Commack boys bowling's Leo Recine, Luke Jovans lead Cougars to Division I state title
Commack wins the state Division I boys bowling team championship at Strike N' Spare Bowling Center in Syracuse, N.Y., on Sunday. Credit: Ben Cleeton
SYRACUSE — Commack’s appearance in the boys bowling state tournament two years ago felt like a success, no matter how the team performed. With that experience in hand, this time anything less than a title would feel like a letdown.
Commack dominated on the way to its first state title, knocking down 6,513 pins in the Division I competition at Strike ‘N’ Spare Lanes on Sunday. The Cougars led by over 300 pins going into the final game and finished 98 pins ahead of East Syracuse Minoa (Section III).
“I knew we had to get off to a hot start,” Luke Jovans said. “We had a big Game 3 and an even bigger Game 5. I knew we were up but didn’t know how much. So, when we started slow in the final game, I just kept telling everyone, ‘Calm down, we got this.’
Jovans shot a 279 in Game 5 and a 251 in Game 3, finishing with 1,334 pins, the fourth-best series of the final. Leo Recine rolled a 278 in Game 5 and a 277 in Game 3, ending with a 1,338 series, which was third-best.
“We had good energy from counties that we brought with us here,” Recine said. “My score got dropped the first game and everyone picked me up, then when I had a big game, I tried to do the same for everyone else.”
Commack tallied 1,183 pins in the third game and 1,205 in the fifth. Those two games were the highest of any team during the event.
Andrew Schaefer rolled a 223 in Game 2 of a 1,238 series, Liam Schiede rolled a 236 in Game 1 of a 1,235 series and Steven Iannicello shot a 232 in Game 1 of a 1,235 series. Schaefer’s series was 15th best and Schiede and Iannicello were tied for 16th.
“I think we did start to get a little nervous in the final game because they started hot and we started slow,” Schaefer said. “There was some panic, but once we calmed ourselves, we got it done.”
Syosset, the Nassau Division I champion, took fifth place with 5,973 pins, topping the 1,000-pin mark in four games. The first game was Syosset’s best as it knocked down 1,024 pins.
Justin Cheung led Syosset with a 1,331 series, the fifth-best overall. He shot a 248 in Game 3. Jaiden Ng shot a 267 in Game 4 and his 1,306 series ranked eighth. Elijah Bergman rolled a 201 in Game 5 and Ryan Rosenfeld shot a 222 in Game 2.
Commack became the first wild card entry to win the county tournament two years ago and earned a trip to the state tournament. That year, the Cougars placed third.
“We still have five bowlers from that team and the experience of being here once before really shows,” Jovans said. “Everyone is better now. This was a harder pattern and we all still managed to shoot better."
Christopher Matias covers high school sports for Newsday after spending time in Athletic Facilities and Operation at St. John’s and in Sports Information at CUNY York college.
