Nicole Maugeri was the little kegler who could on Saturday at Rab’s Country Lanes.
The 31-year-old Staten Island native, who was the smallest competitor and one of just two women in the 24-person field, captured the 46th Annual Staten Island Singles Classic crown. Maugeri was competing in the event for the first time and becomes just the second female kegler to win the trophy and first since Michelle Dash in 2015.
She took home a cash prize of $2,029.
Maugeri owned an 18-pin handicap against a field of stout competitors and prior champions — but she didn’t need it in the final. The underdog, finesse bowler used precision and accuracy to mow down pin after pin, as well as opponent after opponent.
After knocking off Paula Meduri (24-pin handicap), 244-232, in an all-female semifinal; she was paired against 21-year-old southpaw Chris Riordan, a scratch bowler who had steamrolled his way into the title round.
The handicap proved unnecessary, however, for Maugeri who won the finale by 34 pins with a 202-168 result.
“I was just happy that I made it to the finals in the first place,” quipped Maugeri after the match. “Every time I went up against somebody, I was just doing my best. They all have higher averages than me, but anything can happen.”
“From the first game my legs were shaking, I just took deep breaths before I stepped up and it helped me calm down,” she added. “Absolutely, I’ll be back (next year).”
GRAND FINALE
Maugeri’s rolls were typically around 11 mph, but spin and touch made up for a lack of velocity as the right-hander routinely spared most frames. She rarely left many, if any, pins standing, despite not tossing strikes with regularity on Saturday.
Both Maugeri and Riordan spared to begin the championship round before Riordan, surprisingly, left one pin standing on each of the second and third frames. He spared or struck on all 10 frames during his 244-184 triumph over Tom Barnes (12-pin handicap) in the semis.
The champion, meanwhile, spared again on two and left two pins standing in the third frame, but rallied for six consecutive spares before striking out on the 10th frame — her first and only three strikes of the match.
“You have to be able to make your spares, which I leave a lot of, and I’m very confident in making,” acknowledged Maugeri. “It’s not always about strikes.”
“I started throwing the ball straight into the pocket because I felt like when I tried to hook it, it wasn’t hooking where I needed it to,” added the Susan Wagner alum. “In the end, that helped me.”
Riordan found his groove with three strikes sandwiched around a spare before leaving two pins standing in the eighth frame. He spared the ninth and 10th frames before striking on the extra toss, but it was too little, too late for the runner-up, who took home a hefty $1,025 prize.
“This was my best performance by a long shot,” pointed out Riordan, a Rossville resident competing in this event for the third time. “The competition was very good this year. It was a great field and it’s good to see a first-time winner and an underdog win the tournament…It’s very nice to see a woman win. I’m sure a lot of people didn’t plan for her making it to the end, but it’s nice to see it.”
“I haven’t been in the finals of anything,” he added, noting that nerves were a factor in the end. “Nerves hadn’t been present throughout all of qualifying and match play until the very end, unfortunately. I wish I trusted myself a little bit more and took a little more time.”
Donnie Walters, the event’s founder and longtime director, was on hand to deliver the trophy afterward. He congratulated all of the competitors in Saturday’s field and thanked them for making it a strong event.
Mike Ruffe is the current tourney director and he dished out prize money to each of the competitors (full list at bottom).
FINAL FOUR (AND MORE)
Maugeri and Meduri met in the all-female semifinal, where Maugeri struck on her last four frames, including a strikeout on 10, to put away her opponent. The two competitors hugged it out, while Meduri acknowledged that she would be rooting her on in the final.
“Bowling against Paula was amazing. I’ve gone up against her before,” pointed out Maugeri. “We’re always rooting each other on. I watched Chris all day and it was nerve-racking going against him. He’s amazing too.”
Riordran, meanwhile, was firing on all cylinders in his matchup with Barnes. The left-hander struck on his first six frames before sparing the ensuing three. He struck again on 10 before sparing out for a commanding victory.
Maugeri previously defeated Nick Larocca, Rob Marcello, and Matt Cody en route to gaining the final four.
Riordan, who received an opening round bye and the No. 2 position, knocked off Jeff Martin and Billy Salvatore along the way.
Jeff Scire, a three-time past winner who was aiming to become the first Staten Island triple crown winner, was bounced in the second round by Salvatore after receiving a first-round bye. Scire previously captured the SIUSBC Masters title in December before winning Jim Elliot’s New Years Singles Classic in January.
Reigning event champion Cameron Laplant was ousted in the first round, while No. 1 seed Chris Procida was bounced in the second after receiving a bye.
Ruffe pointed out that the event was a resounding success for all involved.
“The sportsmanship was great. All of the bowlers have tremendous respect for each other and it was a nice competition,” he said. “We had a nice mix of scratch bowlers and handicap bowlers. Congrats to Nicole, well deserved.”
PRIZES & RESULTS
First Round: (17th-24th, $100): Mordy Friedman def. Joe Bracco; Paul Meduri def. Cameron LaPlant; Nicole Maugeri def. Nick Larocca; Matt Cody def. James Trapanese; Jeff Marin def. Dave Kosinski; Billy Salvatore def. Derek Gilbert; Steve Basile def. Mike Devito; Josh Warner def. Anthony Arias.
Second Round: (9th-16th, $200): Rob Donofrio def. Mordy Friedman; Paula Meduri def. Chris Procida; Nicole Maugeri def. Rob Marcello; Matt Cody def. Tim McAuliffe; Chris Riordan def. Jeff Martin; Billy Salvatore def. Jeff Scire; Tommy Barnes def. Steve Basile; Josh Warner def. George Cretella.
Quarterfinals (5th-8th, $300): Paula Meduri def. Rob Donafrio; Nicole Maugeri def. Matt Cody; Chris Riordan def. Billy Salvatore; Tommy Barnes def. Josh Warner;
Semifinals (3rd-4th, $600): Nicole Maugeri def. Paula Meduri; Chris Riordan def. Tommy Barnes.
Finals: 1st Nicole Maugeri ($2,029) def. 2nd Chris Riordan ($1,025).
Total payout: $7,854
PAST CHAMPIONS
1978 – Mike Rossman
1979 – Bob Garzone
1980 – Aaron Goldfeder
1981 – Harvey Lundgren Jr.
1982 – Ken Chin
1983 – Ray Laurse
1984 – Bob Ambrowitz
1985 – Nick Colonna
1986 – Joe Tusa
1987 – Rob Camerlengo
1988 – Guy Caputo
1989 – Bob Spallone
1990 – Rob Vinci
1991 – Steve Chiarella
1992 – Rob Vinci
1993 – Chip Martorano
1994 – Gary Scalesi
1995 – Jeff Scire
1996 – Rob Vinci
1997 – Jerry Benedetto
1998 – Pete Calise
1999 – Mike O’Brien
2000 – Jim Macri
2001 – Mike Parente
2002 – Ron Oliveri
2003 – Joe Stillman
2004 – Jeff Kubhsak
2005 – Joe Aballo
2006 – Jay Starace
2007 – Sean McAuliffe Jr.
2008 – Ryan Friend
2009 – Gary Ricci
2010 – Alan Liu
2011 – Joe Coniglio
2012 – Billy Salvatore
2013 – Ryan Friend
2014 – Clarence McLendon
2015 – Michelle Dash
2016 – Dan Dunleavy
2017 – Todd David
2018 – Jeff Scire
2019 – Jeff Scire
2020 – No event (covid)
2021 – Anthony Arias
2022 – Mickey Endress
2023 – Cameron Laplant
2024 – Nicole Maugeri