SENIORS TAKE BOWLING TITLES
When she’s not bowling, Plum senior Shannon Small has a part-time gig at the snack stand at Nesbit’s Lanes. On Feb. 20 at Wildlife Lanes in Lower Burrell, she wasn’t serving up orders. Small feasted on the competition at the WPIBL individual bowling championships.
Like she had done all season, Small demolished everyone in the stepladder rounds on the way to the title. Going head-to-head against the top girls bowlers in Hopewell’s Taylor Gozur, defending champion Mattie Mae White of Greensburg Salem and Penn Hills’ Taylor Parco, Small rolled up wins of 224-129, 247-163 and 208-166, respectively.
During the regular season, she had the highest average in the league at 223.23. She truly dominated from start to finish. That was expected from Small, the defending regional champion and a top-five finisher in the state tournament. However, the WPIBL title had eluded her since finishing as runner-up her freshman year.
“I knew this was my last year bowling,” said Small. “I knew I hadn’t won the WPIBL yet, so that was motivation enough.”
Knocking all the pins down was Small’s game plan, however she was not always going for strikes.
“You’re not going to get a strike every time,” said Small, who will bowl at Duquesne. “I was really focused on making my spares. I figured if I made my spares, that would be enough.”
In the boys division, Norwin’s C.J. Turek took home the title. He defeated Plum’s Vincent Cocca, 279-179, in the final. Turek edged Franklin Regional’s Alex Smith, 236-214, and Hempfield’s Dominic Vallano, 232193, to reach the final.
Turek, a senior, finished in the top 25 three times prior to breaking through for the championship.
“I think it helped being in that position a few times before,” said Turek.
“I was able to keep my emotions in check. It feels pretty good [to win the title]. I’ve put in a lot of practice and a lot of time to be my best.”
Team champions
Central Catholic has been playing in honor of its former longtime coach Angelo Bordogna, who passed away just before the season got under way. The Vikings completed their mission of winning the WPIBL boys team title for Bordogna by gutting out a three-game series against Hempfield Feb. 12.
In a back-and-forth series, the Vikings claimed the first game, 155-145, before Hempfield won the second, 198-178. In the deciding game, Central Catholic won, 167-159.
The Vikings were the undefeated South Division champions at 10-0 during the regular season. Central Catholic also won WPIBL titles in 1993, 1994 and 1996.
For the girls, Greensburg Salem only needed two games to roll past Shaler to the title. The Golden Lions, who won the regular-season Southeast Division title, won by scores of 192-166 and 204-147.
The individual and team winners, along with other qualifiers, will next compete at the regional competition the first week of March.