BOYS NORTH 2
Friday, February 2 at Jersey Lanes, Linden
New for 2018
Linden drops from G4 to G3, Nutley drops from G3 to G2. Morris Tech is not entered. Phillipsburg, a new program, is in G4.
What I got wrong
Caldwell's expected drop to G1 didn't happen.
Ranked Teams Participating
#18 Morris Knolls, #19 Linden, 'Just Missed' Montville, 'Good Argument' Union
GROUP I
defending champ: Roselle Park
Roselle (Abraham Clark) looks to be the favorite here, with a T5 that's 50 pins clear of the field. The UC-Mountain leaders (59-11 in conference) put out three 180+ guys in Joshua Loeb, Austin Torres and Brandon Patterson, and bring it home with star Luis Torres, who won the Wave and finished 2nd at Union singles. The Rams have a good amount of tournament experience, and here's where it pays off.
The best shot at that second TOC slot is A.L. Johnson. The Crusaders have more than competent numbers, with a 168 GA and a 51-33 conference record. Their star is Andrew Beach, but the talent runs deep enough to give Roselle a run for the sectional title.
Butler is mid-pack in the NJAC-South, but that's a very good league with nothing but bigger schools. The Bulldogs can score, with a 166 GA and a 2610 high set. Only one bowler, Aiden Marletta, is over 180, but they'll run 5 competitors over 150 out there, which gives them a real shot.
It doesn't get any better in New Jersey than Evan Weinberg, and his ability to go absolutely huge (230 average, Union county champ, 770 series) gives Jonathan Dayton a fighting chance in nearly any field. The Rams should get a solid contribution from Scott Maran (666 high set) as well.
Oratory Prep has had a solid season, sitting in third place in UC-Mountain. They may not have the firepower of the top contenders, but Isacc Russel is very, very good (199 average), and the Rams have enough to steal a spot if one or two teams falter.
Roselle Park was third in the state last year, but lost a tremendous amount of talent and looks to be outside the contenders. Roselle Catholic and Glen Ridge complete the entry list.
GROUP II
defending champ: Montville
The defending champs struggled just a bit at times, but head to the postseason as huge favorites to repeat as sectional champs. Montville sits just outside the top 20, with excellent numbers (963 T5, 190 GA), a second place finish in the NJAC-South,a 2959 set in Morris qualifying, and a dangerous lineup: Andrew Donnelly (184) and freshman Ben Sherman (194), have been solid all year, Zack Kirschner sits at 200, and Adam Gelvan punctuated his 204 average with the county individual title. But the Mustangs season really got on track with the emergence of Jamie Paddock, who at 191 is one of the very best girls in North Jersey.
I'm putting a lot of trust in what's reported to nj.com, but the limited information makes it look like Nutley is the second choice here. Anthony Liloia and Jordan Cacio show averages over 180, and the Raiders look deep enough to fill out a 5-man sheet.
What sets Union Catholic apart is that their top two bowlers are girls. They're also damn good, with a 168 GA and the second best T5 in the group (875). Goldera Surles can roll with anyone and carries a 201 average, while Kaitlyn Lowey is at 182 overall. There's enough firepower behind them to give the Vikings, second in the UC-Mountain, a very real chance of making the trip to North Brunswick.
Cranford is mid-pack in the UC-Watchung, but I think the Cougars are a live dog because the lineup, headed by George Cermak, won't put up anyone below the mid 150s. That type of team can sometimes all get hot at once and make a surprising run.
A bit of a longshot after plenty of graduation losses, Caldwell has to be watched because the Chiefs have one of the hottest bowlers around, Bryce Bayard, who's pushed his average up to 206 and shot 750 just last week.
Similar story for Jefferson, who pulled off an upset last year and advanced to Bowlero. Mid-pack in the NJAC-North, the Falcons have a dynamite sibling combo: Emma Thies will be a huge threat as an individual in the girls sectionals, and Nick Thies is simply one of the two or three best bowlers in the building here, averaging over 217.
A swarm of guys in the 140-160 range give Delbarton reasonable numbers, but probably not enough for the Green Wave to break through the talent above them here.
Rahway has a great one in Xavier Torres, but they and Madison are a step behind the contenders.
GROUP III
defending champ: Warren Hills
#18 Morris Knolls has really put it together this year and is the favorite to take the Group III title. The Golden Eagles have taken over as the dominant force in the NJAC-South at 80-4, won the Morris County title in dramatic fashion, put up top-three tournament performances at James, Sparta and Falcon, a respectable 9th at CJWC, and have gone as high as 3117, all resulting in huge numbers: 195 GA and 981 T5. Rob Murray (224) and Joey LaMont (216) are one of the very best top-twos anywhere in New Jersey, and Chase DiMare (194) and James Benjamin (184) can bring it as well. State contender on a good day.
But it's close enough here in N2G3 that I probably should call it co-favorites, because #19 Linden is absolutely for real. They burst on the scene with a 3rd place at the Wheeler and a championship run at the Baker Challenge, and it's carried through with a dominating lead in the UC-Watchung. The Tigers are very talented and obscenely young, with freshman James Fitz (204) and sophomores Matt Soto (196) and Anthony Golabek (203) leading the charge. Darius Lewis (184) and Justin Peters (187) complete a lineup that has bowled every single game all season, and looks to have the ability to surprise some people in the TOC.
Two-time defending champs Warren Hills looked to be peaking at the right time, sweeping all Skyland foes (70-0), shooting 2900+ a few times including the HWS tournament (2nd place to Sussex Tech) and had a chance to sneak into the TOC again. But they'll have to do it without star and 2016 sectional champ Eric Lawson, who is done for the season with an injury. The remaining Blue Streaks are young but have some top shelf talent in Avante Wilson (203) and North Jersey singles champ Ryan Monahan (197).
Scotch Plains had a great day at sectionals last year, punching their ticket to Bowlero. This year's squad has a chance to do it again. The tournament results have been a bit disappointing, but the Raiders have great overall numbers (179 GA, 910 T5), sit second in the UCW, and have a pair of bowlers that can throw real numbers in Daniel Grambor (199) and MIke Bonnell (190).
A nice run to second place in the Morris County tournament may set up Morris Hills as a darkhorse candidate to complicate things here at Jersey Lanes. A strong third in the NJAC-S, the Scarlet Knights feature a very capable one-two punch in Shaun Ireton (198) and Paul Isgett (205).
Millburn, Belleville, Chatham and Irvington complete the field and are not expected to contend.
GROUP IV
defending champ: Livingston
The best truly co-ed team in New Jersey is the favorite to win Group IV here: Union. They've gone as high as 3104, placed second in the Wheeler, sit 3rd in a very good UCW league, and have some outstanding bowlers: Lacey Beall and Samantha Valle each average 185, Kevin Oliveira is at 191, Nick Melchionna is at 198 with a 300 game to his credit, and Kiara Powell is bowling like an all-stater with an overall average of 200 and two tournament titles (Wheeler & Union County). It all adds up to a 189 GA and a great shot at a sectional title for the Farmers.
It's genuinely tight after Union, but let's look at Westfield, who's right behind Union in conference standings. This is a very balanced lineup, with Will Shepherd, Jason Glickstein and Dylan Kurstedt all in the mid-180s. You know I like this team profile; it hasn't come together in tournament play yet, but the Blue Devils could easily push each other to another level at sectionals.
Livingston won this last year. Livingston could very well win it again this year. And while the Lancers have a solid track record - 5th at Wheeler, 4th at Sparta, a strong 906 T5 and a first place 92-13 record in the SEC-Colonial, and while they have a very good bowler in Louis Farer (185 avg, 691 set) it all starts with sophomore Michael Liu, who shook off a relatively slow start (by his standards) to re-establish himself as one of the very best around, with a 213 average, a 300 game, and an 804 set last week.
Just behind Livingston in the SECC is Seton Hall Prep, and while the numbers are just a bit lower, they've got some good talent at the top themselves in Drew Gille (186) and Lou Morales (196). If they can get five guys just a little hot, the Pirates can jump up and steal a spot in North Brunswick.
These SEC-American teams are such a challenge to rate. I think Bloomfield is a pretty good team that could make a run. I think Jonathan Andruchowitz is their best, and a pretty good bowler. But my information is limited. I also think Montclair is a longshot, but I have even less information about them.
Phillipsburg has had a pretty successful debut season, staying competitive in the Skyland conference and shooting as high as 2528. If the mix of tough houses they compete in is even more difficult than I suspect, they could be a huge surprise.
Kyle Bernokeits of West Orange has been pretty hot lately, bringing his average up to 198 and should challenge for an individual spot. Plainfield completes the Group IV entry list.
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