Green Dragon girls are the top team in the state

By Wayne witkowski
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY Members of the Brick Township girls’ bowling team check out their first-place trophy after winning the team title at the state championships at Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick on Friday.

NORTH BRUNSWICK — Dawn Wasner knew that Immaculate Heart Academy was biting at the heels of her Brick Township girls’ bowling team midway through the last game, so she did what any senior would do in her last high school bowling match as the team anchor.

She took charge.

Wasner hit strikes in the last four frames and then, in the bonus, left one pin standing for a 233 game. It capped a 611 series as the Green Dragons held off IHA and won the NJSIAA championship at Carolier Lanes on Friday.

"I knew in the last game toward the end we really had to pull something out. Luckily, I was able to string my strikes," said Wasner, who is headed to St. Peter’s College, Jersey City, in September.

Brick Township finished with 2,917 pins, only 19 ahead of Immaculate Heart. The team set the tone in the first game with a collective 1,011 that coach Linda Sarraf said was "critical. It’s much easier to be ahead and it maintained the confidence the kids were feeling."

Brick Memorial finished in third place with 2,794 pins, led by Jessica Worsley’s 644 series off a pair of 227 games. Lindsay Smith chipped in a 633 series off games of 224 and 223.

"We didn’t bowl our best, but we stuck with it and lifted each other up. We finished third and that’s good and hopefully next year, we’ll do a little better," said Worsley, whose team won its division and the Shore Conference Tournament title last Tuesday and finished first in the NJSIAA South Jersey sectional.

But Brick Township, which finished second to Memorial in the state sectionals, would not be denied on Friday. Instead, the team ascended the final rung after finishing second in the state last year and in third place two years ago.

"Everyone was really focused and excited and we concentrated on making spares because that’s what makes you win, getting the extra pins," said Karen Grygiel, a sophomore who chipped in a 565 series.

Holly Haberman, a senior teammate, can agree with that. In the eighth frame of the final game, Haberman left three pins standing on her first ball — 4, 7 and 10 — but had a perfect hook for a spare that was instrumental in the team hanging on to first place.

"I knew when I saw it it was tough and in that third game I was struggling, but the girls helped me and told me to calm down and I followed through," said Haberman, whose brother, Mike, played on the Brick Township boys’ team that also competed in the state finals there that day, finishing seventh.

"The girls really wanted to win," said Sarraf. "This particular group was due. They worked hard on getting here and walking away with it (championship). I’m so thrilled. They deserved it."

Ironically, Brick Township played in Brick Memorial’s shadow throughout the season and was not even one of the two qualifiers in the division for the Shore Conference Tournament. The team was at its best at the end of the season.

While Brick Township got off to a fast start, Brick Memorial struggled with an 847 in the first game.

"That hurt us," said Memorial coach Marie Kobilnyk. "We began to improve but we were down too far to come back. I’m proud of my cross-town team because if it wasn’t us, I’d hoped they’d win it. We’re equally good but it was their day and their turn."

Worsley got back to the lanes afterward for the individual stepladder tournament where she was seeded second but finished ninth with a 1,197 series, 10 pins out of fifth place and the final qualifying spot for the state finals. She was the highest Shore finisher, with Kelly Williams of Point Pleasant Boro next in 11th place with 1,166 pins.

Standings: 1. Brick Township: 1,011-938-968 — 2,917; 2. Immaculate Heart: 2,892; 3. Brick Memorial: 847-965-982 — 2,794.

Brick Township bowlers were: Karen Grygiel 216-178-171 — 565; Hope Bucci 173-193-199 — 565; Lauren McMahon 214-171-201 — 586; Dawn Wasner 194-184-233 — 611; Holly Haberman 214-212-164 — 590.

Brick Memorial bowlers were: Jessica Worsley 227-190-227 — 644; Meghan Sexton 146-204-215 — 563; Lindsay Smith 223-224-186 — 633; Karen Pfeiffer 126-186-178 — 490; Stacey Ryan 125-161-178 — 464.