Holy Trinity's Christie is winner again

That the plaques for high series and high game weren't allowed to be awarded to the same person was a blessing in disguise for Luis Christie.

"I'm running out of space for them on the wall in my room," he said.

After he won the CHSAA individual and state tournaments last season in addition to leading Holy Trinity to a team championship, the Catholic League is fully entrenched in the Luis Christie Dynasty. By capturing his second straight CHSAA individual tournament Thursday at Garden City Lanes, the junior added another plaque to his growing collage of bowling achievements.

Christie, who had the second-highest average in the CHSAA with a 218, rolled a 269 in Game 1 and followed with a 200 and a 226 for a high series of 695 and an eight-pin win over Chaminade's Joe Bucaria. Bucaria, who entered with a 191 average, rolled a 257 in Game 2 of a 687 series to take home the plaque for high game.

Andrew Fenn of Chaminade took third with a 627 series. Kyle Durfee of St. John the Baptist was fourth at 626 and Matt Stahura of St. Mary's took fifth at 618.

"It's always a pleasure winning a championship," Christie said. "To get that great feeling inside and be out there doing what you love is just amazing . . . I treat every championship the same. A win's a win."

Christie might not have had that win if not for a slight adjustment he made midway through the third and final game. Christie said that no matter where he stood, his ball was hooking, so he switched to a weaker ball after the fifth frame and rolled five straight strikes to seal the win.

"He's a role model for the team," Holy Trinity coach Frank Messina said. "He doesn't let his experience and success go to his head. He's a well-rounded kid, and that's one of the many reasons why he was picked as captain."

Next up for Christie is a trip to the state tournament March 5 at Whitestone Lanes in Queens, where he will look to bring home another plaque to hang on a wall that might not even have room for it.

"It's OK," he said. "I'll find another place for it."

State CHSAA Qualifiers.Fenn, who had the top average in the state with a 219, and Christie will be the top-ranked bowlers at the state CHSAA Tournament March 5. Long Island bowlers joining them will be Durfee, Justin Figueroa, Cyle Yambo, Chris Hall and Brian Braat of St. John the Baptist; Tom Jakubowski, Sal Rivieccio and Anthony DellaRatia of Holy Trinity; Nick Niles and Phil Loeschinger of Chaminade; Stahura of St. Mary's, and John O'Brien of Kellenberg.