Mamon, South girls bowling enter record books
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville South's Jessica Mamon set school and ECIC records against Sweet Home on Jan. 3 at Manor II Lanes. File photo

Williamsville South's varsity girls bowling team is off to a record breaking first half and Jessica Mamon is leading the way.

The Lady Billies' senior captain set school and ECIC records last Wednesday with a 289 game and 770 set in a 5-2 loss to Sweet Home at Manor II Lanes. She was also part of school records for "A" team single game total (834) and team total (4,055) on Dec. 18 in a 5-2 win over Hamburg.

"It is a tremendous accomplishment and her hard work has paid off," said South coach Steve Delisanti. "The best thing is that Jessica is not only an outstanding bowler but a great leader, teammate, and person. She really deserves all the accolades that she gets."

Mamon threw 10 straight strikes in the opening game against Sweet Home, leaving a 9-pin on her eleventh shot.

"The best part of the attempt at the 300 game was when she left the 9-pin," said Delisanti. "She turned around and smiled as everyone cheered her effort. That's Jessica. She always tries her best to have fun while competing at a high level."

Mamon said she didn't start to get nervous until after she threw the front eight. When she threw her tenth ball, everyone was yelling her name and cheering her on, she said. Even the Sweet Home girls' team was giving her high-fives.

"I was having fun throughout the whole game," she added. "My teammates, coach and my dad (Paul) were there for me. People were saying I looked calm but I was nervous."

The 289 ties former standouts Lindsay Baker of Sweet Home, who earned 2006 National Tenpin Coaches Association Player of the Year and first-team All-America honors with the University of Nebraska, and Tammy Schmidt of Maryvale. Delisanti said instead of settling for a 289, Mamon finished the Sweet Home match with a 255 and 226 for a 770 set, which he said might be a state record.

"That may be the most impressive thing of all," said Delisanti. "Jess just gathered herself and kept bowling well."

"Even though the spotlight is on me sometimes, its all about the team," a humble Mamon said. "I can't do it without my team and the coaches. If a shoot the big game, I shoot the big game. If I don't, they're other days when I can."

While Mamon has not shot a 300 in a sanctioned high school match, she has completed the feat twice in her career. The first came on Nov. 12, 2004 in a Friday night junior league at Transit Lanes. Her second came in a high school practice last year.

Other bowling accomplishments include a first place finish in 2005 at the Roy Summers Invitational at Thruway Lanes and qualifying for the New York State Championships the same year. Recently, she qualified seventh in the Bowling Proprietors Association fall tournament at the Tonawanda Bowling Center.

Mamon, who started bowling at age 4 at Transit Lanes, takes none of the credit for her success. She thanks Bill Truman, Jack Jurek, Michelle Sterner, Sue Nawojski, and Bruce Heim from Transit as well as her father, Mike Petrie and Delisanti for her bowling development.

"I'm very fortunate to have him as a coach," she said of Delisanti who has been her high school coach since she started with the team six years ago. "I wouldn't have anyone else be my high school coach. Del is my rock with my mental and even physical game. He keeps me on line and tells me to shake it off and to concentrate and focus but have fun."

Mamon will bowl at Erie Community College in the fall and wants to major in education. After that, she is undecided which college she will attend. She also wants to qualify for the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships, the nation's premier competition for high-average youth bowlers, this summer. The event will be held July 7-13 at Thruway Lanes, Airport Lanes and Transit Lanes. If she doesn't qualify, she will bowl in an adult league.

Mamon, who is averaging 210, led South against Hamburg on Dec. 18 with a 689 set and 277 game. Becca Kent had a 613 for her first 600 of her career. Rachel Broardt chipped in a 542 set. Alex Rasey also bowls on "A".

The South "B" team of Liz Scimia, Katherine Wamback, Tricia Kent and Jenny Zubricky helped accomplish the total pin record with the "A" team.

"It's nice to see so many girls are going to be in the record books," said Delisanti. "They have really bowled well."

Despite a record of 2-3 in ECIC II, Delisanti's team has established themselves as a very tough one to beat. After finishing seventh out of 28 teams in the Maryvale tournament, South has bowled Sweet Home and Hamburg twice already, losing both to division front-runner Sweet Home, 4-3 and 5-2, splitting with Hamburg, a 5-2 win and 6-1 loss, and beating Williamsville East, 6-1.

"All of the matches have come down to the last game," said Delisanti. "The girls have run into some tough competition."

The team also carries a 157 average.

"The team can only hope that the second half of the year can be even better than the first," said Delisanti.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com