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Bowling: Final boys and girls rankings, highlights of the 2022-23 season

greg tartaglia, northjersey.com
·8 min read

The 2022-23 high school bowling season brought about some unprecedented occurrences, as well as both happy and sad news.

For only the second time since 2003-04, there were no perfect games by North Jersey bowlers during the winter – though the state individual finals will long be remembered for a freshman from South Jersey throwing a 300.

The Bergen County boys (River Dell) and girls (Fort Lee) tournament champions ended long droughts (see below), while the Indian Hills girls earned their first sectional title.

This was the first non-pandemic year without an official Tournament of Champions since 2007, although the NJSIAA boys team champions were able to carry on the tradition, unofficially.

The Indian Hills girls bowling team won its first sectional championship at the North 1 tournament in Hackensack on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. The Braves defeated Mahwah for the Group 1 title, 2,455-2,428.
The Indian Hills girls bowling team won its first sectional championship at the North 1 tournament in Hackensack on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. The Braves defeated Mahwah for the Group 1 title, 2,455-2,428.

We said goodbye to retired Immaculate Heart coach Lynn Gansley, who died in January at 67. In her 25 seasons, Gansley guided IHA to 12 county titles (seven in a row from 2005-11) and 10 sectional championships (eight straight from 2002-09), and she always did an impromptu dance whenever her bowlers struck through a frame – which, back then, was often.

And as always, determining the final rankings was harrowing. Especially for the boys, the teams that won titles did not always carry the highest per-bowler average. Some were strong at counties but stumbled at sectionals, and vice-versa.

The top two were tough to deny, however. For the boys, Old Tappan (194.2) and River Dell (190.7) had the best per-bowler numbers, although it would have been interesting to see what the latter could do at the state team finals if half its lineup wasn't away on a class trip. For the girls, Holy Angels (162.7) and Bergen Tech (161.8) were the only squads to average north of 160 in both league and tournament action.

LOOKING BACK: 2022-23 boys, girls bowling tournament results and scores

Final boys bowling Top 10 rankings

The Glen Rock boys bowling team won its first sectional championship since 2013 at the North 1 tournament in Hackensack on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. The Panthers edged Jefferson Township by two pins for the Group 2 title.
The Glen Rock boys bowling team won its first sectional championship since 2013 at the North 1 tournament in Hackensack on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. The Panthers edged Jefferson Township by two pins for the Group 2 title.

  1. Old Tappan (11-3)

  2. River Dell (13-3)

  3. Bergen Tech (14-5)

  4. Glen Rock (18-1)

  5. Indian Hills (12-3)

  6. Passaic Tech (13-2)

  7. Fair Lawn (12-2)

  8. Bergen Catholic (16-2)

  9. Wallington (21-2)

  10. Fort Lee (16-3)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Demarest (13-5), Eastern Christian (18-1), Hackensack (16-3).

Final girls bowling Top 5 rankings

  1. Holy Angels (15-0)

  2. Bergen Tech (17-3)

  3. Indian Hills (12-3)

  4. Fort Lee (17-2)

  5. Passaic Tech (12-3)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Demarest (18-0), Mahwah (9-7), Northern Highlands (14-0).

Around the lanes

The Passaic Tech boys and girls bowling teams swept the 2023 Passaic County championships at Parkway Lanes in Elmwood Park on Friday, Jan. 13.
The Passaic Tech boys and girls bowling teams swept the 2023 Passaic County championships at Parkway Lanes in Elmwood Park on Friday, Jan. 13.

► At the Jan. 13 Passaic County tournament, Passaic Tech became the second team in the last three years to sweep the boys and girls titles, which Wayne Hills accomplished in 2020. Both Bulldog squads had three of the top five individual finishers, with Passaic resident John Candelaria enjoying a career day for the boys in winning high game (267) and series (720).

Wayne Hills did emerge with the girls individual champ. Senior Erica Cuciti became the school’s first high series winner at the Passaic tournament since Robyn Carey in 1999.

► The River Dell boys seemed almost fated to win their first overall Bergen County championship on Jan. 21. This year’s trophy had a hawk perched on top – a definite coincidence, since the Hawks from Oradell were not necessarily a favorite going in.

River Dell earned its first overall championship at the Bergen County boys bowling tournament by scoring a four-game 4,029 at Bowler City in Hackensack on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. The Hawks had previous won group titles in 1993-94.
River Dell earned its first overall championship at the Bergen County boys bowling tournament by scoring a four-game 4,029 at Bowler City in Hackensack on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. The Hawks had previous won group titles in 1993-94.

“It seems like that had some sort of sixth sense that we were going to win that,” said smiling senior Matt McCusker, who won the high game award with a 266.

Evan Visaggio-Lopez had a tournament-best 919 series in the four-game format, as River Dell was the only team to average better than 1,000 per game. “We did well with our spares,” McCusker noted. “We went like 18-for-20 in the third game, and the other two were splits.”

► The season was full of new frontiers for the Fort Lee girls, who earned their first trip to the state team finals after bringing home the program’s first Bergen County team title on Jan. 28.

Fort Lee became the 14th different school to win the Bergen County girls bowling tournament when it captured the championship at Bowler City in Hackensack on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023. The Lady Bridgemen won the best-of-5 Baker final over Indian Hills, 3-0.
Fort Lee became the 14th different school to win the Bergen County girls bowling tournament when it captured the championship at Bowler City in Hackensack on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023. The Lady Bridgemen won the best-of-5 Baker final over Indian Hills, 3-0.

The Lady Bridgemen averaged 159 in the 15 Baker-game qualifying round, earned the No. 4 seed for elimination play, then swept No. 1 Bergen Tech (the three-time champ) and No. 2 Indian Hills by averaging 176 in the head-to-head Baker playoffs.

“We were thinking, let’s at least qualify for fourth place,” senior anchor Michelle Kim said, “because we were struggling as a team in a few of our [qualifying] games. We didn’t even think about winning, we were just thinking about the next step.”

SECTIONAL RESULTSWhat to know about the North Jersey teams who qualified for the NJSIAA finals

Singular sensations

Hackensack sophomore John James shares a hug with coach Nancy Wallace after winning the championship at the Feb. 7 Bergen County boys bowling individual tournament at Bowler City.
Hackensack sophomore John James shares a hug with coach Nancy Wallace after winning the championship at the Feb. 7 Bergen County boys bowling individual tournament at Bowler City.

► When Bergen County instituted separate individual tournaments, it increased the possibility of the unexpected occurring. That was the case in the Feb. 7 boys event, where Hackensack sophomore John James came out on top. He shot a 677 qualifying series (225.7 average), earned the No. 1 stepladder seed and held off hard-charging Tim Porfido of Bergen Tech in the final, 193-191, with a 9 on his final roll.

So how does a bowler with a final 189 average pull that off?

“Sheer determination,” James said. “You can’t be too nervous – even though I was nervous, you’ve got to take your time, breathe and just throw a nice ball.”

► Indian Hills senior Natalie Christopher finished the season with the No. 5 girls average in North Jersey but was No. 1 in both qualifying (641 series) and the stepladder (190-168 win over Holy Angels’ Rachel Stanbury) at the Feb. 13 Bergen girls individual tournament.

Indian Hills senior Natalie Christopher with coaches Mike Michels (left) and Jason Duncan after winning the championship at the Feb. 13 Bergen County girls bowling individual tournament at Bowler City in Hackensack.
Indian Hills senior Natalie Christopher with coaches Mike Michels (left) and Jason Duncan after winning the championship at the Feb. 13 Bergen County girls bowling individual tournament at Bowler City in Hackensack.

Her secret was finding the “Zen zone.”

“I told my coaches that I put myself in this zone, in a Zen-like [state],” Christopher said. “I wasn’t focused on anyone else’s scores, just myself. And I bowled a really good series.”

GIRLS BOWLING: 2023 All-North Jersey teams

BOYS BOWLING: 2023 All-North Jersey teams

Final Big North boys standings

American Division: Fort Lee 52-4 division (109-24); Dumont 44-12 (143-53); Ridgefield Park 23-33 (40-58); Dwight Morrow 21-35 (45-53); Cliffside Park 0-56 (0-98).

Freedom Division: Hackensack 54-2 (110-23); Ridgewood 30-26 (60-45); Ramapo 26-30 (47-51); Northern Highlands 22-34 (42-56); Paramus 8-48 (8-83).

Independence Division: Fair Lawn 54-2 (82-16); Wayne Valley 37-19 (74-24); Wayne Hills 26-30 (48-50); West Milford 21-35 (37-61); Lakeland 2-54 (11-94).

Liberty Division: Bergen Tech 62-8 (90-43); Passaic Tech 57-13 (83-22); Clifton 49-21 (58-47); Eastside 28-42 (30-68); Passaic 12-58 (21-70); Kennedy 2-68 (2-96).

National Division: Old Tappan 54-16 (82-16); Pascack Valley 53-17 (71-27); Demarest 48-22 (91-35); Bergenfield 41-29 (57-48); Teaneck 14-56 (21-84); Tenafly 0-70 (0-105).

Patriot Division: Indian Hills 62-8 (83-22); River Dell 56-14 (91-21); Mahwah 38-32 (51-61); Pascack Hills 26½-43½ (41½ -77½); Ramsey 16½ -53½ (28½-69½); Westwood 11-59 (30-68).

United Division: Bergen Catholic 52-4 (102-24); Don Bosco 40-16 (73-25); St. Joseph 30-26 (58-54); Paramus Catholic 16-40 (20-92); DePaul 2-54 (2-89).

The Bergen Catholic bowling team won its first sectional championship since 2010 at the North 1 boys tournament in Hackensack on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. The Crusaders defeated Bergen Tech in Group 4, 2,942-2,915.
The Bergen Catholic bowling team won its first sectional championship since 2010 at the North 1 boys tournament in Hackensack on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. The Crusaders defeated Bergen Tech in Group 4, 2,942-2,915.

Final Big North girls standings

American Division: Fort Lee 56-0 division (116-17 overall); Cliffside Park 40-16 (62-36); Ridgefield Park 21-35 (42-63); Dwight Morrow 15-41 (22-69); Dumont 8-48 (74-122).

Freedom Division: Northern Highlands 56-0 (96-2); Ramapo 32-24 (37-54); Hackensack 20-36 (34-85); Paramus 17-39 (31-53); Ridgewood 15-41 (22-83).

Independence Division: West Milford 44-12 (72-26); Wayne Hills 39-17 (67-24); Lakeland 30-26 (55-50); Fair Lawn 21-35 (39-66); Wayne Valley 6-50 (23-68).

Liberty Division: Bergen Tech 66-4 (116-24); Passaic Tech 60-10 (84-21); Kennedy 33-37 (45-53); Clifton 23-47 (30-75); Passaic 19-51 (21-70); Eastside 9-61 (9-89).

National Division: Demarest 70-0 (122-4); Old Tappan 49-21 (72-26); Pascack Valley 49-21 (72-26); Tenafly 23-47 (33-72); Bergenfield 19-51 (19-86); Teaneck 0-70 (0-112).

Patriot Division: Indian Hills 60-10 (85-20); Mahwah 52-18 (70-42); Westwood 49-21 (74-31); Pascack Hills 27-43 (63-56); River Dell 16-54 (44-68); Ramsey 6-64 (20-78).

United Division: Holy Angels 28-0 (103-2); Immaculate Heart 7-21 (38-60); Paramus Catholic 7-21 (21-70).

The Holy Angels girls bowling team earned its 11th sectional title in 15 seasons at the North 1 tournament in Hackensack on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. The Angels won Group 2 with a house-leading 2,698.
The Holy Angels girls bowling team earned its 11th sectional title in 15 seasons at the North 1 tournament in Hackensack on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. The Angels won Group 2 with a house-leading 2,698.

Final NJIC co-ed standings

Colonial Division: Eastern Christian 106-6; Glen Rock 102-10 (118-15 overall); Hawthorne 84-28; Butler 55-57; Garfield 44-68 (44-75); Manchester 41-71; Lodi 32-80; Pompton Lakes 26-86; Paterson Charter 14-98.

Patriot Division: New Milford 106-6; Leonia 92-20; Hawthorne Christian 88-24; Bogota 72-40; Bergen Charter 54-58; Park Ridge/Emerson 40-72; Midland Park 33-79; Palisades Park 11-101; Saddle River Day 8-104.

Meadowlands Division: Wallington 120-20 (137-24 overall); North Arlington 111-29 (123-38); Wood-Ridge 100-40; St. Mary 94-46; Becton 84-56; Hasbrouck Heights 80-60; Lyndhurst 80-60; Rutherford 44-96; Secaucus 29-111; Weehawken 22-118; Harrison 6-134.

Girls teams (Independent): North Arlington 59-25; Eastern Christian 35-35; Harrison 0-21; Secaucus 0-7.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ bowling: Final boys/girls rankings, standings, 2022-23 highlights