Jennings raises his game
Saratoga bowler upped his average 13 pins to pace Suburban Council
Athlete of the Year: Brady Jennings, Saratoga Springs
Getting outside his home center of Saratoga Strike Zone provided a boost to the high school bowling career of Saratoga Springs senior Brady Jennings.
Because of COVID -19, Jennings and his Saratoga teammates bowled their matches virtually last year, staying home at Strike Zone and comparing scores with opponents who also rolled at their home centers. He averaged around 215, enough to earn Times Union second-team all-star status.
That changed his senior season. Jennings rolled his first career perfect game in a seasonopening match against Schenectady, carved an 801 series a week later and finished with a 228 average. In the ultra-competitive Suburban Council, Jennings’ average was 10 pins higher than the next-closest bowler and earned him Times Union boys’ bowling Athlete of the Year honors.
“Last year, we were bowling just on our home lanes,” Jennings said. “I didn’t like it as much. It was kind of boring. Traveling and see who you’re actually bowling against made me more excited.”
Jennings also bowled in the Joey Schmidt Capital District
Junior Pro-scoring League — known as the “traveling league” — so he had ample opportunities to see centers outside Saratoga Springs.
“Knowing the different conditions and bowling against more people definitely helped,” he said.
“He’s super hard-working,” said Rich Lofink, who completed his eighth season as Saratoga Springs coach. “He’s super quiet. He leads by example. He’s not a rah-rah guy. He’s not the kind of guy who shows a lot of emotion. He just goes about his business, very matter-of-factly.”
It was a special year in a lot of ways for Jennings. He helped Saratoga Springs win its first Section II Class A championship, earning the Blue Streaks a trip to the state championships.
Jennings also was accepted and plans to attend Wichita State, a bowling powerhouse that has won 12 national titles and produced such future pro stars as Chris Barnes, Sean Rash, Kris Prather, Francois Lavoie and Clara Guerrero.
“I didn’t know what his plans were going to be in the future bowling-wise,” Lofink said. “We had a couple of matches left, and he got word that he had been accepted to Wichita State. It’s not scholarshiptype stuff, but there’s a three-week tryout.”
“I know a lot of pros came out of Wichita,” Jennings said. “That’s what I hope to do.”
First team
■ Tim Bush, Sr., Guilderland: First team all-suburban Council, posting second-highest average in Suburban Council. Averaged 218.
■ Aiden Deitz, Sr., Colonie: Second straight year as Times Union first-team all-star. Averaged 214.
■ Brady Jennings, Sr., Saratoga Springs: Suburban Council MVP. Top bowler on Section II Class A champions. Averaged 228.
■ L.J. Morse, So., Chatham: Patroon Conference MVP. Won league’s high-average award by 11 pins. Averaged 217.
■ David Squires, Sr., Schalmont: Second straight year as Times Union first-team all-star. Colonial Council MVP. Averaged 221.
Coach of the Year
■ Rich Lofink, Saratoga Springs:
After the Blue Streaks finished 11th in the Suburban Council Tournament, Lofink regrouped his bowlers and led them to their first Section II Class A championship.
Second team
■ Matt Diguilio, Jr., Lansingburgh
■ Tyler Drexel, Jr., Duanesburg
■ Aidan Goodwin, Jr., Columbia
■ Colin King, Sr., Hoosick Falls
■ Anthony Paradiso, Jr., Fort Plain