Kellenberg girls bowling wins fourth straight CHSAA championship
Daisha Howard of Kellenberg is congratulated by teammates after rolling a strike in Game Two of the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA girls bowling team championship against St. John the Baptist at AMF Wantagh Lanes on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020. Credit: James Escher
Losing and Kellenberg girls bowling go together about as well as oil and vinegar. They simply do not mix.
Throughout the past four seasons, the Firebirds have lost just two matches. Seniors Daisha Howard, Alexis Kotanidis and Allison Sliwinski have been there to experience it all.
“It truly is a blessing and a honor to have been a part of this team for four years,” Kotanidis said. “It’s been so great working with each and every girl. Everyone brings a special quality with them and it makes us unique.”
“The thing that I will remember most is my teammates,” Howard said. “We all made it an enjoyable environment and I’m going to truly miss them.”
Top seed Kellenberg ended its season by winning its fourth straight CHSAA league championship, defeating No. 2 St. John the Baptist, 8-1, Thursday night at Wantagh Lanes. Kellenberg is 46-2 since the beginning of the 2016-2017 season.
Kotanidis collected five straight strikes between frames four and eight of Game 1 and totaled seven during a 239 opening game. She added a 180 in Game 2 and a 213 in Game 3 for a 632 series, the highest of the match.
“I wasn’t expecting to go out there and bowl that well in the beginning, but it got the adrenaline going and the blood flowing,” Kotanidis said. “It kept me motivated for the next two games.”
Howard rolled seven straight strikes to begin Game 2 and finished with eight for a 247, the high game of the match. Howard had a three-game series of 603, as Kellenberg totaled 3,133 pins.
“She’s been very special, not only in bowling but in softball where I coach her as well,” said an emotional Kellenberg coach Allyson Frisina. “It’s been four years of seeing her grow as a person, as a bowler and she just took the girls under her wing these past two years as captain.”
Howard finished second in the CHSAA with a 188.8 average behind her teammate Kellie Sandas, who had a 189.3. The Firebirds went 12-0 and completed their third consecutive undefeated season. St. John the Baptist finished 8-4.
“It’s very unique, and it’s very special to them,” Frisina said. “They did all the work and have talent that can’t be taught. Every single game they came out and bowled their best. You couldn’t ask for more as a coach.”
