Order was restored in the Shore Conference bowling world when, for the ninth time in the last 10 years, Coach Dave Clampffer’s Howell High School Rebels won a division championship.
One year after Jackson Liberty High School ended Howell’s eight-year reign as champions, the Rebels were back op top, winning the 2009-10 Shore Conference B Central Division crown.
A 3-0 win over Manalapan High School on Feb. 1 at Howell Lanes wrapped up a 42-3 season for the Rebels.
Jackson Liberty provided season-long competition for the Rebels. The Lions handed Howell a rare 3-0 defeat in December to move into first place in the division.
The Rebels returned the favor in the teams’ next two meetings, beating the Lions 3-0 each time. The first shutout gave Howell a two-game cushion and the second victory over the squad from neighboring Jackson Township clinched the title. Jackson Liberty finished the season with a 35½-9½ record.
“This year’s girls team is special,” Clampffer said. “The girls are never satisfied; their hunger and determination to be better bowlers turned the season around. They always had the talent and then they needed to believe in their abilities.”
Looking back on the season, Clampffer said the Rebels’ win in the Fairleigh Dickinson Tournament made the girls believers, and it gave them the confidence to come back and beat Jackson Liberty twice.
Jessica Henri, who won the Central Jersey championship last year, led the Rebels with a 186 average (second best in the B Central division). The senior had the best scratch series of the year, 688, and her best scratch game of the season, 255, ranked second in the division. She is the Rebels’ leadoff bowler.
Arianna Mattera was second in scoring average with a 174. Her high game was 237, fourth best in the division. Her best series, 676, ranked second to Henri.
Clampffer credited Henri and Mattera, the only seniors in the Howell lineup, with coming through in the clutch.
“Rising to the occasion thus far belonged to our seniors Jessica Henri and Arianna Mattera,” the coach said.
He pointed out that in the first sweep of Jackson Liberty, Mattera led the way with a 675 series. The second sweep of the Lions was led by Henri’s 688 series.
Allison Savoye (169 average), Shanna Kelly (165 average) and Ashley Buck (161 average) are the reasons Howell prevailed in its season-long duel with Jackson Liberty. Kelly’s role was that of the anchor. Clampffer had the sophomore bowl last because of her toughness.
Clampffer said it takes five good bowlers to make a run at a championship, and Savoye, Kelly and Buck made the Rebels a team with more depth than anyone else. Howell’s team average of 855 was 25 pins ahead of Jackson Liberty (830).
Howell had the best three-game series, 2,729, while beating Jackson Liberty.
There is still more that the Howell girls are aiming for this season. Today the Monmouth County Championships will be held in Sea Girt. On Feb. 9 the Central Jersey Championships were held at Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick.
Howell’s run of nine Shore Conference division titles in 10 years includes an overall state championship, state sectional and Monmouth County tournament crowns as well. It is as good a run as any team in the Freehold Regional High School District has ever been on. And with Savoye, Kelly and Buck all expected to return next season, the Rebels’ run of success on the lanes does not appear to be ending anytime soon.
Freehold Township High School’s Vicki DiGiamo had the high game of the year in B Central, 279, and the best average, 188.
Manalapan High School’s boys came up short in their bid to win the division title. The Braves and Jackson Memorial High School were tied for first place with 30-12 records going into their season-ending match at Howell Lanes.
Jackson Memorial won the match 3-0 to win the division at 33-12, followed by Manalapan (30-15), Howell (25½-19½) and Freehold Township (24½-20½).
The Braves’ Mike Cardella had the best series of the year, 782, and the best average, 208. Eric Kirstein (198 average) and Joe Cardella (196 average) were just under 200. Steve Sparapani (188 average) registered the second best game of the season, 288.
Manalapan’s game average as a team was 969.
Howell’s Alex Benton rolled a perfect 300 game to take top single-game honors.
Freehold Township’s Cameron Beatty rolled the third highest game (279) and was second to Cardella for best series (706). His game average was 204.
On Feb. 13 the boys will be at Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick to compete in the Central Jersey Championships.