CHSAA crowns individual bowling champions for the first time in two years

February 25, 2021 by Rab's Country Lanes Leave a Comment

St. Peter’s freshman Joe Guarnieri and Notre Dame Academy senior Nicole Rourke captured the CHSAA boys’ and girls’ individual championship crowns, respectively, on Thursday at Rab’s Country Lanes.

By Nick Regina | nregina@siadvance.com
silive.com | Click here for the full story

Bowling balls were rolling, shoes were squeaking, and pins were clanking at Rab’s Country Lanes on Thursday, where the CHSAA individual bowling championships were held for the first time in two years.

Last year’s event was cancelled out by the pandemic, though high school keglers filled the lanes on Thursday, albeit while social distancing and donning face masks, for three fast-paced, competitive games to determine who would be crowned individual champions of the boys’ and girls’ circuits, respectively.

Each of Staten Island’s Catholic high schools was represented by its top four bowlers at the event.

When it was all said and done, St. Peter’s freshman Joe Guarnieri (636) and Notre Dame Academy senior Nicole Rourke (512) emerged victorious — becoming the Island’s first CHSAA individual champions since 2019.

Monsignor Farrell’s Vin Guido and Zach Labaneh finished second and third, respectively, among the boys, while St. Joseph Hill’s Alexa Cordato and NDA’s Camryn Burns rounded out the top three finishers on the girls’ side.

“It feels really good. My freshman year I wanted to make an impact and get noticed,” said Guarnieri, who did just that. “I struggled with team play this season, but when singles came around I popped up.”

Guarnieri fired off impressive games of 233, 245, and 158, though he admits he felt pressure coming in.

“There’s a lot of pressure as a freshman, but good, consistent bowling paid off with my confidence,” he explained. “I expected to place high, but I didn’t expect to win.

“We expect a lot of him, he came in with a reputation for being an extremely good bowler,” acknowledged STP coach Pat Calchi. “He really impressed and showed great skills.”

Guarnieri, who has bowled nearly his entire life, entered HS with a proven track record, and hopes to one day turn pro — but on the other side of the lane, senior Nicole Rourke took a very different path.

Rourke, the daughter of 2018 Staten Island USBC Master’s Champion Kevin Rourke, did not begin bowling competitively until last year — but tossed games of 184, 183, and 145 on Thursday.

In that time, she raised her average by approximately 40 pins, and led all CHSAA girls with a 163 average this season.

“I’m excited, I put in a lot of work,” said Rourke. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and coaches.

“I just made sure I threw it where I needed to, straight down the lane,” she added.

NDA coach Terry Hart witnessed her ascension through the ranks firsthand.

“Nicole grew up in a bowling family, but she never really bowled until her junior year,” said Hart. “She’s improved so much. She’s the team captain and she just exploded this year.”

SI Advance: Comeback From Quarantine: MSIT bowler Colin Smith wonders when (or if) there will be a season

November 28, 2020 by Rab's Country Lanes Leave a Comment

Colin Smith (fifth from right) awaits the day he can rejoin his MSIT teammates on the lanes.

By Nick Regina | nregina@siadvance.com
Staten Island Advance | Click here for the full story on silive.com

Keep bowlin’, bowlin’, bowlin’…

That’s all 16-year-old New Dorp native Colin Smith wants to do.

After averaging 193 per game last season in the PSAL, he was poised to build on a promising sophomore campaign and take over the reigns as McKee/Staten Island Tech’s top bowler in 2020.

Nevertheless, Smith’s chances of once again anchoring his team on the lanes seem to dwindle by the day.

“It’s tough, they’re not telling us anything right now,” said a disappointed Smith.

While there has been speculation that the season could take place in the spring, nothing has been confirmed.

“Nothing has changed. We haven’t heard anything,” said Smith.

In last year’s playoffs, Smith’s game average rose to 204 before the Seagulls fell to Tottenville in the semifinals — hinting at a breakout campaign in 2020.

“I was focused. It kind of sucks because last year we were so close,” laments Smith. “We wanted a rematch.”

LOST SEASON

The cancelled season didn’t come as a total surprise to Smith, who was left scrambling for open alleys when the pandemic struck in March and shuddered the doors of Staten Island’s bowling establishments.

“That was my first thought: where am I going to practice?” remembers Smith, who traveled to New Jersey on a weekly basis in search of open lanes.

“It was just that and playing video games…not much else to do,” he added. “[Bowling] always gave me something to do after school, and brought attention in school.”

Smith has been able to bowl in two weekly leagues at Rab’s Country Lanes since the summer, which provides a sense of normalcy, as well as the opportunity to link up with friends.

“It’s been fun, a relief…it’s like getting back to normal,” said Smith. “I get to be at my home alley with friends.

“I’m used to it, I know everyone there, and the lane conditions,” he pointed out.

But as numerous establishments begin to once again close their doors on Staten Island, Smith fears bowling alleys could be next.

“It’s scary because I’ve been practicing for so long and I feel even better than before the pandemic,” said Smith.

“I don’t want to lose that,” he added. “That was probably the worst part, having to bowl somewhere else.”

In the meanwhile, Smith awaits word on a potentially lost HS season, and the opportunity to bowl with his schoolmates once again.

“I hope to make sure the team is properly acquainted,” he said. “We all really want a season.”

Bowling notebook: What’s Country Lanes’ pandemic status? A perfect game, New Year Singles Classic is off and more

November 25, 2020 by Rab's Country Lanes Leave a Comment

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

Rab’s Country Lanes’ proprietor Frank Wilkinson says it’s business as usual — for now — even with the threat of new pandemic restrictions being talked about by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“We’re getting a lot of inquiries about the status of our opening,” said Wilkinson. “It’s amazing, many consumers have assumed we, along with restaurants, are already closed and there is no indoor dining due to the zone change, which as we know has not happened yet.”

That, of course, may change over the coming days or weeks. Most of Staten Island is currently classified as a yellow zone, although some South Shore communities were elevated to orange by the state earlier today. If the Island’s pandemic infection rate worsens, other Island communities could be elevated to orange status and then red.

“IF, we are to move into the Orange Zone, and IF all the requirements remain, bowling centers remain open without indoor dining (just as we started the season.),” explained Wilkinson. “When we got the go to open back in August, bowling centers were moved to the low-risk business category. However, anything can change when the governor makes an announcement, which seems to be anticipated after the holiday. In the meantime, we are now closing at 10 p.m., which has altered our schedules in many ways.”

Victor Guastella, 17, rolled his first perfect game last month at Rab’s Country Lanes.

Youth bowler Victor Guastella rolls first perfect game

Seventeen-year-old Victor Guastella rolled a perfect game in the Country Pro Shop Juniors on Friday, Oct. 23. The perfecto came in the final game of a three-game set. He finished with a 678 series. His first two games were 197 and 181, propelling.

Avilez, Brod advance to Junior Gold Championships as Rab’s Gold Shootout champs

Youth bowlers took to the lanes on Sunday, Nov. 22 to compete for titles in the Rab’s Gold Shootout and their shot at advancing to the 2021 Junior Gold Championships to be held in Indianapolis, next summer.

When all was said and done, Maya Avilez and Gavin Brod were the big winners and punched their tickets to Indy.

Avilez rolled a 903 five-game series to claim the U18 division. Her games were 178, 155, 205, 164, and 201.

Meanwhile, Brod paced the 15U division with games of 159, 184, 184, 171, and 203, good enough for a 901 series.

Complete results can be found at bowlatrabs.com/tournaments.

The next opportunity for youth bowlers to compete and earn spots for the Junior Gold Championships will be the Rab’s Gold Challenge on Jan. 5, 2021.

Staten Island USBC Masters Championship set

The 12th Annual Staten Island USBC Masters Championship will take place on Saturday, Dec. 5 at Rab’s Country Lanes, where the Island’s top bowlers will compete for the elusive title. $100 entry fee, register online, siusbc.org to reserve your spot.

The reigning champion is Tony Everts.

46th Annual New Year Singles Classic Postponed

For the first time in the tournament’s history, tournament director Jim Elliott has decided to postpone the 46th Annual New Year Singles Classic due to the pandemic. Contact Jim for details. The event will return in 2022.

Catholic School bowling loop forging ahead

Wilkinson reports that the Catholic High School Bowling League will start on Dec.15 at Country Lanes.

This has been pushed from a projected start of the Nov. 24.

“A sign of normalcy in youth sports after a non-existent PSAL season,” said Wilkinson.