Osborn, Klimas lead Brick to county title

BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer

Rob Osborn and Bob Klimas bowled typically solid games, but it was Brian Fenley and Jesse Farmer, who were inserted into the lineup midway through the first game, that sealed the Ocean County title for Brick Township on Friday at Finnegan’s Lanes in Lakewood.

“Jesse Farmer and Brian Fenley did a lot. Without them, we wouldn’t have won it,” said Osborn as the Green Dragons won their second county title in three years. It was their third title in five tournaments this season.

“They helped greatly,” said Klimas. “There’s eight or nine kids we can alternate in.”

Osborn cranked out a 636 series off games of 200, 206 and 230. Klimas was 12 pins behind as he opened with a 234 game and followed with a 189 and a 201.

But it was Farmer, who logged a 193 and a 221, and Fenley, who had a 193 and a 221, in the second and third games that sealed the title for the Green Dragons by a 60-pin margin over Toms River North. Brick Township led by 20 pins after the first game and was only five ahead of Brick Memorial, which finished in third place, after the second game.

“Winning this boosts our confidence very much,” said Klimas. “It was one of our highest goals. We have good expectations, and we have to keep our minds focused to it.”

The Green Dragons hit a score of marks in the ninth and 10th frames of the final game.

“We’re such a strong team in terms of closing,” said Cara Lukosius who has coached Brick Township’s boys for the past six years. “I’m very happy. The scores were not that high, but it was a shot-making, spare-making day.”

Lukosius said two of her starters throughout the season struggled badly in the beginning on the synthetic surface, as opposed to the wood surfaces on which they customarily play, and she felt she had to make a quick change.

“Some people might have trouble with the synthetic surface so I pulled two players and put in two extra ones after the fourth frame. I knew we’d struggle. With synthetic surface, you have to be tight with your shots. There’s no room for a swing.”

Osborn adjusted quickly.

“I tried to find my mark right away,” he said. “Toward the end of their first game, I realized where to play the ball.”

Klimas also adjusted at the start, hitting strikes in the second through eighth frames.

“I bowled alright,” he said. “If you don’t hit your mark and don’t carry, you’ll leave ugly splits.”

Their efforts were needed because left-handed junior Mike Haberman continued to struggle with soreness in his knees and a timing problem in his delivery, said Lukosius. Haberman logged a 164-192-163—519.

Brick Township is tied for first with Jackson in the Shore Conference A South and they go head-to-head on Thursday at Ocean Lanes.

The team competes in the NJSIAA Tournament on Feb. 12 at Maple Bowl in Pennsauken and then participates in the Shore Conference Tournament on Feb. 15.