BRISTOL BOWLING:Warriors repeat as BAL Champions!

Bristol repeats as BAL Champs yesterday (Feb. 10) at Bristol Pike Lanes

By Steve Sherman; Sports Editor

There’s winning and then there’s taking the title in convincing fashion.

On Feb. 9 at Bristol Pike Lanes, with the Bicentennial Athletic League (BAL) Bowling Championship on the line, Bristol schnuckered Glen Mills, four games to none.

The Warriors entered the match three games ahead of second place Holy Ghost Prep (HGP) so the Firebirds still had a chance at catching the red and white.

After taking game one by 42 pins (892-850), the Warriors wasted little time in disposing of the Bulls, outpacing the BAL associate member, 1064-822. Ahead by almost 300 pins, there was little to no chance that Glen Mills would garner so much as a split.

As it turned out, Bristol won game three and total pins to help seal their second consecutive BAL trophy.

(The Ghost captured the BAL title in 2007--it's inaugural year.)

Bristol senior Shayne Burnett led the way to the Warriors’ title win with a 659 series that included scores of 219, 247 and 193. With a season average of 194, Shayne was the No. 1 seed in the BAL tournament set to take place this afternoon (Feb. 11) at Delmorr Lanes in Morrisville.
Senior Matt Kookan came through too, rolling a 641 series including a 278 in game two.

“That was some great bowling by Matt...pocket hits all the way,” said Bristol Head Coach Ron McGinn.

Senior Gino Pirollo posted a 564 series, including single game scores of 198 and 193.

Senior James Volponi rolled a 534 series, including a high-game 205. Senior Jose Zaragosa contributed, bowling 302 in two games. Senior Mike Devane rolled a 165 score in his single game.

The Warriors finished the season at 36-4 in the BAL, using a 2-game split with the Ghost the first time around and a 3-1 victory in the rematch with HGP the second time around at Bristol Pike.

The boys are set to square off later today (Feb. 11) at Delmorr in an individual tournament against the best the BAL has to offer. Burnett and company will go up against defending champion and second-seeded Drew Wallis, of Morrisville.

A 191-average bowler, Wallis went toe-to-toe with Burnett in the tourney last year then claimed the BAL crown for himself after winning the title in an overtime game.

Holy Ghost anchorman Al Gonziewski goes into the tourney as the No. 3 seed.

All three bowlers along with Volponi and Mike Browne, of Holy Ghost, have also qualified for the Eastern Pennsylvania Regionals set for Feb. 27-28 in Allentown.

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On the girls side, Bristol senior Jess Tees claimed the No. 1 seed heading into today’s BAL tournament. Jess possesses a 164 average and has also qualified for the eastern state regional. She did so by coming through with some of her best bowling ever in a qualifier held a month ago out in Reading.

In addition to rolling a 619 series in the team qualifier held in the morning, Jess came back in the afternoon session and bowled 731 in a four game series in the individual qualifier. That’s a 193 average over the seven games that took place that day.

“That was the best bowling I’ve ever seen her do,” stated McGinn, matter-of-factly.
Morrisville’s Tiffany White has also qualified for eastern states. In the qualifier, Tiffany rolled 674 in her four game series.