Girls Rankings - December 20

THE TOP 20 GIRLS BOWLING TEAMS IN NEW JERSEY


1. Brick Memorial (nj.com preseason #5)
GA: 198.8    Simply amazing.  After losing not just three seniors, but seniors the quality of Tori Boughton, McKenna Collier and Misty Downs, and they just shrug and say, "Yeah, well, we've got 3 other kids that'll average 200.  Come beat us."  Anyway, James champs, RWTI playoff champs.  Most impressive stat might be 18-0 in Shore-South-A. Amanda Shelters, Victoria Bird, Jillian Stuart, Sarah Pitcher and Rachel Katz, all averaging at least 199. Own the top 5 series in the state. Simply the best until proven otherwise.

2. Brick Township (nj.com preseason #1)
GA: 182.7    Won the Wheeler and beat BM in RWTI qualifying.  Own the highest non-Brick Mem high series in NJ (2956). All five starters average between 173 and 190 (Victoria Gray). Perhaps not as consistently productive as last season (like BM, Brick Twp lost 3 starters to graduation), but the favorite in Group III and a threat to win the TOC.  Again.

3. Warren Hills (nj.com preseason #2)
GA: 180.0    Only 3 matches under their belt, but one was a doozy, posting 2908 last week. This is an experienced group that lost an all-stater from last year (Abby Laws) and simply replaced her with a freshman that's averaging 190 (Kelcie Mannon). Senior Jenna Henderson leads the way with a 195 mark early in conference play, but all five starters are over 171.

4. Manchester Township (nj.com preseason #3)
GA: 177.1    Another very consistent group - five starters between 172 & 192. The Hawks' last three outings have totaled 2778, 2774 and 2849. And it's a different star every day, as Theresa Bedaro, Kimberly Wolf & MacKenzie Weber have each shot over 640 in just the last week.

5. Toms River South (nj.com preseason #6)
GA: 173.7    It's not easy being in Shore-South A.  The #5 team in the state is firing 2600s all over the place, has a leader averaging 191 (Natalie Swindell) and five bowlers averaging 164+. They'd be dominating almost any other conference in the state, but in S-S-A, they're in third place.  The competition probably helps them, though; last year they upset Brick Township in sectionals, and I'm sure they plan to do it again.

6. Ocean Township (nj.com unranked)
GA: 172.9    Stats don't include Monday's 2806.  Clearly this is a squad threatening to move up.  Possibly the best top-two in New Jersey in Jenn Ingulli (averaging 210) and Dana Henry (averagin 203, won South Jersey Singles), the rest of the team is coming together, and Manchester has some competition in Group II.

7. Toms River North (nj.com unranked)
GA: 168.1    Last year, TRN averaged 151, didn't crack the top 10 in a tournament, and came in 3rd in sectionals, missing states.  Now they're #7.  What happened?  They just added a freshman that's leading the Shore Conference with a 212 average and a 699 series just yesterday.  Kamerin Peters is a difference maker. She has a couple of solid teammates, and the program has a bright future. And yes, that's six Shore Conference teams in the top 7.

8. Edison (nj.com preseason #4)
GA: 163.6    Very impressive in the James tournament, shooting 2706 to beat out Brick Twp for 2nd place.  Haven't quite fired on all cylinders since, but Samantha Salzone is averaging 186 and the Eagles are dominating the GMC.  They have time to figure out the rest.

9. Teaneck (nj.com unranked)
GA: 173.8    The best out-of-nowhere story this season, by far.  Last year, Teaneck averaged 128.  This year, they've added a very good transfer (Gianni Caldazilla), had a senior (Gail Kelly) make an incredible 40-pin average improvement, and added a pair of freshman (Mia Aish & Margaux Lesser) that average over 178. Best team in the Big North at this point. Won the Crusader tournament in their only 5-player effort, shooting 2477.

10. Wayne Valley (nj.com unranked)
GA: 171.8    Second in the Crusader and Teaneck's biggest threat for Big North supremacy. Freshman Marissa Cosentini leads the conference with a stellar 208 average and Claudine Rosca is off to a very good start in her senior year at 185.  One five-deep score, 2459, keeps them from being ranked higher.

11. Eastern     GA: 161.1
12. Holy Angels     GA: 165.6  (nj.com preseason #9)
13. Lacey     GA: 158.2
14. Manasquan     GA: 155.0
15t Freehold Township     GA: 155.9
15t Howell     GA: 155.9  (nj.com preseason #8)
Freehold & Howell both average 155.9.  Howell's high series is 2444, Freehold's is 2442.  In the same conference, in the same division.  They're even the same school district.  Ties are usually a copout, but this situation is just begging for it.

17. Central     GA: 152.2
18. Washington Township     GA: 152.4
19. South Plainfield     GA: 154.5  (nj.com preseason #10)
20. Southern     GA: 148.0

That's 12 Shore Conference teams in the top 20.  South Plainfield has perhaps the best bowler in the state in defending State Singles champ Lanasia Neal. And when she & Heather Melendez are on, they're close to top 10. Only five teams have topped Eastern's best effort of 2678.

TEAMS THAT JUST MISSED:

Barnegat
Carteret
Woodbridge (nj.com preseason #7)
North Brunswick
Gloucester Tech

TEAMS TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Demarest
Indian Hills
Paramus
South Brunswick
West Deptford

Demarest, Indian Hills & Paramus have only 2 recorded matches (as of Sunday). West Deptford & South Brunswick have fired higher series than anybody else and could move up the ladder if they can hit those heights again.