North boys bowling in rebuilding mode
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

It's a rebuilding year for Williamsville North's boys bowling team.

Spartans coach Jim Rauh returns only a couple of bowlers from last year's 4-8 team. Back for another season is senior Steve Levine, a four-year bowler, senior Peter Doster, a three-year bowler, and junior Tim Wasiewicz.

Levine and Wasiewicz will start on the Spartans' "A" team. Doster will probably start but could also rotate on "A" with juniors Ben Cerny and Ryan Criscione, each first-year bowlers.

Levine is the "A" team anchor and averages close to 200. He is already off to a good start, shooting a team-high 625 series at the Maryvale Holiday Invitational on Dec. 3 at Airport Lanes.

Levine, a right-hander, will anchor the "A" team. He has averaged 175 to 180 in practice. Levine is a four-year bowler.

"He's consistent," said Rauh. "He doesn't shoot a lot of 250s or 150s. He hangs around 195 to 200."

Doster is averaging between 175 and 180. Criscione and Cerny are averaging 170 and 165, respectively.

Rauh said his team's success will hinge on how its "B" team performs in matches.

"That could be our Achilles heel unless we get kids to can step up," said Rauh.

North finished 21st as a team at the Maryvale Holiday Tournament on Dec. 3 at Airport Lanes with a total pin count of 2,709.

"We averaged 181 which is great for us but other teams were averaging 200 plus," said Rauh. "The team exceeded my expectations."

North bowls in an ultra-competitive division, ECIC I. Clarence and West Seneca West took third and 12th, respectively, at the Maryvale tourney. Frontier, usually a top-ten team at sectionals, beat North, 5-2, on Monday at Transit Lanes.

"The goal is to have fun and improve and maybe get to the point where we can be competitive," said Rauh. "The other five teams in our division (Clarence, Frontier, West Seneca West, Orchard Park and Lancaster) are pretty good."
North 2007-08 Schedule
12-13 Orchard Park.................................... 4:30 p.m.
12-17 Lancaster........................................... 4:30 p.m.
1-2 at W.S. West (Wimbledon Lanes) ...... 3:30 p.m.
1-7 Clarence ................................................ 4:30 p.m.
1-14 Frontier................................................ 4:30 p.m.
1-15 at Clarence (Clarence Bowling Academy) .. 4
p.m.
1-28 at Orchard Park (Orchard Park Lanes) .. 4:30
p.m.
1-29 at Lancaster (Lancaster Lanes)....... 4:30 p.m.
1-31 at Williamsville Cup (Transit Lanes) ....... 4:30
p.m.
2-4 W.S. West............................................... 3:30 p.m.
2-11 ECIC Rolloffs (Thruway Lanes)........... 3 p.m.
2-14 Section VI Championships (Thruway Lanes)
8:30 a.m.
* All home matches are at Transit Lanes.
e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com