By: Kyle Moylan
For the first time in the history of the program, the New Egypt High boys’ bowling team defeated a ranked opponent.
Bowling at Thunderbird on Wednesday, Jan. 17, New Egypt defeated Ewing, 3-1, in a battle of division leaders in the Burlington Scholastic League.
"We didn’t even bowl very well the first game," New Egypt Coach Mike Search noted. "I think our guys were a little intimidated at the start because of the averages of the Ewing players. Ewing won the first game. Ewing bowled a 941 and our guys bowled an 865."
Then New Egypt regrouped and won the next two games and the overall pin count, 2673 to 2611.
"If you look at the averages, Ewing knocks down a lot more pins than we do," Search said. "But they bowl at an alley that is a lot friendlier than ours is.
"I knew we had a shot. I knew it would be close. Being at home helped. If we bowled at their place, they might have won 3-1."
But that didn’t happen. So the team ranked 13th in the state by The Star Ledger was knocked off by New Egypt, now 12-0-2 on the year and 7-0-2 in the Freedom Division.
Rich Reynolds had the top series with a 574, Shane Weicberger had a 568, Dan Sepp a 537, Alex Funck a 533 and Dan Bunce a 461.
The day before, New Egypt defeated Morrisville, Pa., 4-0. Weicberger rolled a 647 series, Sepp a 639, Reynolds a 603, Funck a 520 and J.R. Cink a 470.
While the boys were pulling off an upset against Ewing, the opposite was happening for the New Egypt girls. New Egypt was upset, 3.5-.5.
Nicole Kukoda had a 495 series, Amanda Stinson a 449, Kay Schmidt a 400, Joy Otten a 396 and Karen Liedtka a 319.
"We didn’t bowl very well that day," Search said. "The girls have been hot and cold this year as a team."
The day before New Egypt had defeated Morrisville, Pa., 4-0. Kukoda had a 536 series, Stinson a 465, Schmidt a 424 and Otten a 368.
The New Egypt girls are now 11-2-1 overall and 7-1-1 in the Freedom Division.
New Egypt was scheduled to face Ranconcas Valley on Tuesday. The team will host Cinnaminson on Friday. It will play Bordentown at Papp’s on Monday.
"The Bordentown match is the determining factor for both teams as far as the division goes," Search said.
