Newsday's All-Long Island boys bowling team 2022
Tim Smith, West Islip senior, reacts after a strike in the first game of a Suffolk boys bowling match against Lindenhurst at AMF Babylon Lanes on Jan. 13. Credit: James Escher
Newsday Bowler of the Year: Tim Smith, West Islip, Sr.
It was a historic season for West Islip senior Tim Smith. He became the first bowler in state history to bowl four 300 games in a season. He also set a new state record for the highest average in a season with a 251.31.
He rolled his first perfect game on Dec. 9 and then added another 300 a week later. He tossed his third perfect game on Jan. 11, with the final one coming in his second-to-last match of the season on Jan. 25.
Smith also bowled the highest series on Long Island with an 847 on Jan. 11. In addition to his 300 in Game 2, he rolled a 268 in Game 1 and a 279 in Game 2.
He threw a 250 or better in 22 of his 42 games and had nine series of 700 or higher.
Kieran Carney, Commack, Sr.
The senior finished fourth in Suffolk with a 228.81 average and qualified for the Suffolk all-star team. He rolled a 250 or better in 15 of his 48 games and had eight series of 700 or better. His season-high series of 794 was the seventh-highest in the county. He also bowled a 300 on Jan. 20.
Sebastian Gebhard, East Islip, Sr.
Gebhard ranked eighth in Suffolk with a 223.62 average and threw at least a 225 in 16 of his 42 games. He helped lead East Islip to a League I regular-season title with a 13-1 record.
Matthew Grimaldi, Sachem, Jr.
The junior bowled 14 games of 225 or better and had 10 series of 600 or better. Grimaldi finished seventh in Suffolk with a 223.79 average and guided Sachem to a second-place finish at the county championship.
Brandon Hughes, Sewanhaka, Sr.
Hughes was consistent all season for Sewanhaka and led Nassau with a 233.27 average. That average was also the third-highest on Long Island. In the Nassau Division I championship, he bowled a 256 in Game 2 of a 1,332 six-game series and helped his team capture the county title.
Seth Knipe, Longwood, Sr.
His 225.08 average was the fifth-best in Suffolk. Knipe rolled an 800 series on Dec. 8 and qualified for the Suffolk all-star team. He bowled a 225 or better in 11 of his 39 games and had nine series of 600 or higher.
Phil Macchietto, Mineola, Sr.
Macchietto finished second in Nassau with a 229.10 average and qualified for the Nassau all-star team for a fifth time. He finished second at the Nassau individual championship with a 1,336 six-game series.
Stephen Russell, Central Islip, Sr.
Russell ranked sixth in Suffolk with a 224.95 average and bowled a 300 in his second match of the season on Dec. 2. The senior threw a 1,427 six-game series at the state championship, the second-highest of the 66 bowlers competing, and propelled Suffolk to a second-place finish.
Matthew Sundberg, East Islip, Eighth grade
Sundberg was second on Long Island with a 233.78 average and bowled a 300 at the state championship in the first of six games for the Suffolk All-Stars. The eighth-grader rolled the third-highest series on Long Island with an 821 on Jan. 6, his first match of 2022. He bowled a 250 or better in 12 of his 37 games.
Nick Walker, Sachem, Sr.
Walker was a Suffolk All-Star and the leader of a Sachem team that finished second at the Suffolk championship by just two pins. The senior bowled the second-highest series on Long Island this season with an 841 on Dec. 16. He bowled a 300 on Jan. 25 and rolled a 250 or better in 12 of his 42 games.
Coach of the Year: Rob Aplin, Smithtown
Smithtown finished second at the state championship in its first appearance at the event since 1994. The Bulls finished 15-1 to win the League III regular-season title, and knocked down 50,869 pins, the most on Long Island. Smithtown combined to bowl 18 series of 1,100 or better.
