State Finals Preview - Girls Team TOC

Friday, February 16 at Bowlero Carolier, North Brunswick

Twenty-four of the best girls bowling teams in New Jersey will gather on Friday morning.  Four of them will walk out of the building as state champions, and one of those four will be the Tournament of Champions winner as well.  Let's meet the teams.

Team score in parentheses is score from sectional tournament.  GA is season-long Game Average. Bowlers listed are projected starters. Bowler averages are overall if available, conference otherwise. Some of these averages, especially those from nj.com, may be slightly out of date (a week old, perhaps two). More detailed commentary on most teams appears in the applicable sectional preview.

GROUP I
defending champ: Westwood

#18 CARTERET
2nd in Central (2287)   GA: 154.5
Angela Baginsky (162), Ashley Espy (166), Stella Frank (144), Amanda Medvetz (163), Fantasia Norman (129)

MATAWAN ('good argument')
1st in Central (2309)   GA: 143.9
Samantha Siragusa (154), Faith Smith (134), Katie Devoe (150), Laura McConnon (151), Erin Lietz (129)

MAPLE SHADE 
1st in South (2224)   GA: 133.9
Allison Davis (127), Dakota DeNoto (142), Juliana Lotierzo (151), Samantha New (121), Brianna Olesky (118)

MOTHER SETON 
1st in North (1956)   GA: 128.7
Kiara Watkins (126), Dominique Liantonio (144), Alexandra Anton (147), Tiffany Lyn (113), Victoria Ilg (113)

BORDENTOWN
2nd in South (2117)   GA: 126.6
Maggie Hetman (134), Colleen Kotch (126), Sarah Heil (137), Keira McAteer (132), Jenna or Marta Ryan (122)

DUMONT
2nd in North (1883)   GA: 120.6
Shannon Buchheister (126), Lindsey Buchheister (144), Morgan Han (107), Kate Medrana (103), Anya Murphy (94)

Despite the hiccup at sectionals, I still think Carteret is the favorite.  Of course, Matawan is bowling great, and proved it can win this showdown, so another very tight battle would not be a surprise at all.  Maple Shade is on the upswing, but probably just short of the top two.


GROUP II
defending champ: Holy Angels

#5 LACEY TOWNSHIP 
1st in South (2713)   GA: 176.3
Autumn Laird (180), Claudia Schreier (181), Julia Muro (181), Liz Schreier (192), Samantha Trembley (167)

#6 MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP
2nd in South (2438)   GA: 176.0
Theresa Bedaro (189), Kim Wolf (177), Victoria Shaw (178), Victoria Smith (177), MacKenzie Weber (176)

#14 COLONIA
2nd in Central (2503)   GA: 159.2
Laryssa Fiore (189), Rebecca Hoff (176), Jennifer Weber (144), Brittany Langevin (143), Kayla Soto (136)

#15 MAHWAH
2nd in North (2450)    GA: 159.7
Michaella Raab (178), Allie Adamski (163), Justina Kender (156), Sidney Crevani (136), Julia Colucci (152)

#16 HOLY ANGELS
1st in North (2562)   GA: 158.7
Alexa Hernandez (166), Amelia Brunda (175), Rebecca Sirat (156), Julie Zierer (131), Isabelle Egan (152)

#17 COLTS NECK
1st in Central (2685)   GA: 157.6
Erica Dugan (171), Morgan Gitlitz (195), Victoria Hulse (136), Gianna Bamonte (162), Juliana Galano (119)

This is the only Group where any one of the teams could win without it being a complete shock. That said, Lacey has the scoring edge, and both they and Manchester are capable of a runaway. If neither favorite skunks the field, well, Colts Neck bowled really, really well at Carolier on Saturday.


GROUP III
defending champ: Warren Hills

#2 WARREN HILLS
1st in North (2950)   GA: 179.5
Katie Winch (193), Kelcie Mannon (192), Olivia Ostrander (178), Samantha Irwin (171), Jacquelyn Nesbeth (150)

#3 BRICK TOWNSHIP
1st in South (2703)   GA: 180.3
Cristy Sharkey (181), Christina Gonzalez (179), Julianna Forbes (198), Caylin Ryan (198), Chelsea Tussel (152)

#7 TOMS RIVER SOUTH
2nd in South (2573)   GA: 169.5
Natalie Swindell (190), Hannah Dalton (180), Ciani Sanchez (173), Jessica Ramirez (157), Ashley Ferrara (158)

#8 TEANECK
2nd in North (2504)   GA: 168.5
Margaux Lesser (186), Shayna Jimenez (167), Gianni Calzadilla (164), Mia Aish (171), Valeria Rosario (146)

#9 FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP
1st in Central (2754)   GA: 165.6
Sarah Orensky (192), Kristen Pagliaro (158), Caitlyn Tamai (149), Victoria Parinello (159), Jaden Schaefer (166)

NORTH BRUNSWICK
2nd in Central (2493)   GA: 142.1
Trinity Gray (182), Carly Lodise (163), Kyla Farmer (114), Darcy Fruhschein (129), Isabella Torres (122)

Five top ten teams here, and this could be exactly as competitive as that implies. If Warren Hills and/or Brick Township are "on", it's unlikely that the others can keep up at that level.  But if this is close, well, every one of these teams has stars that can go very big, and that could make the difference.



GROUP IV
defending champ: Brick Memorial

#1 TOMS RIVER NORTH
1st in South (2939)   GA: 187.3
Kamerin Peters (209), Paige Peters (201), Livia Spalluto (180), MacKenzie Dudas (181), Cassidy Syrdale (175)

#4 BRICK MEMORIAL
2nd in South (2856)   GA: 181.7
Amanda Shelters (211), Veronica Lewis (189), Rachel Katz (182), Maggie Neafsey (173), Jordan Konopada (169)

#12 MONROE
1st in Central (2476)   GA: 161.1
Bridget Bolan (193), Victoria Stasicky (193), Nina Carey (146), Shannon Glynn (155), Alexa Hnath (110)

#13 SOUTH BRUNSWICK
2nd in Central (2464)   GA: 159.8
Kirsten Thorne (166), Jillian Kwock (167), Rachel Guida (168), Katelyn Schwab (148), Sanjana Senthil (149)

BERGEN TECH ('good argument')
2nd in North (2339)   GA: 147.0
Samantha Comes (155), Mamiko Swanson (148), Riana Giacone (149), Sydney Montalto (156), Daniela Abril (144)

RIDGEWOOD ('good argument')
1st in North (2407)   GA: 146.8
Carley Santangelo (150), Chachi Francesca (143), Caroline Gervolino (154), Christina St. John (144), Madison Murphy (130)

There's certainly talent in those Central teams, but it's hard to imagine this being anything but one more showdown between Memorial and TRN. The #1 team rates a distinct edge, but the defending champs won't go quietly. Expect fireworks.