Brick dethrones Mustangs at Winter Classic
McMahon leads Green Dragons past two-time defending champs
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK — For the third year in a row, a Brick girls bowling team won the highly regarded Central Jersey Winter Classic at the Brunswick Zone Carolier Lanes.

But this time, it was Brick Township that overtook two-time champion Brick Memorial after trailing at the end of the first game to win the title, its fourth in five tournaments it played in this season. Lauren McMahon was one pin away from firing three 200 games in a 646 series, second only to the 663 of Brick Memorial’s Jessica Worlsey. McMahon’s efforts led Brick Township to a 2,979 pinfall, while Brick Memorial was second with 2,842 pins. Worsley smashed games of 215, 223 and 225.

"This is good for this house. If we were at home, this would have been a little bit low," said Brick Township coach Linda Sarraf of the total wood. "I’m pleased. We held our own."

Sarraf also said she was "very pleased" with McMahon’s efforts.

"She’s been consistent, but today she was exceptional," said Sarraf as the co-captain reeled off games of 215, 232 and 199.

Freshman Tracy Ganjoin also fired up a 615 series off a 222 high game for Brick Township, the defending state champion, while Karen Grygiel overcame a slow start to serve up a 601 series. Struggling like many bowlers with Carolier’s very fast, dry lanes, Grygiel used a different ball after a 161 opener.

The junior co-captain was denied a 300 game by only two splits in a 245 second game, just two pins out of the top game of the day.

"In that first game I had trouble finding my shot but once I slowed down, I felt more comfortable," said Grygiel. "After the first game, we were 18 pins behind Brick Memorial and I thought, ‘I have to pick this up.’ "

But another key was one of the better performances this season by senior Samantha Wyant, who has been in and out of the line-up and came off the bench last month at these same lanes to help Brick Township finish 15 pins ahead of Brick Memorial for the Bishop Ahr Tournament title. After a likewise slow start, Wayant served up games of 193 and 189.

"I thought I did OK. I hung in there and did my best," she said. "But it actually feels pretty good knowing I helped the team."

Hope Bucci actually helped seal the victory in the third game with a 211.

"This is amazing," said Grygiel of the championship. "We know how good a team we are and the fact that we proved it makes it better. The fact that we lost so many seniors (from last season), people say we’re rebuilding, but I completely disagree [because of] the people we have back."

By the end of a second game when Brick Township walloped a 1,071, BrickMemorial was 64 pins behind and needed to clear 1,043 in the third game to win but fell far short.

Coach Marie Kobilnyk was satisfied with her Brick Memorial team, which on Saturday had won the Long Branch Winter Wave Tournament behind Lindsay Smith’s 257 game and 689 series, both tournament highs. The Mustangs also came off the team title of the Brick Tournament a week earlier. Brick Township was third in that tournament.

"The team bowled excellent considering one of our best bowlers was hurt and she normally bowls much better," said Kobilnyk, referring to Stacy Ryan, who came up with a 561 series despite agonizing pain in her right shoulder that has been worsening in recent weeks. She’ll have a doctor look at it this week.

"In our first two games, we were fine, 60 pins out but on pace with some bad luck shots," said Kobilnyk. "But we struggled in that third game."

Aside from Worsley’s games, the rest of the team had only three 200 games.

"I had nothing big but was consistent and just threw a tighter line," said Whorls, referring to the fast lanes. "I was just working at getting back because I’ve been in a slump the past few weeks."

Ryan, who also is the catcher for the softball team, said her shoulder has been bothering her for the past few months af­ter playing softball during the fall. An All-State bowler two years ago, Ryan in the Brick Tournament had rolled a 277, which also was second best all-time in the tournament, and had a 758 series that was the second best of the day. In the Winter Classic, she recovered from a 169 first game to wallop a 217 before a 175 game in her 561 series.

"I did not bowl as well as I should have," said Ryan. "I bowled on Saturday and it hurt (she did not finish her match), and today it had a huge effect, although I tried not to let it bother me."

"This week it’s been really bad," said Stacy’s mom, Lori. "It’s been sore, but this week it really affected her. Her shoulder was in ice until the first game."

"Having her out there trying meant a lot to us," said Whorls. "She still was throwing good shots, making spares and getting good numbers."

The big question for Brick Memorial is how long Ryan may be out with the two Brick teams battling in the Shore Confer­ence for first place in their division (Brick Memorial is one game back) with a show­down on Jan. 27 and the state tourna­ment coming up soon.

Brick Township girls:

Karen Grygiel 161-245-195—601, Tracy Ganjoin 209-222-184—615, Saman­tha Wayant 157-193-189—539, Hope Bucci 188-179-211—578, Lauren McMa­hon 215-232-199-646. Team 930-1,071-973—2,979.

Brick Memorial girls:

Stacy Ryan 169-217-175—561, Amanda DeCarlo 186-221-173—580, Jes­sica Elshamy 173-161-138—472, Lindsay Smith 205-167-194—566, Jessica Worsley 215-223-225—663. Team 958-989-905 —2,842.