MATTYDALE – With one game to go in Sunday’s Section III Class A tournament at Strike-N-Spare Lanes, the East Syracuse Minoa boys bowling team found itself just six pins out of first place.
Any slight improvement, and the Spartans would overtake Central Square and, by doing so, earn a spot in March’s state tournament at this very same facility.
It didn’t quite happen, though, as ESM would have to settle for third place at the end of a long and exciting day of competition where every shot seemed to carry extra importance.
As the morning session got underway, the Spartans moved out in front with a team pinfall of 1,052, led by Luke Leidka’s blistering 263, plus a 224 from Ryan Buffum a 222 from Mike Saunders and 216 from Charles Euson.
Just as quickly, though, ESM struggled to an 896 in the second game. But it rebounded with a 922 in the third and went to the break at 2,870, leading Baldwinsville by 33 pins and Central Square by 34 pins.
The fourth game proved important, with the Spartans scoring 915 but the Redhawks, with 1,003, going to the front. Then ESM got 990 in the fifth game to Central Square’s 942, closing that gap to those mere six pins.
During the final game, the Spartans managed 891 to finish at 5,666. Shooting 933, the Redhawks moved to 5,714 and won, with B’ville returning to post 5,668 and edge ESM by two pins for the runner-up spot.
Individually, Buffum tied B’ville’s Alex Mautz for second with a six-game aggregate of 1,321 a consistent effort where every game was between 212 and 234. Only Homer’s Mike Grant, with a 1,338 total, did better.
Leidka could not follow up his torrid start, but still finished tied for 18th with an 1,166 total. Saunders closed with a 219 for his 1,122 series and 27th place, four spots ahead of Euson’s 1,104 set.
Fayetteville-Manlius landed in fifth place in Class A and sixth in Division I with a pinfall of 5,209, doing best in the fourth game with a 968 total.
Individually, Adam Koss exactly matched Ledika with a six-game 1,166 that included games of 237 and 228. Michael Nanno finished 24th, his 1,135 having every game between 179 and 194.
Christian Brothers Academy was eighth in Class B, the Brothers getting a 1,037 series from Tom Dearnaley and a 999 series from Ryan Mulhern.
