BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer
Brick Memorial’s girls bowling team is off to a solid start under Jill Britton, who is awaiting approval by the township’s Board of Education as the head coach, as shown in its runner-up finish in the season-opening Bishop Ahr Tournament at Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick on Saturday.
Brick Township’s team also expects good things ahead with Tracy Ganjoin back in the lineup.
Ganjoin, a senior, was out with an injury last season but appeared back in the form of her all-state season two years ago when she smashed a 556 series off a 215 game in the Bishop Ahr Tournament as Brick Township finished in fourth place.
“I started off really bad (a 149) because Carolier is different from what I’m used to,” said Ganjoin, referring to the synthetic surface. “But then I picked it up.”
In fact, the Green Dragons opened their Shore Conference season in the newly aligned A South Division on Friday with a sweep of Lakewood off three games in the 1,000s for a 3,092.
“My ball has gotten stronger, believe it or not,” said Ganjoin. “It took a while. But it’s not just winning. It’s having fun and knowing how to win.”
“Her play making is better than it’s been. It’s wonderful to have her back,” said coach Linda Sarraf, who was named the Coach of the Year by the NJSIAA last season.
“I think we’ll do great; everything is doing much better than last year, especially with Tracy back in the lineup and she just clicked,” said Kristen Hayes, a senior who is the anchor again this year as she was last season when she averaged 194 for the team that finished eighth in the state after reeling off three straight state titles. “Everyone improved a lot over the summer.”
And that includes Hayes.
“The thing is she is not nervous and very focused,” said Sarraf. “We need somebody to produce that mark, and she does that. She’s doing absolutely fantastic, and I’m thrilled about that.”
“I’m just making more spares; I’m more accurate,” said Hayes. “I’m picking up where I left off.”
Another senior – Amanda Borger – “is bowling really good right now,” said Sarraf, while junior D’Anna Farmer and sophomore Nicole Nardiello complete the lineup.
“Nicole has a really good shot,” said Sarraf.
“I think the team looks very promising,” said Ganjoin. “Every girl has improved I’m very excited. If we keep bowling the way we do, no doubt we’ll be fine.”
Sarraf said the team “is doing much better. I hope we can stay very strong in the beginning.”
And if anybody is struggling, there is good depth in junior Lisa Franviglia, who has moved up from the junior varsity, sophomore Caitlyn Dorey, who has done a good job breaking in a new ball, and freshmen Katarina Kiselli and Ashley Lane, whose brother, Jay, is a standout on the boys team that won the Bishop Ahr Tournament.
It means promising things ahead for the team that last year qualified in the Shore Conference Tournament as one of the top two finishers in its Southern Division. This year, Jackson was moved out of the renamed A South Division and all three Toms River schools – Toms River East, Toms River South and Toms River North – were moved in, along with Lakewood, Manchester and the two Brick teams.
The Green Dragons get a good barometer on Saturday when they compete in the Fairleigh Dickinson Tournament, which will bowl baker style, which is used in college bowling, as each player rolls two frames in each game.