Lee Rolls to 3-0 Win as Drury Returns to County League
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. -- Zachary Mongeon posted the league's top score for the Drury Blue Devils in their return to league play.
But reigning state champion Lee got off to a strong start on opening day for the Berkshire County High School Bowling League on Friday at Cove Lanes.
Mongeon rolled a 231 for Drury in its match against the Wildcats.
Lee, meanwhile had four bowlers finish with two-game averages of 174 or better on the way to a 3-0 win.
Maddie Kotek led the way for Lee with a 204 game and 396 series -- both best among the girls on Friday.
Her teammates Devyn Fillio and Julianna Schuerer had the next two high games among the girls, rolling a 184 and a 157, respectively. Nate Terry and Jaden Parks also stood out for Lee, averaging 192 and 180, respectively.
A sixth Wildcat, Hailey Hadsell, bowled with the Blue Devils since the team was short-handed for the opener.
But that could not diminish the welcome sight of a Drury team that dominated the state 10 years ago.
Tom Mongeon, who was filling in as Drury's coach on Friday, said the team has two more bowlers who were unable to attend the opener but will be on board for future matches.
Mongeon said it has taken some work to get the team back into competition.
"It was tough, from what I know, talking to [teacher Allison Lillie], who has been the person at the school who has been trying to push this," the elder Mongeon said.
"I think, in general, bowling is tough, especially because it's not recognized as a state sport. In other states, it's huge. In New York state, it's a monster sport. They have tryouts and everything else. If the schools would support it more, it would probably grow a lot faster."
One outlier is Lee, which has four junior varsity teams competing this winter along with a varsity squad that returns most of last year's state title team.
Among those pushing the Wildcats this year will be the Pittsfield Generals, who edged 2024 County Champion McCann Tech, 2-1, in Friday's opener.
Pittsfield's Matt Dupuis posted the day's top series with a 413 tha included a 214 game. He was backed up by Carter Deshamps and Jamri Carnute, who averated games of 191 and 197, respectively.
McCann Tech got strong games from Reilly Lefebvre (365 series) and Ryan Puntin (363 series).
The day's other varsity match saw Monument Mountain take a 2-1 win over Taconic.
Noah Walker led the Spartans with a 372 series. Taconic's Luzis Brown rolled a 346 series in his two games, and the Thunder's Kyla Crosier posted a 305 series that was third best among the girls on Friday.
The league returns to Cove on Wednesday for the first of two meets this week. The teams will make their first stop in North County on Friday to roll at King Pins Bowling and Golf, the former Greylock Bowl and Golf in North Adams.
Standings: 1. Lee 3-0; t-2. Pittsfield and Monument Mountain, 2-1; t-4. Taconic and McCann Tech; 6. Drury 0-3.