Long Island Summer Bowling Tour!

"NO WAY! Are You kidding? I'm going after him!"

"NO WAY! Tell her to "Bring it!"

Jackie Cantwell and Michael Cantwell respectively after tournament director Poppa Z asked if they wanted to skip the Championship Game and Split the Winnings

Click Here For A2Z Record Highs Page!

north levittown NY, june 11, 2004

stop number three on the long island summer bowling tour (LISBT) this past friday june 11, 2004 at north levittown turned out to be pure high octane! 90 bowlers particpated in the event that perhaps will go down as the single highest scoring event that the LISBT has produced and what could become almost impossible to reproduce in the future. in addition, what are the chances that a husband-wife duo would meet up in the finals to determine the championship in one of our four divisions?! Well, regardless of the number of chances or odds of accomplishing such a feat, the fact remains a husband-wife combination did indeed compete for a championship vs each other this past friday night at north levittown. Lets get right to the recap!

Seconds after the standings had been posted at the conclusion of game two in the adult handicap division, co-tournament directors Steve "A" and Poppa "Z" noticed that Michael cantwell and wife jackie cantwell, rocky point were seeded one and two. at that moment in time, "Z" said to "A" "ya think? these two going to meet in the finals?".

at the conclusion of game three however, jackie cantwell dropped to the number five seed and things were not looking good at that moment in time even though hubby mike was well ahead of the field and just about guaranteed a spot into either the shotgun round or perhaps even the championship game.

jackie cantwell however responded in a big way. cantwell went on to roll a 278 in game 4 that helped secured the number one spot for qualifying. although husbanc mike was dropped to number two overall, all of the sudden, the possibility of an all-marriage finals was present once again.

in order for the championship game to take place, michael cantwell was going to have to defeat two tough competitors in the process of the shotgun round. bob feldman, copiague and anne quarry, north babylon. feldman by nature is a quiet but intense competitor. quarry on the other hand has had moderate success in the three plus year on the LISBT appearing in several championship rounds during that time.

The shotgun round however turned out to be somewhat anti-climatic. Cantwell, perhaps reallizing what was in front of him with a victory took control of the match early and never looked back. he easily outscored feldman and quarry thus setting up the match of all matches: Vs the wife!

prior to the event, a2Z co-tournament director approached both bowlers and simply asked "Are you guys really going to bowl this match? Want to just split the earnings?". it should be noted neither bowler knew the question was asked to each other at a different time. You be the judge for yourself and see if they were interested in calling it a night from that point on. responded jackie,   "NO WAY! Are You kidding? I'm going after him!". On the other hand, Michael was a bit more sub-dued as he stated, "NO WAY! Tell her to bring it!". We had a match to bowl!

The championship game may not have turned into Isles vs Rangers as both bowlers seemed to enjoy the competition and the spotlight. There were lots of smiles and some laughs here and there. To be honest, while both used the words "no way" in the exchange with Poppa Z, you knew right then and there the match was going to be fun regardless of outcome. And it was. For official and record keeping purposes, Jackie Cantwell was crowned Adult Handicap Champion as she defeated Michael 225-175.

But she was lucky! Just ask Mike!

In the Adult scratch division this past week at North Levittown, both Matt Sulzer, Bohemia and Damion Collins, Amityville broke the 1000 plateau. By doing so, both bowlers are now part of the “Top 20” list of all time high series in the A2Z/LISBT record books!

Sulzer claimed the top spot of the night based on the 1003 four game total and earned his bye into the championship game. Collins was seeded second into the shotgun round at 1000. Seeds three and four into the shotgun round were former A2Z Champion Frank Kase, Deer Park at 979 while Steve Faber, Holtsville secured the last spot at 975. Past A2Z Champion Paul Molnar, Commack just missed at 960 while Darren Barlow, Levittown was one pin behind at 959.

Usually, there is always that “one frame” bowlers will look back upon and reflect the night and decide “there…right there” is where the damage was done. There would be no exception to this rule during the shotgun round. All three bowlers took turns looking into the mirror and contemplating what could have been.

Frank Kase and Steve Faber however must have had long rides home this past Friday night wondering what could have been. Faber especially.

Kase seemed to be in complete control of the match midway through the shotgun game. However, in frame 7, Kase left the 4-7-10 split, did not convert, thus leaving the door open for Collins and Faber. While Kase finished solidly for a 224, he was still two pins short of Collins 226. Steve Faber on the other hand WAS in control of the match entering frame 10 and considering the talent level of the three competitors, one could not have imagined what was about to take place during crunch time.

Faber, needing just a mark entering the 10^th frame to shut Collins and Kase out, left the identical 4-7-10 Kase had left a few frames earlier and on the same lane! Faber was now looking at either convert the split/spare and win the match, or, get two to send the game into a 2-frame rolloff with Collins, or, get 1 of the 3 pins and go home.

Playing it safe and sound, the experienced and very talented Faber converted the 4-7 sending the game into OT. Collins at that point in time felt relieved while Kase was left pondering what if.

Collins going first in OT threw the first strike. Faber matched on his first shot, however, he couldn’t manage a double in the 10^th frame and settled for a 40 count for the two frames. Collins wasted no time and flushed his first two shots in the 10^th frame of his own thus earning his way into the championship match vs Sulzer.

Did we mention that one shot that can cost you a game? We did? Ah yes, in the championship game vs Sulzer, Collins ran into the same fate that Frank Kase and Steve Faber did a game earlier. Collins blew out a 7-10 in frame 5, and never recovered after that. And yes, in case your wondering, Matt Sulzer jumped on it like a cat does to a mouse. He held onto it, teased it, then finished him off when he decided enough was enough. Sulzer finished with a flurry of strikes, just as he did the entire night in qualifying, and went on to easily defeat Collins 256-179. Game, set, match and championship to sulzer. outstanding job by all. except for a shot here and there! (ah...im cranky tonight! no emails please!)

If any person took a step back and analyzed the results of the The Junior Scratch Division this past Friday night at North Levittown, that person most probably would come to the conclusion that the federal investigation of BALCO and MLB is nothing more than a waste of time. Perhaps urine samples should be mandated by A2Z on Friday nights! Jeez! :o)

Lets start with the Champion of the night Billy Bertuch of Yonkers. Not only did the young man from Yonkers break the All Time High 4-game scratch series during qualifying on the A2Z/LISBT, he smoked the old record formerly held by Pete Smith, Brentwood at 1031. Bertuch nailed a back three of 808 en route to his record setting accomplishment of 1056! Bertuch went on to defeat Adam Sher of Commack 237-199 in the Championship Game to earn top honors for the night. in case you are wondering why we started with the finish... just continue on from this point.

However, in disbelief, Bertuch did not lead the tournament from start to finish simply because the competitors of the Junior Scratch Division were producing and editing a human highlight film that quite possibly over-shadowed the great night by bertuch.

Consider this. Adam Sher, Commack was “floundering” after two games and found himself in 13^th place with total pincount of 434. Ironically however,  it was how Sher finished the second game that set the “ball in motion”, no pun intended, that would create a frenzy of blistering scores for the next two games in the junior scratch division.

Sher finished the second game with 7 consecutive strikes. His string of strikes would not end until the 5^th frame of the fourth game for a total of 23 consecutive strikes! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that 12 of those strikes came in game three giving Sher his fifth career 300 game! The irony however continues. Sher’s  teammate on the 2004 Suffolk County Champions Commack HS Boys Bowling team, Rory Vanderbilt, East Northport, and competing this past Friday night as well, bowled his  5^th career sanctioned perfect game a week earlier at Sayville Bowl! Sher was hoping however to have better fortune than Vanderbilt did a week earlier in prolonging the night. "During the 300, I was telling Rory how crazy it would be, if louis and I shot 300's and didnt make the cut, like him last week. I was just happy I made the cut.  It is pretty crazy that we both bowled 300 within a week, right next to each other on A2Z"!

Sher would go on to finish the night of qualifying by adding a 233 in game four (967) that seeded him 3^rd and a birth in the shotgun round.

Ah.. the fun was just beginning.

Louis Dalessio, Sound Beach, at just about the same time Sher was concluding his perfect game, was performing some magic of his own. Dalession entered the 10^th frame with nine consecutive strikes of his own! Dalessio, no stranger to perfect games of his own based on the fact the young man rolled a 299 and a 300 game this past season bowling for the Rocky Point Boys Varsity HS team, wasn’t just going to let all the accolades and spotlight go to Sher. At least not on this night.

Dalessio wasted no time and effort on his part and threw 3 strikes to end his third game as well giving him his second career perfect game! Dalessio finished the night with a solid 220 in game four. When the dust had settled, Dalessio found himself in the number two spot, 10 pins ahead of Sher at 977.

Now, do you want some REAL fun? Good, glad you asked.

Platinum A2Z Champion Mike Wodzinski, east meadow is running into a bit of a tough stretch these days. Competing this past week at North Levittown, Wodzinski could not have possibly fathomed for the second consecutive week, the 11^th seed after three games would have dropped Wodzinski out of contention to the shotgun round once again.

Last week at Sayvlle Bowl it was Pat Cooley, East Islip that dropped the torpedo on Wodzinski as Cooley went on to roll a 260 in the game four of the qualifying round and notched “Wodz” out by 6 pins. It should be noted as well that Wodzinski hurt himself as well with a sub par fourth game during the process. This week however, at North Levittown, it was a bomb that dropped onto the East Meadow star. And this time, it was one of the all time great young female bowlers of Suffolk County, Amy Bohleber, Miller Place that did the damage.

Sure, Wodzinski did his part and to be honest, his 247 in game four, 949 total , left literally no room for error for Bohleber to work with. Bohleber was given the opportunity to kill 3-birds with one stone in order for her to advance into the shotgun and eliminate Wodzinski. this is what the result of wodzinski's 247 did to  bohleber in terms of her needing a big game. Bohleber was looking at needing 11 straight strikes from frame 1, an opportunity to bowl 300 and finally, if she accomplished part 1 and two, with pin count on ball 12, it would be lights out for Wodzinski. that is not too tough to ask now is it? nah.... On this Friday night, some things are guaranteed!

Bohleber it should be noted spend almost an entire HS career going un-noticed. She attended a HS that did not offer girls bowling. To her credit however, she participated on the boys team and was an integral part of the team the final two years. Yet she never really got the credit she deserved that she would have gotten if she were competing in the girls HS league. To Amy’s well deserved credit however, she is now a member of the Fairleigh Dickinson University Womens Bowling Team just concluding her freshman year a few weeks back.

Bohleber on this night was confident. Bohleber threw every strike she needed in game four with the exception of one. Her last ball of the night resulted in an 8 count giving her a career best 298. Her total pincount of 955 was 6 pins better than Mike Wodzinski. Bohleber would advance to the shotgun, while Wodzinski would go look for one!

Bohleber spoke of her last shot. "When I threw the 12th shot, I knew immediately it was over. I was wishing I could get it back and start again. I completely held onto the ball and tugged it straight to the cross. I left the 5-7. The worst part was that I wasn't nervous at all, I actually thought I had it this time".

Sher would go on to win the shotgun round 236-233-214 over Dalessio and Bohleber respectively. However, for one night, and perhaps one night only, the shotgun round found 300 bowling 300 bowling 298!

Billy Bertuch won the tournament and is declared champion for the night. For Sher, Dalessio and Bohleber, you could say they all won as well. And don’t feel too bad for poor old Mike Wodzinski. He left with a nice piece of change scholarship wise as well! He also left the building well aware of 11 seeds after three!   

John Porter, Bay Shore never once complained, whined or even tried to talk his way out of a re-rate imposed on him this past week at North Levittown. It wasnt so much the fact Porter was gunning for his 3rd straight title in the junior handicap division did the re-rate kick in. It simply was the fact he was way over average for 9 games into the LISBT thus far and A2Z needed to address a concern for handicap purposes.

Meeting Porter halfway to the middle of his entering average for 9 games and his actual average for those same 9 games didnt matter much to the outcome. Porter rolled an outstanding 829 scratch that with handicap, placed him second after four games of qualifying.

The leader after four games and making his second straight trip to the finals was Matt Dobbins, Yaphank. Dobbins was outstanding once again by finishing with a net of 1016 that placed him into the top seed and earning a bye to the Championship Round. The third and final spot to the elimination game came down to Victoria Dalessio, Sound Beach and Anthony Keating, Howard Beach. Dalessio actually had a 53 pin lead on Keating entering the final game. However, as luck had it, both bowlers saved the best and worst for last.

While Dalessio actually came in over average in game four with a 146, Keating was an even 100 pins better with a 246. When the calculator added everything up, Keating was on the long end of a 5 pin difference. Keating went on to meet Porter in the semi-finals while Dobbins waited in the wings.

With three straight championships on the line for Porter, perhaps it was just meant to be that no bowler could be that tough to pull off a three-peat. Keating outscored Porter in the semifinal game 222-194. Keating to go on vs Dobbins in the Championship match.

The Championship match was a great one between the two young bowlers. Each bowler grinding it out and placing pressure on the other with key shots of their own. When the lights were turned off for the evening, it would be Anthony Keating that would be victorious as he defeated Dobbins, 242-225 to earn the championship.

That about wraps this whole night up of splendid bowling by many. North Levittown Lanes, June 11, 2004 on the LISBT will go down as a night to remember for sure!

Awesome...simply awesome!  

north levittown Qualifying Highlights (Scratch Series Order)

Junior Handicap Division qualifying highlights (200+/800+):

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Junior Scratch Division qualifying Highlights (200+/800+):

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Adult handicap Division qualifying Highlights (200+/800+):

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adult Scratch Division qualifying Highlights (200+/800+):

Recapping the action for North Levittown:

Adult Scratch Division:  

shotgun round: Damion Collins*, amityville 226 defeated steve faber, holtsville 226, and frank Kase 224

* Collins defeated faber in a 2-frame rolloff

Championship game: Matt sulzer, bohemia defeated collins 256-179               

Adult handicap division: 

shotgun round: michael cantwell, rocky point 275 defeated bob feldman, copaigue  240 and anne quarry, bethpage 175

Championship Game: jackie cantwell, rocky point defeated cantwell 225-175

Junior hdcp division:

shotgun round: anthony keating, howard beach 242 defeated matt dobbins, yaphank 225

Championship Game: keating defeated john porter, bay shore 222-194

Junior Scratch division:

shotgun round: adam sher, commack 236 defeated louis dalessio, sound beach 233  and amy bohleber, miller place 214

Championship Game: bill bertuch, yonkers Defeated sher 237-199

a total of 90 Bowlers participated. 

Next Stop: smithtown bowl, 631-265-0121

june 18, 2004 8:00 PM!

(Register Here For smithtown  - CLICK!)

300 game incentives for smithtown

Adults: $296.00 plus $1.00 per adult entry!

Juniors: $0.00 plus $1.00 per junior entry!

Standings after Qualifying