The Bayonne High School boys’ and girls’ bowling teams won both the Hudson County championship and the NJSIAA state sectional championship in a span of 48 hours last month.
“It’s never happened before for a Hudson County team,” noted Hudson Reporter Sports Columnist Jim Hague.
Both the boys’ and the girls’ team were honored at the Feb. 23 meeting of the Bayonne Board of Education.
The boys’ team beat St. Peter’s Prep, while the girls beat Snyder High School, winning county championships.
The girls went on to win a division title, while the boys went on to win state sectional competitions.
Bayonne Coach Joyce Dandrea said both teams bowled extremely well.
Dandrea said teamwork won it for both teams, noting that this year’s victory for the boys’ team was particularly satisfying because the boys lost last year to Union City by one pin.
Katey Zero was number one with an average at 186.6, and got the high game for the league. She said she started bowling as a freshman at Bayonne High School, and said she will likely continue bowling at New Jersey City University when she attends there next fall.
Cody Delvert was second high for average at 180.7 per game. She didn’t start out with impressive stats, with an average barely breaking 140. But this year, her teammates say, she turned up the heat. She partly credits her improvement to lessons she took at Hudson Lanes with bowling pro Kurt Borst, who worked with her there.
On the boys’ side, Kyle Borowski Jr. led with an average of 217.5.
“It took a lot of practice and dedication,” he said. “This is a mental game.”
The two-handed bowler served as anchor for the team.
Nick Wisniewski, called “the Wiz” by teammates, said he was serious about bowling since he was a freshman.
“It took a lot of practice and dedication.” – Kyle Borowski Jr.
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“My brother used to bowl,” he said, and attributed the teams’ victories to the dedication shown by members.
Mark Hermosisima Sr. wasn’t even sure he was going to make the team since his numbers in junior varsity last year were dismal, with an average of about 130.
All that changed this year with his 193.6 average and his being in the top 10 bowlers in the league. He attributed part of the success to his coach believing in him.
He is called “Spareman” by his teammates for his amazing ability to pick up a spare.
As lead off, Joe Picarelli usually sets the tone for the team, and usually does a good job in getting the team started off right. But as he pointed out, there is usually somebody else who also steps up.
Ryan DeDerding has been bowling since he was 6 years old and serves as the team co-anchor, but said the team is really all part of one piece that works as a unit.
As a freshman this year, Sami Jo Hassan represents the future of the team, someone who will be returning next year to try and build on the successes of the last two years.
The girls’ team jokes about being “a wolf pack.” But when they get serious, they say they are like sisters, working together toward a common goal.
Maggie Peretti, who as a sophomore will also be returning next year, said she started bowling when she was in the eighth grade.
Natalie Cofone, also a sophomore who became part of the team to beat, said one of the things about the team is that they never gave up. Each of them was confident that the team could do what they did.
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