STREAKS USE BIG GAMES TO CLINCH CONFERENCE TITLES
Both the Warren Hills boys & girls bowling teams have clearly been the best in the Skyland Conference all season. Just as clearly, the Franklin boys & girls teams have been the second best, and the most likely to give Warren Hills trouble. That's exactly what happened on Thursday, but the Blue Streaks rose to the challenge, swept both matches, and each team clinched a Conference Regular Season championship.
The Warren Hills girls (#2 in New Jersey) faced their challenge right at the start of the match. While the Streaks struggled for maybe the only time all season at Oakwood Lanes, Franklin shot their 3rd highest game of the season. Senior Elizabeth Hudock came through big; her 214 game not only led the team, she was the only bowler to come within 20 pins of her average. The Streaks needed every bit of it, taking the game by a narrow 28 pins.
In Game 2, the Streaks looked a lot more like themselves: Freshman Kelcie Mannon (204) and Seniors Jessica Yerance (204) and Jenna Henderson (234) put up big games and the Streaks improved to a 967 game. In the final game, they went even bigger. Junior Katie Winch put up a 211, and Kelcie and Jenna each carried seven strikes in a row, on their way to 256 and 258 games respectively. Game 3 came in at 1091, just missing the girls' best effort of the season. Kelcie (629) and Jenna (656) wound up over 600 and the team total of 2888 was one of their best on the year.
The boys' challenge would come much later in the afternoon. Senior Jake Irwin's huge 257 (a season high, and part of his season-high 620 set) staked the Streaks (#16 in NJ) to a big win in Game 1. In Game 2, Senior Darryl Price and Freshman Ryan Monahan each fired 224 games to lead the boys to another comfortable win. But things got tight in Game 3 as Franklin's bowlers posted 4 games of 185+. Junior Eric Lawson (207) and Ryan (205, making a 620 series) helped the cause, as did Junior Avante Wilson (192). A big lift came from Junior Max Rothstein, who had just subbed in for Game 3, who shot a nice 195, and the Streaks survived with a 30-pin victory. Looking at the match as a whole, the Streaks were very consistent, putting up games of 965-983-972 for a 2920 series.
Both the Boys & Girls teams have their eyes on more accomplishments before the season is over, chasing sectional, county and even state titles. But it all starts with the Conference, and it's certainly a good thing to put up a pair of "2017"s on the Championship Wall at Oakwood. Congratulations, Streaks!
Monday is a home match against Bridgewater, Wednesday is the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex tournament (boys team, girls will bowl together but are only competing as individuals), and Friday is the Skyland Conference tournament, where both teams have to make their titles stick one more time.
The Warren Hills girls (#2 in New Jersey) faced their challenge right at the start of the match. While the Streaks struggled for maybe the only time all season at Oakwood Lanes, Franklin shot their 3rd highest game of the season. Senior Elizabeth Hudock came through big; her 214 game not only led the team, she was the only bowler to come within 20 pins of her average. The Streaks needed every bit of it, taking the game by a narrow 28 pins.
In Game 2, the Streaks looked a lot more like themselves: Freshman Kelcie Mannon (204) and Seniors Jessica Yerance (204) and Jenna Henderson (234) put up big games and the Streaks improved to a 967 game. In the final game, they went even bigger. Junior Katie Winch put up a 211, and Kelcie and Jenna each carried seven strikes in a row, on their way to 256 and 258 games respectively. Game 3 came in at 1091, just missing the girls' best effort of the season. Kelcie (629) and Jenna (656) wound up over 600 and the team total of 2888 was one of their best on the year.
The boys' challenge would come much later in the afternoon. Senior Jake Irwin's huge 257 (a season high, and part of his season-high 620 set) staked the Streaks (#16 in NJ) to a big win in Game 1. In Game 2, Senior Darryl Price and Freshman Ryan Monahan each fired 224 games to lead the boys to another comfortable win. But things got tight in Game 3 as Franklin's bowlers posted 4 games of 185+. Junior Eric Lawson (207) and Ryan (205, making a 620 series) helped the cause, as did Junior Avante Wilson (192). A big lift came from Junior Max Rothstein, who had just subbed in for Game 3, who shot a nice 195, and the Streaks survived with a 30-pin victory. Looking at the match as a whole, the Streaks were very consistent, putting up games of 965-983-972 for a 2920 series.
Both the Boys & Girls teams have their eyes on more accomplishments before the season is over, chasing sectional, county and even state titles. But it all starts with the Conference, and it's certainly a good thing to put up a pair of "2017"s on the Championship Wall at Oakwood. Congratulations, Streaks!
Monday is a home match against Bridgewater, Wednesday is the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex tournament (boys team, girls will bowl together but are only competing as individuals), and Friday is the Skyland Conference tournament, where both teams have to make their titles stick one more time.
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