Sewanhaka's Dan Ryan celebrates toss at the Nassau boy's bowling...

Sewanhaka's Dan Ryan celebrates toss at the Nassau boy's bowling team championships at Garden City Bowl AMF Lanes in Garden City, New York on Jan. 30, 2016. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy

Philip Stern’s uncommon two-handed shot was just right for the situation.

The Sewanhaka boys bowling senior from Floral Park said he always bowls with two hands, which makes for a straighter shot, but it was an advantage at the Nassau Team championship because the lanes were coated in an oil pattern that made it harder for hooked shots to strike.

Stern rolled a 233 in Game 5 of a team-high 1,269 series to help Sewanhaka claim the county team championship Saturday at Garden City Lanes. Sewanhaka finished with a total wood of 5,613 after six games, Farmingdale was second with 5,413 and East Meadow rounded out the top three with 5,382.

“I’m the only bowler on my team who throws two-handed,” Stern said in a phone interview. “I don’t put as many fingers on the ball, it creates a little more rotation and gets the ball to move on the lane. This pattern worked in my favor.”

Sewanhaka coach Jay Hegi said Farmingdale led by 84 pins after three games, but his team leapfrogged the Dalers when they went head-to-head for the next three. Sewanhaka took the lead with a 947-846 win in Game 4 and didn’t look back, he said.

“I thought we were big underdogs considering that Farmingdale, they have five kids in the top 14 (Nassau averages),” Hegi said. He added that Stern was a leader the whole day. “He was very confident the entire day, he was like a coach out there. We’ve been very fortunate to have good bowlers.”

Bethpage girls make it two in a row

It’s officially a streak.

The Bethpage girls bowling team won its second consecutive Nassau Team championship with a total wood of 4,868 Saturday at Garden City Lanes. Senior Emily Dean led the team with a 1,219 series and rolled a high of 219 in Game 4.

“I was actually struggling, I was kind of surprised when one of the moms told me I had the highest series,” Dean said. “The pattern is very dry and I didn’t think I had the right bowling balls for it, but I found my mark in the second game.”

Bethpage led the whole tournament, but MacArthur, which finished second with a total wood of 4,759, nearly took the lead when the two faced off in the final three games of the day. Farmingdale finished third with a 4,651.

Bethpage coach Renee Gannon said her team only led by 44 pins after Game 4, the first against MacArthur. Her team had an 88-pin lead after the first three games.

Gannon added that a strong Game 5 was key in sealing the win and praised her younger players, Kathryn Backman and Jordan La Croix, who bowled a 189 and 157 in the fifth game.

“I’m thrilled for the girls, they worked so hard all season,” Gannon said. “Staying atop at No. 1 is not easy, but with their confidence and poise we pulled together as a team and that’s why we’re going to states for the second year in a row.”

SUBSCRIBE

Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months

ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME