Tough day on lanes

Salem’s Carey starts solid, then battles to find the right line in Top 100 tournament; Rams return Friday for Group I Final Four

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

NORTH BRUNSWICK – Troy Carey got off to the same solid start he did in last year’s Top 100 tournament Thursday, but he spent the last two games trying to find the right line and did not advance to the match play portion of the state’s individual boys bowling championship.

The Salem senior captain rolled games of 199, 176 and 175 for a 550 series at the Lucky Strikes Bowling Center and placed 64th out of the 100 qualifiers. A series of 625 or better made the cut into the 18-man finals.

“A 183 isn’t the worst average of the day I guess,” he said. “I know I had higher expectations, but the pairs I played on weren’t the greatest. At the end of the day life goes on. I’m right back up here tomorrow with my team (in the Group 1 semifinals).

“I tried not to have any certain expectation, just bowl and have fun, just try to deal with whatever I’m faced with and just hope the cards are in my favor.”

Carey opened last year’s Top 100 with a 199 and missed match play by one pin – a sticky 10 pin he said was something “that ate me alive for a good couple months.”

On Thursday, with all his teammates in the gallery supporting him, Carey picked up a spare in the first frame then ran off four straight strikes before an open frame ended the run. He closed with a strike-9-spare in the tenth for the 199.

But when the bowlers changed lanes, so did his fortunes. Normally a strong closer, he threw his two lowest games in competition in a month (20 games). He did finish with four straight strikes in the final game to feel a little better about his day.

“(The third game) was really hard,” he said. “The pair played really iffy. It felt like my ball was reacting different after every shot. Every frame it was a different ball reaction.

“I caught myself trying to stay ahead of it and just compensate for the last ball. It just didn’t go right. The middle game was very similar, but I’m not trying to use it as an excuse.”

Rams coach Kenny Buck could tell his captain was having trouble with the lane conditions, but was impressed with the way he tried to battle through it.

“I saw someone who was constantly looking, constantly reflecting like I asked him to,” Buck said. “He was trying to find that lane, the throw that would work. He never gave up. He kept trying. In fact, in the third game he kind of found it in the last two frames. I think he’s ready for tomorrow.”

The Rams (12-3) return to the house Friday morning to face top-seeded Kinnelon (17-4) in the Group 1 semifinals. A win will send them to bowl either Rutherford (18-5) or Middlesex (19-0) for the state championship, which would be the crowning achievement in what they’re already calling a “generational run.”

“I feel real strongly about my guys,” Carey said. “I feel like we’ll do what we’ve gotta do.

“When we have energy, we’re a great team. Tomorrow we’ll just bowl as team, play for each other. When we do that, bowl as a brotherhood, it’s hard to beat us. At the end of the day, as long as everybody just plays their role and we just do our job we’ll be fine.”

The top qualifier was eventual champion Donaven Kline of Wall. Kline bowled a 300 in Game Two, posted an 835 series and won the individual title in extra frames over second-seeded William Cunningham of St. Joe (Metuchen). GCIT’s Annabelle Carter won the girls title.