ONONDAGA COUNTY – A terrific regular season put together by the East Syracuse Minoa boys bowling team had led to what would take place Sunday at its home venue of Strike-N-Spare Lanes.
The Spartans vied for the large-school title in the Section III championships so that it could return to Strike-N-Spare for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association tournament a month from now.
That did not quite happen, but with a pinfall of 5,974 ESM did take third place in Division I and second in Class A, trailing only the 6,169 from New Hartord and 6,124 from runner-up Central Square among all teams.
Zach Kassel led ESM, finishing eighth among individuals. His opening game of 251 was one of four games of 210 or better during a 1,265 series where he averaged 210.83 overall.
Ryan Buffum, with a six-game 1,250, peaked with a 245 in the fourth game as Luke Liedka equaled Kassels’ 251 in his third game on the way to a 1,222 series.
F-M was sixth in Class A and eighth overall in Division I as Adam Koss shot a 266 in his opening game and had an overall series of 1,131, just ahead of teammate Ryan Yenny, whose 1,110 included a game of 222.
ESM’s boys had dropped a 5-2 decision to Baldwinsville last Wednesday at B’ville Sports Bowl. In the first game, the Bees had 1,113 to the Spartans’ 1,059, then beat ESM 1,103-1,061 in the second before a 1,110-1,042 defeat in the third.
Kassel led ESM with a 598 series with games of 210 and 206. Liedka closed with a 222 in his 581 set as Buffum had a second-game 212 in his 565 series.
On the girls side, ESM lost 7-0 to the Bees, who got a 267 game and 658 series from Julia Speich, plus a 592 series from Samantha Hass and 586 series from Jenna Speich that included a 236 game. Madison Hass shot a 248 in her 563 set as Jewelianna Hallock led the Spartans with a three-game total of 439.
F-M had designs on winning the outright SCAC Metro division regular-season title before it lost, 5-2, to Cicero-North Syracuse in a key match last Monday at Green Lakes.
Both teams bowled well, the Hornets getting 1,015, 1,049 and 1,017 but behind the Northstars’ totals of 1,136, 1,092 and 1,096 in those three games.
Individually, Yenny’s 588 series (202 high game) was ahead of Xavier Greene’s 575 series that had games of 200 and 205. Koss opened with a 223 in his 562 set and Colin Gunderson got a 502 series, but C-NS had five series of 531 or better, led by Terry Miller’s 600 set.
F-M’s girls also lost 5-2 to C-NS, this despite Samantha Estock shooting games of 204, 163 and 216 in a 583 series that was well clear of the top 494 set from the Northstars’ Trinity Short. Lillian Squire had a three-game total of 386.
Christian Brothers Academy won 7-0 over Weedsport on the girls side last Tuesday afternoon, Eliana Occhino again bowling quite well as she shot 225, 212 and 236 in a 673 series, with Sophia Ciereck adding a 398 set.
CBA’s boys lost to Weedsport by that same 7-0 margin, though Ryan Mulhern shot games of 220 and 205 in his 587 series ahead of Jake Mason (482 series) and Zach Mulhern (456 series). Kaiden Epp led the Warriors with a 577 series and high game of 230.
Bishop Grimes saw both of its teams competitive against Homer, the girls taking a 4-3 defeat as Lania Young shot a 401 series to lead the way.
The boys match went 5-2 in the Trojans’ favor, but Grimes got a 606 series (215 high game) from Dom Beitz and a 592 series (218 high game) from Bruno Kinsey, each beating the top 566 series from Homer’s Kyrius Townsend.
CBA went on to finish seventh and Bishop Grimes ninth in the sectional Class C-D tournament on Sunday, with Beitz finishing 30th among individuals with an 1,136 series and 241 high game, just ahead of Koss. Mason paced the Brothers with a six-game total of 1,018.
