The Kingston High School bowling team is off to a quick start, with the girls’ side a perfect 5-0 in dual action, and the boys a solid 4-1. The team’s latest battle, held at Patel’s Kingston Lanes on Thursday, Dec. 20, saw the girls (19-1) and boys (20-0) sweep visiting Section IX opponent Monroe-Woodbury.
Taylor Brady’s 190 single was best for the Kingston girls, with Angelina Tati (168-159 — 327) and McKinley Mulstay (156-151 — 307) also contributing. On the boys’ side, Alex DeAngelis led Kingston (235-244 — 479), with Carson Osterhout (234-236 — 470), Russel Diers (235) and Austin Wells (213) also excelling.
Earlier in the week, Kingston hosted Newburgh Free Academy, sweeping their sectional foe, with the girls winning by a clean 20-0 and the boys coming out 14-6.
The boys were led by Wells’ perfect 300, which he combined with a 212 for a stellar 512 series. Kevin Thomas (247-202 — 449), DeAngelis (204), Diers (193) and Cameron Kayden (185) also rolled well.
Brady (214-212 — 426), Thomas (203-184 — 387), Tati (208-158 — 366) and Kristina Couillard (146-193 — 339) all contributed to the girls’ victory.
Fifth-year Tiger coach Cynthia Kolodziejski said her team is deep in both talent and experience in a sport that’s unlike most others.
“It’s a lifetime kind of sport that it’s not something you have to be fit as a teenager to do,” she said. “You can excel at this your whole life from a very young child to like my parents in their 80s who still bowl.”
Kolodziejski said most of the boys on the team are in youth leagues, and all but one or two on the girls’ side also have experience with bowling.
They bowl all year round,” she said. “They’re focused on it and it’s something they want to do well and excel at.”
Section IX meets are being played under a new scoring system this season, with bowlers rolling just two head-to-head matches that are worth one point. Teams with the highest scratch from each game earn three points, while teams with the highest pin-fall receives four points.
“Now it’s more like head-to-head bowling,” said Kolodziejski. “My first bowler is bowling against the other team’s first bowler for one point.”
Despite the individual head-to-head competition, bowling is still very much a team sport, with Tigers supporting one another with each and every roll.
“I don’t think people realize that,” said Kolodziejski. “It’s a great group of kids that work really well together and support each other.”
The bowling season runs through mid-February, with the final home meet scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 11 at Patel’s Kingston Lanes. The Tigers close out their campaign two days later at the Goshen Colonial Lanes.
The Tigers also competed in the Saugerties Baker Invitational, held at the Bowlers Club in Saugerties on Saturday, Dec. 16. The six-team tourney was won by Averill Park on the boys’ side and Colonie High on the girls. The Tigers placed third in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions.
After a yuletide breather, the Tigers return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 7 when they host Goshen.
