McCann Tech, Wahconah Bowlers Pick Up Big Wins
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The logjam at the top of the Berkshire County High School Bowling League is broken -- in a big way.
The four teams that came into Friday’s matches at Greylock Bowl and Golf with perfect 12-0 records through the season’s first four weeks squared off against one another.
And only one remains perfect, after McCann Tech defeated Pittsfield, 3-0, behind a 473 series from Brandon Vallone.
In Friday’s other battle of unbeatens, Wahconah prevailed by a 2-1 margin over Lee to slide into second place with a mark of 14-1 heading into the final three weeks of round-robin play.
Although the Hornets got the sweep, it was anything but a blowout.
The first game of the day came down to the final frame between the teams’ top bowlers at the No. 5 position in the lineup. Vallone started his 10th with a strike en route to a 216; Pittsfield’s A.J. Moore left three pins standing with his first ball of the frame. He picked up the spare but finished his game with a 206.
That gave McCann Tech a 3-2 advantage in head-to-head competition and a 964-947 advantage in pins, putting the Hornets up, 1-0, in the match.
The second game was more decisive.
Vallone and Chris Bostwick each started his second game with five straight strikes for the Hornets. Vallone went on to roll a sixth in a row on the way to posting the day’s high game, a 257 -- one pin better than the the 256 that Pittsfield’s Colby Rooney poste in the first game.
The Hornets finished with a 1,038-967 margin in pins in the second game to go with another 3-2 advantage in head-to-head matches.
Vallone, Bostwick and Aleasia Yeaton (224-200--424) each went 2-0 in head-to-head matches as the Hornets took a 2-0 lead into the best-of-three Baker format games.
In the Baker format, five players from each team take turns, bowling two frames apiece toward the team score.
McCann Tech went 2-0-1 in the Bakers, with the teams tying, 180-180, in the second game.
Lee’s Adam Dingman rolled a 228 in the first game of the day against Wahconah. The Wildcats also got wins from Sophie Zukowski and Carrie Conklin and took the total pins, 907-845, to go ahead, 1-0.
Wahconah stormed back in the second game, winning four out of the five head-to-head matchups. Alex White rolled a 208, and Austin Doyle rolled a 200. Cody Doyle and Amber Wood also earned wins as Wahconah tied the match, 1-1, sending it to the Baker format matches.
The teams split the first two Bakers, sending it to a decisive third game for the win.
Austin Doyle rolled a big strike in the fourth frame, where Lee left a pin up, allowing Wahconah to get a comfortable margin in what was a 48-43 match through three frames.
Lee was still within striking distance going to the eighth, but the Wildcats left an open frame, and Cody Doyle converted his spare to put his team well ahead.
Austin Doyle got a strike in the ninth, and Alex Wood started the 10th with two strikes as Wahconah pulled away for a 193-168 win.
Wahconah (14-1) and Pittsfield (12-3) will meet on Friday at Ken’s Bowl in Pittsfield, while the Hornets (15-0) will take on Lee (13-2).
The other four schools came into Friday with 0-12 marks on the season.
Drury and Mount Greylock ended the day 3-12 after picking up a pair of convincing wins.
The Blue Devils swept Mount Everett behind a 197 by Brandi Blondin (337 series) and a 180 from Kaitlyn Mongeon (295 series). The Eagles were led by Tucker Wilkinson, who rolled a 164 and a 185 for a 349 series.
Mount Greylock was led by Taylor Callahan (165-209--374) in a 3-0 sweep of Taconic as Mount Greylock picked up its first win in two years. Troy Michalak had a strong 349 series for the Mounties (179-170). Sara Curry rolled a 198 for Taconic.