By Wayne Witkowski
Anchor bowler Brianna Besieda will lead a veteran New Egypt High School varsity team into the NJSIAA Meet of Champions (MOC) at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 12 at Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick.
It is the first time in recent years that the Warriors’ girls have advanced into the state finals. They qualified by finishing second in South Jersey Group I to Bishop Eustace Preparatory School. The top two finishers in each section advance. Last year’s team finished third in the section.
“It’s a big test for a small school going against the bigger schools,” said Besieda, whose team will compete against Group IV-, II- and II-level teams. “We’re hoping to do well. We’re still proud to be here.”
“We’re going to be competing against Group IV teams, which will be tough. But if we bowl as we’re capable of, we’ll be competitive,” coach Janet Carney said.
New Egypt’s girls also repeated as Burlington County Scholastic League (BCSL) Freedom Division champions Feb. 4, with four starters back in the lineup from last year’s championship team. Senior Winona Platt was the fifth starter back but has missed the season with an injury, and freshman Ellie Witham has stepped into that No. 3 spot in the lineup.
“She’s done great for us there,” Carney said.
Gabby Medina, a junior, leads off, followed by senior Ashley Brunner and then the Witham sisters — Ellie and older sister Maggie, a junior — at the No. 3 and No. 4 spots, followed by Besieda.
New Egypt’s boys team, meanwhile, will look to follow the girls into the bowling MOC Feb. 18 when it looks to defend its South Jersey Group I title Feb. 13 at Deptford Brunswick Zone.
“They’re bowling really well now,” said Carney, who also coaches the boys team that has four starters back in the lineup.
Dylan Weicberger, a sophomore, leads off, followed by newcomer Clayton Mann, a junior, and seniors Mitchell Mann (Clayton’s brother), Austin Horner and Dan Ryniec.
“On any given day, they can do really well, but they’ve had some rough matches and then battled back,” the coach said.
Mitchell Mann recently had the second-highest game in the recent BCSL tournament — a 236.
The Warriors finished second in the division with only two losses.
Besieda, who comes from a family of bowlers and has been bowling competitively since sixth grade, said she is looking forward to the MOC. She said she had hoped this team, with its experience and two years of success, would get to this point.
“This is not a big shock, but I’m still excited,” Besieda said. “We’re more than a team; we’re close friends. If one bowler is down, we cheer each other up. We have a good support system to do the best we can and have a positive attitude.”
Besieda has played a major role with a 160 average that led the BCSL Freedom Division and was third among all BCSL bowlers. She also had the best series in the BCSL tournament — a 529 — off a 206 high game.
“She is just really good at making spares,” Carney said of Besieda. “She gets as many marks as possible. She’s a true bowler who bowls all the time.”
Besieda said she has been to Carolier Lanes before but just as a spectator to watch other tournaments.
“It’s just figuring out the lanes and adjusting to oil pattern changes,” said Besieda, who hooks the ball on her delivery. “We’re all ready to go.”
“This shows over the past two years that we now have a strong bowling program at New Egypt,” Carney said.