Lee Bowlers Force Logjam Atop League Standings

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. -- Bella Kotek rolled a 215 game and 421 series on Friday to help the Lee bowling team salvage a point against Pittsfield and set up a three-way tie for first place in the Berkshire County League.

 

Taconic won its match against the Lee Black, 3-0, which means the Thunder, Generals and Lee varsity all have 21 points out of a possible 24 heading into the ninth and final week of the regular season on Friday at Greylock Bowl and Golf in North Adams.

 

Lee and Taconic each face subvarsity teams from Lee High on Friday. Pittsfield bowls against seventh-place Monument Mountain.

 

If all three remain tied after the regular season finale, they will need to hold a bowl off at the start of the Feb. 15 17 to determine the top two seeds in the six-team county playoffs. The bottom four teams roll against one another in the quarter-finals while Nos. 1 and 2 get byes into the county semi-finals.

 

On Friday at Cove Lanes, Ryan Russo rolled a 248 to help Pittsfield earn its 2-1 win against Lee. Jason Maguire backed him up with a 234.

 

In addition to Kotek, who led all girls in the competition, Lee's varsity got 190 game and 378 series from MaKayla Schuerer.

 

Mount Everett's Mercedes Kosik rolled the second-best game (193) and fourth-best series (331) among the league's girls to lead the Eagles to a 3-0 win over the Lee Wildcats.

 

McCann Tech's Michael Oakes rolled a 422 series to help the Hornets blank the Lee JV. Monument Mountain took a 3-0 win from the Lee Orange.

 

Taconic moved into a third-place tie thanks to Pittsfield's split and the Thunder's 3-0 win over the Lee Black.

 

League'leading Andrew Robitaille again came up big for Taconic, rolling a 254 game and 456 series that were best among all bowlers at the Cove on Friday.

 

While the leaders are knotted at the top of the standings, an even more significant tie in the middle of the pack sets up some big matches in the regular season finale on Friday.

 

Mount Everett, Monument Mountain and the Lee Black each has a record of 9-15 with one week remaining.

 

Each finishes up with a team that already has punched its ticket for the county tournament.

 

The Eagles will take on fourth-place McCann Tech. The Spartans face league-leading Pittsfield. And the Lee Black rolls against the Lee varsity.

 

Team standings: T-1. Taconic, Lee, Pittsfield, 21-3; 4. McCann Tech, 15-9; 5. Lee JV, 11-13; T-6. Mount Everett, Monument Mountain, Lee Black, 9-15; T-9. Lee Wildcats, Lee Orange, 2-22.