Brandon Hughes paces Sewanhaka to Nassau Division I bowling title
Brandon Hughes of Sewanhaka reacts to a late pin drop at the Nassau boys team bowling championships at Garden City Bowl on Saturday. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
The Sewanhaka boys bowling team trailed defending county champion Mineola by 153 pins after Game 3 Saturday morning at the Nassau championship at AMF Garden City Lanes.
With three games remaining, it was a margin that didn’t concern senior captain Brandon Hughes.
Only 25¢ for 5 months
The Sewanhaka boys bowling team trailed defending county champion Mineola by 153 pins after Game 3 Saturday morning at the Nassau championship at AMF Garden City Lanes.
With three games remaining, it was a margin that didn’t concern senior captain Brandon Hughes.
"We have faced adversity before, so we knew how to handle it," Hughes said. "We got hot at the right time and mounted a comeback."
Sewanhaka cut its deficit to 73 after Game 4 and took a 26-pin lead over Mineola following Game 5. The team knocked down 1,072 pins in Game 6 and finished with a total of 6,240 to win the Division I county title. Mineola placed second (6,189).
Hughes, who amassed the top average in Nassau for the second straight season, bowled a 256 in Game 2 of a 1,332 series. He averaged 233.27 in his senior season, a nearly eight-pin improvement from last year (225.40).
"Brandon’s personality is better than his bowling average," Sewanhaka coach Jay Hegi said. "It’s been such a privilege coaching him. He’s just a personality-plus kid and a phenomenal bowler."
Derrick Silva rolled a 236 in Game 6 of a 1,245 series, Brian Morreale tossed a 252 in Game 5 of a 1,231 series and Peyton Hughes, Brandon’s younger brother, had a 229 in Game 1 of a 1,198 series.
Sewanhaka will represent Section VIII in the Division I state championship on Sunday, March 13 at AMF Strike-N-Spare Lanes in Syracuse.
"I think we have a very strong chance of winning. I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t be on top," Hughes said. "I love my school and I am excited to go up there and represent Sewanhaka."
Seaford boys dominate for fifth straight county title
Jason Donovan of Seaford reacts to his roll at the Nassau boys team bowling championships at Garden City Bowl on Saturday. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
The Seaford boys bowling team might be considered a Division II school, but they sure don’t bowl like it.
Seaford won the Nassau Division II championship for a fifth consecutive season Saturday with a six-game total of 6,262. Jason Donovan rolled a 258 in Game 1 of a 1,361 series, Nick Abbate added a 252 in Game 5 of a 1,283 series and Andrew Ceraulo had a 235 in Game 3 of a 1,216 series.
"We lost six seniors last year and basically had a whole new team this year," said Donovan, a junior. "Everyone stepped up, bowled the way they had to, and we took the championship again."
Seaford will represent Section VIII in the Division II state championship on Friday, March 11, at AMF Strike-N-Spare Lanes in Syracuse.
"We have placed fifth the two times that we have gone up there and are looking to finish even higher this year," Donovan said. "If we bowl like we did today, I think we have a shot to win it all."