South has new bowling coach

By John E. Powers, Sports Writer
   WEST AMWELL — Ed Ciurczak has been an industrial arts teacher at South Hunterdon Regional High School for 33 years.
   He coached middle school baseball years ago, then was head archery coach for 20 years.
   Now, Ciurczak has taken on a new, much different challenge.
   Ciurczak is the Eagles’ new bowling coach.
   The Eagles were scheduled to open their third season Tuesday at Strike-N-Spare Lanes in Green Brook against Immaculata, followed Thursday with another game against Watchung Hills at the same place.
   Ciurczak, who is being assisted by Brandi Woodring, takes over for George Dudek, who’s no longer at the school.
   ”One of the kids asked me if I’d be interested in taking over the team so I talked to the athletic director (Ron Peterson) and my wife, and I decided to do it,” Ciurczak said.
   He found bowling is apparently very popular at South.
   ”We have 24 kids on our team, which is pretty impressive when you consider that we have a total enrollment of 350. We really have the biggest team South has,” said Ciurczak, who graduated from old Thomas Jefferson High (now Elizabeth) and Kean University. “Most of our kids are involved in other sports. We have kids who are involved in the band, basketball, baseball, other activities.”
   And bowling.
   ”They have a great time,” he said.
   South Hunterdon will have a full girls and boys team.
   ”I went to the coaches meeting at North Hunterdon, and a lot of the coaches are very, very gung go,” Ciurczak said. “I’m not like that at all. I want the kids to have fun. I’m not your typical coach.”
   The team had a bowl-off last week, compiling the best averages, to see who would be in the starting lineup.
   Among those on the team are Alex Barnes, Frankie Maple, Cody Hoffestetter, Bryce Fuller, Jack Dienese and Dan Marley.
   ”Alex Barnes is already in a (bowling) league, and Marley is really a good athlete. He has a hook that when he straightens out, I think he’s going to be a really good bowler,” he said.
   The girls will be led by Christina and Jen Wengryn, who already compete in a Saturday morning league. Shannon McGough is another of the girls who’ll be playing.
   Six players score for each squad in team bowling. The season runs from November to February.
   The Eagles will play their home games at Curtis Lanes in Ewing. They will play host to Hunterdon Central Tuesday, then Franklin Thursday.