Two decades have passed since the East Syracuse Minoa girls bowling team lay claim to a New York State Public High School Athletic Association title at Strike-N-Spare Lanes.
Next month, the state tournament is back at Strike-N-Spare – and the Spartans will have a representative again thanks to America Carhart’s victory in Thursday’s Section III Shootout.
In all, 26 bowlers took part in the tournament held at Rome’s King Pin Lanes. Only the top two finishers would join regular-season average leaders from the SCAC, OHSL, Tri-Valley League and Center State Conference in the state tournament as part of Section III’s All-Star squad.
Carhart began with a 202 game, which put her in fifth place, but then erupted for a 257 game that included nine strikes. A 190 in the third game put her in front midway through at 649, one pin ahead of Utica Proctor’s Kaitlynn Conte and three clear of Liverpool’s Ashley Hardy.
Then, with a 235 in the fourth gam, Carhart extended her lead, and a 220 in the fifth game allowed her to withstand Conte’s 253 and lead, 1,104-1091, with one game left.
That final game was strong for both top contenders. Conte shot 232 – but Carhart answered with a 237 and, with a total pinfall of 1,341, beat Conte (1,323) by 18 pins, though both qualified for the state tournament. Hardy was third with 1,188.
Also in the girls bowling sectional shootout, Christian Brothers Academy had Anna Ziemba shoot an 874, with a high game of 177, as Ziemba beat out Bishop Grimes bowler Raquel McDonald, whose 872 series included a 187 game.
Meanwhile, in the boys Section III Shootout, ESM’s Sean Timmons could not quite follow up on his sharing the individual title with Liverpool’s Brandon Davis in the sectional team tournament earlier in the week.
Here, Timmons had a six-game total of 1,210 to finish eighth as he had games of 237 and 216. Central Square’ Dimitri Queior won with 1,426, helped by a last-game 278 as Indian River’s E.J. Omelia (1,345) was second.
Brett Smith also bowled for ESM and finished 18th, peaking with a 224 in the third game as he had a total pinfall of 1,114. Fayetteville-Manlius bowler Kevin Winschel had a six-game total of 991.
Earlier this season, Winschel bowled a 300, a feat that Whitesboro’s Tom Davis matched at the sectional shootout on his way to a fifth-place finish.
