All rankings, today and tomorrow, were compiled before any results from the current week. I have an old post about how rankings are determined HERE. Most of it still applies, although I haven't calculated T5 ratings yet for the current season.
It's early, and a lot of the numbers aren't.... mature, shall we say? A few teams only have two or three performances to judge. We'll do what we can with what we have.
THE TOP 20 BOYS BOWLING TEAMS IN NEW JERSEY
1. East Brunswick
preseason #5; game average 216.3
Upset in the Baker Challenge on Saturday, but it's pretty impossible to find fault with anything the defending champs have done. Jack Deruvo and Andrew Mai are over 200, Armen Shamim is vastly improved with a GMC average of 216, Sam Bortnick has been his always-excellent self at 221 and junior Daniel Lenk has been absolutely scorching, with 5 straight sets of 730+ and a conference average over 240. Add all that up and you get 7-0/27-1 and the CLEAR #1 team in the state.
2. Toms River South
preseason #3; game average 206.5
By an astonishing coincidence, TRS and Brick Memorial, as of this writing, have each knocked down exactly 23,746 pins in 115 games. That's... that's just crazy. TRS gets the nod because they lead the conference and beat Memorial straight up by 100 pins in a dual match, but come on. Excellent lineup features Kevin DiBernardo (217) and Kyle Oliveri (210) at the top but great numbers from Nick Brescia, Jim Breslin and Andrew Xiques as well.
3. Brick Memorial
preseason #1; game average 206.5
As I said, literally nothing separates #2 and #3 statistically. This year's herd of Mustangs is pretty well-balanced: Cameron Waldheim, John Boughton, Michael Guzman and Alec Hehir and all between 216 and 210 in overall average. Only loss is to TRS.
4. Woodbridge
preseason #2; game average 204.9
Some early season scores weren't quite as light-out as we've come to expect from the Barrons, but I don't see anything to worry about long-term. They're 7-0/27-1, won the Wheeler and have shot as high as 3325. James Stoveken (221) and John Drost (2007) haven't lost a step at all, and sophomore Jason Bilawsky has looked incredible at times, firing a slot-machine 777 set and averaging over 208.
5. Monroe
preseason #9; game average 204.8
It's officially time for me to stop thinking of Monroe as "last year's postseason surprise team." They're just plain great, right now, every match. Louis Folgore has grown into a full-fledged superstar, averaging over 230, and Ryley McKiernan has made a huge jump of his own, averaging over 210. The Falcons are sneaking up on exactly no one this year.
6. South Plainfield
preseason "keep an eye"; game average 205.6
Four of the top six spots... the GMC is really good this year, everybody. South Plainfield is 6-0/24-0, won the Irwin tournament and has gotten fantastic numbers from Angelo Salici (217 average), which I expected, and an amazing performance thus far from sophomore Shaun Boffard, which I did not. In my defense, jumping from a 174 average up to 216 isn't, like, normal. Mike Menkin has contributed good numbers to the Tigers' surge as well.
7. Manasquan
preseason "keep an eye"; game average 202.2
Last year's Group 1 champs lost a great deal, including all-stater Austin Devereux, but the guys who came back are firing on all cylinders, with big averages from Ryan Anderson, Dylan Wolfe and Alex Danish, and a dynamite start from Kyle Bauter, who's averaging 225.
8. Brick Township
preseason #4; game average 200.1
Exceptionally consistent: nearly every match scores is right around 3000. Won the Mustang opening weekend, and Chris Shymanski and Andrew Masi are off to good starts, averaging over 210. I really think even bigger scores are coming from this young group (four starters are underclassmen).
9. St. Rose
preseason #20; game average 191.2
True five-man 3000s in wins over both Ocean Township and Manasquan. Game average is a little light because of a wonderful coaching philosophy, so I'm happy to adjust accordingly. Joe Chiusano, Jarrett Toth and David Schuld are the top guns for the Shore-Central-A leaders.
10. North Brunswick
preseason unranked; game average 200.2
Slowed down a bit from red-hot start that included a 3259 set, but still over 200 and 22.5-9.5 in a very tough GMC schedule. Still the biggest surprise team in the state, and a lot of it is on the back of David Burrows' huge 218 average.
11. St. Joseph-Metuchen
preseason "three more"; game average 200.6
Seniors John Hoban and Justin Biancamano lead the most balanced elite team out there.
12. Morris Knolls
preseason unranked; game average 195.5
Robert Murray (223) and Joey Lamont (214) are making their senior year special, taking over as the dominant team in the NJAC-South.
13. Sussex Tech
preseason #8; game average 191.1
Rank outpaces numbers, as they have very little competition in the NJAC-North and can fiddle with lineups to get everybody some action; nine different bowlers have competed in just 6 matches. Joey Steele has been dynamite, averaging 219.
14. Seneca
preseason unranked; game average 192.8
Won the Olympic tournament by over 200 pins; clearly the class of the conference now. Zachary Malcolm leads the way at a 213 clip.
15. South Brunswick
preseason #16; game average 193.1
These great GMC teams just keep coming. Anthony Fama and his 211 average have helped the Vikings to a pair of strong tournament finishes:2nd at the James, 3rd at the Baker Challenge.
16. Wayne Hills
preseason #14; game average 199.8
It's early, and we only have 2 4-man sets to judge, but there's enough talent here to believe that lofty game average, including Nick Kent and Steve Neri.
17. Hudson Catholic
preseason #19; game average 192.9
Geoffrey Origenes and Jivan Persaud are putting up huge early numbers for the HCIAL leaders.
18. Ocean Township
preseason #10; game average 191.7
Lots of talent for the Shore-Central-A contenders, including a big three of Matt Redbord, Mark Butler and Jack Henry.
19. Union
preseason unranked; game average 191.3
Just behind Linden in Union-Watchung, but better numbers overall, including 2nd at the Wheeler. Best co-ed team in NJ by a large margin; best bowler is 200-averaging Kiara Powell.
20. Lenape
preseason unranked; game average 190.8
#2 team in the Olympic has shot a true 5-man 3000. Jayen and Devan Patel are each averaging over 205 so far.
FIVE TEAMS THAT JUST MISSED
Iselin Kennedy
Edison
Clifton
Pascack Valley
Manchester Township
JFK and Edison both shooting strong numbers in rugged GMC, either could break through any time. Clifton and Pascack Valley are both exceptionally talented, but we need some more results to justify inclusion. Manchester has cracked 3000 and looks like the class of the Shore-South-B early on.
FIVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Bergenfield
Fair Lawn
JP Stevens
Linden
Southern / Toms River East / Toms River North
Everybody in the Shore-South-A is worth keeping an eye on; couldn't exclude any of them. Bergenfield and Fair Lawn have identical 190 GA's; just need a bit more in 4-man leagues. Linden won a hard-fought title at the Baker Challenge. JP Stevens has fantastic top-end talent.
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