By Nick Regina | nregina@siadvance.com
Staten Island Advance | Click Here for Story on silive.com

Bayonne resident Steve Soss claimed his first title at the 45th Annual New Year Singles Classic at Rab’s Country Lanes on Saturday — but even he couldn’t believe it.

An epic finals match between the 30-year-old Soss and Tim McAuliffe Jr. left the crowd buzzing with every toss — but no one in attendance was prepared for how the 10th and final frame would shake out.

Trailing by just two pins, 208-206, through nine frames — Soss promptly stepped up and struck out on the final frame, leaving McAuliffe with the daunting task of matching the effort.

With 246 pins, Soss held the advantage but was forced to look on as McAuliffe immediately answered with a pair of strikes in his final frame before unceremoniously gutter-balling his final attempt, cementing Soss’ triumph, 246-238.

“I screamed, the relief of knowing that I won,” said Soss, as he watched the ball find the gutter. “I shouldn’t have won, there’s no words…I’m happy.”

“That’s never happened before,” remarked tournament director Jim Elliott.

Ironically, the epic matchup was a rematch of the 2014 final — which McAuliffe won.

“I was thinking here we go again,” said Soss after McAuliffe gained the advantage heading into the final frame.

“To throw a double and for him to then throw a double, watching him match it I felt like I was done,” added Soss.

The southpaw admits he didn’t fire his best games on Saturday, but he made big shots when it mattered most.

“Just made clean shots, can’t say I threw the ball great today,” admitted Soss. “But the shots that I made, I was able to finesse some.

“It feels good to be a part of it, at least now I get my name announced every year,” joked Soss. “Just keep bowling and trying to bowl good.”

As for McAuliffe, who fired a 298 in his first game on Saturday, the result is tough to swallow.

“After the second or third frame I thought it would take 260 to win, I knew I might need every strike to win,” explained McAuliffe. “He gave me another chance…I just shot it a little right.

“It was a great match, the last time was close too, it was basically identical except for the result,” he added.

Nevertheless, the outcome is bittersweet.

“I was pretty lined up, stayed relaxed, made consistent shots, Steve’s a great bowler,” added McAuliffe. “It’s tough to get to the final, it’s too bad to let that one go.”

OTHER NOTABLES

The final was preceded by an equally exciting semifinal, in which McAuliffe downed Joey Weisenstein, who also fired a 298 in his first game of the day, 249-237.

In the other matchup, Soss edged John Eadicicco, 225-217.

Eadicicco, the 2013 champion, also competed in the very first NYSC in 1976.

Prize money: Soss ($1350), McAuliffe ($800), Weisenstein ($500), Eadicicco ($350), George Cretella ($275), Steve Kotowski ($250), Dan Brezo ($230), Kevin Ng ($215), Mike Marchese ($190), Anthony Arias ($170), Christian DeVito ($160), Joe Lampariello ($155), Ira Levy ($150), Jeff Scire ($145), Michael Pitkoff ($140), Zach Dobrin ($135), Carl Worley ($125), Pete Labella ($120), Bill Salvatore ($115), Rob D’Onofrio ($115), AJ Everts ($110), Tom Hollywood, Jr. ($110), Tom Hollywood, Sr. ($100), Darius Fuller ($100).

The duos of Tyler Sidman & Eric Capizzi, Steven & Betty Ann Souffrin, and Luke & Kenneth Vroom captured the titles in their respective divisions in Rab’s Thanksgiving Leftovers Adult/Child No-Tap Tournament held November 30 & December 1, 2019.

In Division A (Team Averages 360 & Over) Tyler Sidman & Eric Capizzi rolled a total score of 2,006 including a perfect 900 set by Eric!

The mother and son duo, Steven & Betty Ann Souffrin rolled a 1,917 total to nab the Division B (Team Averages 321-359) title, while the father and son duo of Luke & Kenneth Vroom bowled over the competition with a 1,950 total in Division C (Team Averages 320 & Under)!

Jason Wichnovitz holds the record for the most perfect games (300) bowled in the event, a total of 9.  Other 300 games by youth bowlers were rolled by Anthony DeLeon, Brianna Mester (x2), Joseph Guarnieri (x4), Jessica Fetik (x2), and Brandon Leung.

Luck would also have it that Jason Wichnovitz and Joseph Guarnieri were also selected at random draw to each receive a $250 Scholarship Award!

Other Raffle Prize Winners

Squad 1:

• Jessica Fetik – $60 Country Pro Shop Gift Card
• Jill Calendrillo – $40 Rab’ Country Lanes Gift Card
• Jason Wichnovitz – $20 Gennaro’s Gift Card

Squad 2:

• Jill Calendrillo – $60 Country Pro Shop Gift Card
• Joseph Guarnieri – $40 Rab’ Country Lanes Gift Card
• Gianna Farina – $20 Gennaro’s Gift Card

Squad 3:

• Brianna Mester – $60 Country Pro Shop Gift Card
• Larry Cummings – $40 Rab’ Country Lanes Gift Card
• Joseph LaBarbera – $20 Gennaro’s Gift Card

Squad 4:

• Tyler Sidman – $60 Country Pro Shop Gift Card
• Luke Vroom – $40 Rab’ Country Lanes Gift Card
• Joseph LaBarbera – $20 Gennaro’s Gift Card

Complete Results can be found on the Tournament Page: https://bowlatrabs.com/bowling/tournaments/thanksgivingnotap

By: Joe D’Amodio
Staten Island Advance | January 2, 2019

Rab’s Country Lanes staged its Battle of the Schools Tournament on New Year’s Eve with a new twist, and by all accounts it was a big hit.

The event, the brain child of Terri Hart 15 years ago, usually brings together squads from the current high school teams to face one another.

This year, someone suggested the folks at the Dongan Hills Center should add an Alumni Division.

“This (alumni) event came together really quick,” said Country proprietor Frank Wilkinson. “Michael Ruffe, a St. Peter’s alum, brought up the idea during bowling in the Scratch League a few weeks back. Bowlers came out to bowl today for fun, some who haven’t picked up a bowling ball in quite some time. Some former high school bowling standouts, and some who didn’t bowl for their high school.

“As teams were forming, we got to see many bowlers come together that wouldn’t normally bowl together enjoy themselves representing their alma mater.”

When the smoke had cleared in the Alumni Division, which featured 87 bowlers competing on 18 teams representing 14 high schools, team Tottenville No. 1 emerged victorious.

The team consisted of Mickey Endress (’03), Vinny D’Ambrosio, III (’87), Lonnie Levy (’93) and Vincent Schneider (’18), who combined to knock over 3,399 pins in the 15-game Baker format event to win the $1,000 top prize.

They beat out St. Peter’s HS Boys No. 1, which felled 3,324 pins. The team consisted of Steve Basile (’06), Keith Wunderlich (’03), Steve Bonanno (’09), Chris McNichol (’07) and Stephen Ennis, Jr. (’06).

The 14 high schools represented were Tottenville, St. Peter’s Boys, St. Peter’s, St. Joseph by-the-Sea, S.I. Tech, McKee, St. John Villa, Curtis, Susan Wagner, Fort Hamilton, St. Joseph Hill, Monsignor Farrell, Port Richmond and New Dorp.

In the high school division, New Dorp claimed the crown by knocking over 3,031 pins. The team consisted of Giselle Rau, Allison Everts, Maya Avilez, Brandon Leung and William Courtney. The winners beat out defending champion Tottenville, which felled 2,947 pins.

Wilkinson said all monies raised is being donated back to the represented school’s bowling program. A total of $1,500 was awarded with funds matched by the Rab Wilkinson Foundation.