Brick girls are second behind rival Jackson

BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer

Tracy Ganjoin had the second-highest game and series, but Brick Township could not come up with a solid fifth bowler while finishing second to Jackson in the Ocean County championships.

Seeking its second county title in three years, Brick Township rolled a 2,669, over 300 pins shy of its average. Jackson cracked a 2,844. Brick Township finished fourth in the county tournament last year before going on to win its second straight NJSIAA championship.

“We definitely needed a fifth bowler,” said coach Linda Sarraf, who had three different girls in that spot.

“We could not get anybody to turn the numbers.”

Ganjoin rolled a 248 game midway through her 643 series. She started it with a 204 and ended it with a 191. Kristin Hayes smashed a 553 series off games of 191, 180 and 182, and Hope Bucci started her 532 series with a 187. She followed with a 167 and a 178.

Karen Grygiel apparently had trouble with the synthetic surface at Finnegan’s Lanes in Lakewood. She was about 100 pins below her typical day, with a 514 series that she started with a 148 game and followed with a 170 and a 176.

Although she is not one to make excuses, Sarraf said the surface at Finnegan’s Lanes in Lakewood, selected because no teams bowl there during the season, impeded her team.

“I have to say it was a factor,” said Sarraf. “Although Carolier Lanes [in East Brunswick] also is synthetic, Finnegan’s affects play. It’s a lot more difficult for girls to get comfortable in getting their spot. They had a real hard time, although it was nice to see Tracy do what she did.

“Jackson did fantastic and we have to give them credit. One of their girls bowled in the 700s, which is nice to see in the spirit of competition.”

But Brick Township has a lot of big bowling matches ahead. The Green Dragons still are unbeaten in the Shore Conference division and play in the Howell tournament on Feb. 8 before competing in the Shore Conference championships on Feb. 15.