BOYS NORTH 1B
Thursday, February 2 at Lodi Lanes
New for 2017
Secaucus, Manchester Regional, Eastern Christian and DePaul entered (none did in 2016). Wallkill Valley and Hawthorne moved from G1 to G2. Lakeland and Vernon moved from G2 to G3. St. Peter's Prep moved from G3 to G4.
Ranked Teams participating
#13 Sussex Tech (G2), #14 Pompton Lakes (G1)
GROUP I
Defending Champ: Hawthorne (up at Group II in 2017)
#14 Pompton Lakes is the strong favorite here. Carrying a game average of 198.9 and a T5 of 987, this is a terrifying starting lineup, which includes three bowlers who have shot 300 this season. 2015 Singles champ Nick Cilento leads the way, sporting a big 224 average in NJIC-Colonial Conference Play. David Neil and Esteban Garcia have averaged over 200 too, and Michael Milligan and Cole Mulholland are capable of contributing as well. Peaking at the right time, PL won the Passaic County tournament last week and shot a huge 4-man 2566 last time out. With Hawthorne moving up, it's tough to see anyone taking the title away from Pompton, and impossible to imagine them not advancing to the TOC.
If anyone is going to challenge the Cardinals, it will be Hudson Catholic. The Hawks are unranked, but one of the top Group I programs in the state. They finished 2nd in the Hudson County tournament last weekend and their top performer, Geoffrey Origenes, is legit, coming in at 207.9 in the regular season. They're underdogs to Lakes, but they've shot as high as 3002 this year, so don't count them out just yet.
Among the other schools entered, Secaucus has the top Game Average (148.5), but Marist has the advantage of being a 5-bowler team all season, so I'd give them the best shot at taking 3rd. Eastern Christian, Harrison and DePaul will also be competing.
GROUP II
Defending Champ: Sussex Tech
Wallkill Valley and #13 Sussex Tech get to mix it up one more time after splitting a pair of matches in the NJAC regular season (Tech won the tiebreaker at the HWS tournament). But they're not alone: Hawthorne's jump from Group I makes this a true three-teams-for-two-spots situation. It could get interesting.
Sussex Tech has to rate as the favorite. Led by two players on the high average list, Joey Steele (213) and Tim Zayac (210), the Mustangs come at you 5 strong: Chris Strum averaged 196 and placed 2nd in a tough field at the H/W/S Tournament. Patrick Danielson and Quinton Johnson have each shot multiple 600s this year. They won a state title last year; no reason not to expect them to bowl their best with the pressure on again.
Wallkill Valley may be the most successful truly co-ed team in New Jersey. Zak DuHaime and his 215 average are the star attraction, and rightfully so, but Dorrie Anne Rizzo and Justina Janzen make this team go. Rizzo's on the high average list for girls, and Janzen's 224 from the leadoff spot kept the Rangers in it after game 1 at HWS. If all pistons fire, there's no reason they can't take the title.
Speaking of highly successful co-ed teams... Hawthorne gave Pompton Lakes a run before settling into 2nd in the NJIC-Colonial, and their numbers show them basically even with Wallkill (a little higher GA, a little lower T5). Steve Plaszky and siblings Hunter & Madison Perry lead the Bears, each averaging in the 190s, with Nick Hauser right behind at 183. Transitioning to a 5-bowler lineup may be a challenge, but they scored 2nd place at the Passaic tournament with a 2749, so they're right in this.
The numbers for High Point and Newton are a cut below the top 3, but watch out for High Point's Joe Gramignano, who's made it a habit to shoot numbers at tournament time. McNair, Manchester Regional and Lenape Valley round out the Group II participants.
GROUP III
Defending Champ: St. Peter's Prep (up at Group IV in 2017)
Not having St. Peter's here opens up Group III to a half dozen schools with a shot to advance to Bowlero. Wayne Hills is the best of the bunch on paper, with a solid 185 GA and a surprisingly strong top 5 for a Big North (i.e. 4-bowler) team. Patrick Mayer, Matt Klarberg, Nick Kent, Steven Neri and James Orapello all posted averages over 180 for the Patriots this season, with Mayer going as high as 696.
Sparta couldn't quite take the top-2 in the NJAC-North in 2017, but they've got the talent to take the sectional. Senior Jaime Golden is #13 in the state for girls average, and Brian Trotter fired quite a few 600s this season himself. If the whole lineup comes together, as it did for a 2941 set earlier in the season, the Spartans will make some noise.
Two more Big North-Independence teams will be looking to steal a TOC spot here, and they're pretty similar: Lakeland has 5 regular-season tested regulars, led by Daniel Hecker (194), West Milford is much the same, topped by Andrew Finke's 194. Lakeland was a little better at the Passaic, carding 2599 for 5th, so they rate a slight edge.
Kearny and Hopatcong are longer shots, but both have talent. Kearny is led by Christian Davidson's 188 average, while Hopatcong is anchored by one of the most decorated female bowlers in NJ, Rhianna Smith.
Wayne Valley and Vernon complete the field.
GROUP IV
Defending Champ: Clifton
This one could be some fun. At least four teams have a chance to take this title, including both defending sectional champs now grouped together.
Clifton is all about top-end talent. Johan Gamo and Joe Paolillo (both sophomores) have been an excellent one-two punch all season; watching both go nuts in the North Jersey single prelims was a treat. Tyler Stilley and Sean Cruz make a credible three-four, but nobody else was able to crack the lineup in Big North action. 4th place in the Passaic with a 2637 isn't bad, but it's gonna take some premium scores up top for the Mustangs to defend their crown.
St. Peter's Prep, the other '16 champ, has some talent of its own, and it begins with 205-averaging Jared Ammugauan. His game is as good as his name is impossible to spell right the first time. Kevin O'Mara (190) and Zack Oswald (188) have put up pretty good numbers themselves, while Lynken Lanting has gone as big as 694 in conference play. The Marauders whipped the HCIAL (79-5) and have shot as high as 2986. Tournament results have been mixed, but better than anyone else in this field. I think they're the favorites.
The two HCIAA schools may well have something to say about that, though. North Bergen narrowly defeated Dickinson for the regular season crown, Dickinson got some revenge by finishing ahead of NB at the Hudson tournament, and now they go at it again. Dickinson gets it done with one of the best one-two punches not just in North 1B, but in New Jersey. The Rams' Matt Burzynski (220) and Ray Ramos (209) have been the two top guns in the league all season. North Bergen counters with exceptional balance, featuring the Rams' Chrisitan Bermudez, Nicholas Dominy and Chris Lopez all with averages over 190. Watch the other guys in this matchup: if one of them can step up, the top two schools are definitely reachable.
If you're looking for a darkhorse, you could do worse than Bayonne. A strong 3rd in the HCIAL, talent 1-5 that can hang with the big boys on a good day, and Kyle Flood can really score. Passaic Tech has 3 guys that have shot over 600 this season, led by George Vega, but can they all get there at the same time?
Michael Polanco from Passaic is an individual threat, as is Alef Morales of Union City, but their teams probably don't have the depth to make a serious run.
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