With both girls teams in Brick qualifying for the NJSIAA bowling championships on Monday, both boys teams will look to do the same when they compete in the Group III South finals at Deptford.
Brick Memorial boys, who led Shore ConferenceASouth from wire to wire, competed early in the week in the Shore Conference Tournament in search of a second straight title. They are looking to get back into the state finals after missing by 33 pins last year.
Brick Township, which finished third in A South, one place short of the Shore Conference Tournament, is also shooting for a spot in Saturday’s state finals at Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick.
“Last year, we missed a lot of one-pin spares and kind of just gave it away,” said Brick Memorial coach Mike Russomano. “We are so ready for the states. Last year, we were so disappointed. If the boys weren’t in the lineup, they were around to watch what happened.”
Kyle Murphy, the only bowler in A South with a 300 game, leads Brick Memorial. Murphy came on strong in the second half of the season for a 218 average that was second best in the league to qualify for the Shore Conference individual Tournament. He leapfrogged over teammate Domenick Luongo, who later slipped out of the top three qualifying spots with an average that was fourth best.
Luongo follows with a 217 average, followed
by Dominick Romano’s 216, Franklin DiGacomo’s 215, and Brandon Barboza’s 209.
“We finished A South with our best games of the year and continued to do that even after we had clinched with some games left, which shows the guys kept bowling and wanted it really bad,” Russomano said. “Hopefully, we’ll peak at the right time.”
As for Murphy, Russomano explained the turnaround and said Murphy “thought he was a big cranker and more consistent straight up early in the season, but he missed a lot of spares. Now he can change up and adjust when the lanes dry up. He bowls just as good in the third game.”
Brick Township coach Cara Lukosius said she hopes that anchorman T.J. Contino will return this week after recovering from a sore arm muscle. She hopes the team shows the balance that earned it the Ocean County Tournament championship where Brick Memorial finished a distant fourth. Contino and John Boor rolled averages of about 212, leaving them just shy of qualifying for the Shore Conference individual tournament. Matt Fenley came through with a fine effort in the county tournament.
Leadoff bowler Mike Melon is the lone senior, which Lukosius feels is reassuring for the future.
“We should be able to pick up from this next season and be a very competitive team,” Lukosius said.
Joe Vescio also has bowled some fine games, she said.