Rab's Country Lanes

1600 Hylan Boulevard Staten Island, NY 10305   |   Phone: 718-979-1600    

Watch Live Scores!

The Gym Bag: Bowlers can sign up for New Year Singles Classic

by Leave a Comment

Steve Soss and Jim Elliott

Tourney director Jim Elliott hands the trophy to two-time NYSC winner Steve Soss on Saturday at Rab’s Country Lanes.

By Joe D’Amodio | damodio@siadvance.com
Click here for the full story

Staten Island’s longest running open bowling event — Jim Elliott’s New Year Singles Classic — will start Jan. 6, 2024 at Rab’s Country Lanes.

Qualifying in the event’s 48th edition will be held on the weekends of Jan. 6-7 and Jan. 13-14. Squad times each day will be at 1 and 2:30 p.m.

The finals will be contested on Jan. 20 at 1:30 p.m.

Those who sign up and bowl in the tourney’s first qualifier on Jan. 6 at 1 p.m. will receive a second entry for free. However, Elliott says he’s expecting a sellout for the first squad and only those bowlers who pay for the first qualifier “fully in advance” will be allowed to bowl.

The entry fee is $60 — up $10 from a year ago. The format consists of bowling three games across six lanes. Handicap is 70 percent of a 220 average. The finals are scratch.

The top two high rollers from each qualifier (16) will be seeded into the finals as well as the next eight high series for a total of 24 finalists.

New Jersey kegler Steve Soss won last year’s event, his second NYSC crown.

To reserve a spot, send your checks made out to Jim Elliott at Just For Kicks, 91 Lincoln Ave., Staten Island, N.Y., 10306. Elliott’s phone number is 718-667-5120.

For additional tournament information visit: https://bowlatrabs.com/bowling/tournaments/new-years-singles-classic/

Bowling: 3 McAuliffes will make Saturday’s New Year Singles Classic finals a family affair

by Leave a Comment

The McAuliffe Family posing on the lanes holding bowling balls

The McAuliffes — Tim Sr., Sean and Tim Jr. — are all set for the finals of Saturday’s New Year Singles Classic. (Staten Island Advance photo)

By Joe D’Amodio | damodio@siadvance.com
silive.com | Click here for the full story

The Top 24 finals of Jim Elliott’s 47th New Year Singles Classic on Saturday at Rab’s Country Lanes will be a family affair for the McAuliffe clan.

Three McAuliffe family members, Tim Sr. and his sons, Tim Jr. and Sean, cracked the Top 24 list as two weekends of qualifying came to a close Sunday at Country.

Tim Jr.’s booming 836, rolled on the first weekend of qualifying, went unsurpassed, giving the 43-year-old righty the top seed. Tim Jr. won this event in 2014.

But both Sean, 35, and dad Tim Sr., 69, the former proprietor of the now defunct Victory Lanes, didn’t want Tim Jr. to have all the fun by himself and qualified 17th and 18th, respectively, checking in with series of 727 and 724.

“It’s so awesome,” said Tim Jr. about competing in the same final field with his father and younger brother. He said it’s the second time it has happened. “Sean called me with the good news (Sunday) night. I’m glad I have a first-round bye so I can avoid my dad until the later rounds. He’s money.”

Sean has been to the finals of this event numerous times, but has yet to win it all. He’s happy, however, to be competing with his dad and brother this time out.

“It’s an honor to represent our bowling family in any tournament,” said Sean. “I’ve bowled my brother Tim a bunch of times — which I have the better record, I might I add — but never my dad 1 on 1 in a tournament. They have both challenged me to always get better in any sport growing up and it will be all business if we do happen to bowl one another but emotions will be high before and after. It would be a dream to see one of them in the final match.”

Proud wife and mom Laurie McAuliffe, who works at Country, will be watching the event with great interest and some angst.

“I think she will be rooting for me. I’m her favorite,” said Tim Jr. with a laugh. “I think she has a Team McAuliffe shirt (from past events) so she will be pulling for all of us.”

Mike Galeotti (786) qualified in the second spot with a 786, while unprecedented six-time NYSC champ George Cretella (780) finished tied for third with Steve Soss, who won this event in 2020.

“George is like Tom Brady (with all those titles,” said Tim Jr. “And if I win this year I’ll be like Patrick Mahomes, chasing George’s record.”

In all, the top eight qualifiers receive first-round byes of the five-game, head-to-head match-play finals format.

Other powerhouses in the scratch finals are past champs Dan Dunleavy, Don Pendleton and Joe Lampariello and Joe Gentile, Joe LaBargo Jr. and Thomas Hollywood Jr.

BOWLER …………..NET SCORE

(* DENOTES SQUAD LEADERS)

  1. TIM McAULIFFE JR. 836*
  2. MIKE GALEOTTI 786*
  3. GEORGE CRETELLA 780*
  4. STEVE SOSS 780*
  5. NICK ABBATE JR. 779
  6. DANIEL COSTANTINO 766*
  7. DON PENDELTON 761*
  8. JOE GENTILE 760
  9. JOE LAMPARELLO 755*
  10. MIKE GIOVINAZZO 754
  11. THOMAS HOLLYWOOD JR. 745*
  12. DAN DUNLEAVY 741*
  13. CAMERON LAPLANT 740
  14. JEFFREY MARTIN 736
  15. KEN CEDEL 733*
  16. JOHN WINTERS SR. 728
  17. SEAN McAULIFFE 727*
  18. TIM McAULIFFE SR. 724*
  19. PAULA MEDURI 723
  20. KEVIN NG 723
  21. JOE LABARGO JR. 712*
  22. BILL SALVATORE 687*
  23. KEN RUSSO 679*
  24. ANDREW LINK III 676*

Note: all averages must be verified

Click here for full tournament details

Brandon Sach, Sean McAuliffe surge into Staten Island Singles Classic qualifying lead

by Leave a Comment

By Joe D’Amodio | damodio@siadvance.com
silive.com | Click here for the full story

Brandon Sach and Sean McAuliffe each knocked over 802 pins to share the lead Sunday after the second weekend of qualifying in the 43rd Staten Island Singles Classic at Rab’s Country Lanes.

The two, both bowling scratch, took the lead from first-weekend leader Anthony Arias, who now sits in fourth with a 798 set.

Kelcey Fisher, bowling with a 30-pin handicap, is third with an 800 series.

Two-time defending champion Jeff Scire found his way on the leaderboard by rolling a 795 scratch series, which currently places him fifth. Scire won in 2018 and 2019. The pandemic canceled last year’s event.

Co-tournament director Eric Capizzi reported that the turnout for the second weekend in the Donnie Walters’ run event was “surprisingly good” and the winner of the event will be guaranteed $1,000.

Qualifying concludes Saturday (April 17) at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. each day. The top 24 finals will be held April 24 at 2:30 p.m.

Entry fee is $60.

Anthony Arias bolts into Staten Island Singles Classic lead

by Leave a Comment

By Joe D’Amodio | damodio@siadvance.com
silive.com | Click here for the full story

Anthony Arias bolted into the lead after the first day of qualifying in the 43rd Staten Island Singles Classic Saturday at Rab’s Country Lanes.

Arias, bowling scratch, uncorked a 798 series.

Marco Recchia is in second position with a 787 set (784 scratch), Michael Vlassenko is third (770 gross) and is followed by Jason Wichnovitz (756) and Nicholas DiTomasso (756).

Donnie Walters, the founder of the Staten Island Singles Classic, couldn’t attend opening day, but promises to be there next week.

“I heard it went well,” said the 73-year-old Walters. “There were a lot of people there that I worked with at Maple Lanes. For me, it’s more of a social event and not so much a bowling tournament.”

The tourney took a hiatus last year because of the pandemic.

Qualifying continues April 10-11 and April 17 at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. each day. The top 24 finals will be held April 24 at 2:30 p.m.

Entry fee is $60.