Panthers (5,517) were Groups 1-2 runners-up, their best finish since claiming the county title in 2013.
“We shot for 800 [each game], and we got two 1,000s,” Carbone said, “so we were all very shocked and all very proud of that score.”
BERGEN COUNTY BOYS BOWLING TOURNAMENT
TEAM RESULTS (A.M. Series-P.M. Series—Total)*
GROUPS 3-4
1. Pascack Valley 2,966-2,964–5,930; 2. Indian Hills 3,008-2,700–5,708; 3. Ridgewood 2,829-2,752–5,581; 4. Bergen Catholic 2,860-2,716–5,576; 5. Fair Lawn 2,623-2,782–5,405; 6. NV/Demarest 2,767-2,620–5,387; 7. Teaneck 2,616-2,685–5,301; 8. Paramus Catholic 2,598-2,432–5,030; 9. Northern Highlands 2,559; 10. Hackensack 2,547; 11. Paramus 2,411; 12. Ramapo 2,399; 13. Don Bosco 2,299; 14. Bergen Tech 2,260; 15. Tenafly 1,850.
GROUPS 1-2
1. Lyndhurst 2,677-3,086–5,763; 2. Glen Rock 2,693-2,824–5,517; 3. North Arlington 2,825-2,659–5,484; 4. St. Joseph 2,706-2,731–5,437; 5. Ridgefield Park 2,767-2,618–5,385; 6. Fort Lee 2,856-2,431–5,287; 7. Hasbrouck Heights 2,604-2,674–5,278; 8. Westwood 2,622-2,500–5,122; 9. Dumont 2,583-2,459–5,042; 10. Ramsey 2,518; 11. Mahwah 2,495; 12. Becton 2,402; 13. Pascack Hills 2,359; 14. Park Ridge/Emerson 2,261; 15. Leonia 2,193; 16. Bergen Charter 2,116; 17. Queen of Peace 1,666**.
*The top 50 percent in each group advanced to afternoon round
**Indicates team had four bowlers
HIGH SERIES (Three A.M. games)
1. Kyle Laube (Bergen Catholic), 670; 2. Tom Smith (Pascack Valley), 667; 3. Kyle Schellberg (Dumont), 661; 4. Ryan McGuire (Indian Hills), 659; 5. Jared Duncan (Indian Hills), 642; 6. Tyler Nappi (Fair Lawn), 640; 7. (tie) Alan Bogdanov (NV/Old Tappan), David Grant (Fort Lee) and Eric McKenna (North Arlington), 639; 10. (tie) Jordan Tse (NV/Demarest) and Peter Bondy (Bergenfield), 637; 12. Jayden Fraiman (Ridgewood), 636; 13. Brian Skettini (Ridgewood), 635; 14. (tie) Jonathan Mormando (Indian Hills) and Ray Schmitt (St. Joseph), 633.
HIGH GAMES (A.M. only)
1. Tom McGrath (Ramsey) 266; 2. Laube, 265; 3. Matt Ramos (Teaneck), 264; 4. Matt Carbone (Glen Rock), 263; 5. Schellberg, 258.