NA Boys Launch Past Moon to Earn Section Victory
The Winter Sports Season got underway Wednesday for the North Allegheny Bowling teams as the Moon Area Tigers dropped into Perry Park Lanes for the first section match. The WPIBL restructured during the offseason, placing NA in a new section facing-off against a new line-up of opponents and reigniting some past rivalries.
Moon finished in second place last year in the WPIBL West, losing its only matches to Avonworth High School. They intended to keep this pace and hand NA its first loss of the season. The Tigers from Moon started game 1 strong with two bowlers eclipsing the 200-game barrier and finishing with 913 pins.
NA’s first bowler, Senior Nate Redondo, stepped onto the lane and with the first throw of the game started the strikes for the Tigers. Redondo continued to lead the way with double strikes in the 3rd and 4th frames. Senior Cole Scott also started stringing some strikes together and had the first turkey of the season striking in frames 3, 4, and 5. The first 4-bagger, affectionately known as a hambone, was cooked up by Senior Connor Peoples with strikes in frames 5-8. A pivotal point in the game for the Tigers was the substitution of Junior Luca Thomas. Thomas joined the melee in the 7th frame and proceeded to spare or strike in every frame to finish out the game, including double strikes in the 8th and 9th frames. Striking like he did at the start of the game, Redondo closed out game 1 with a 5-bagger, perfect in the last three frames. It looked like NA was going to solidly win game 1 when suddenly, the dreaded 7-10 reared its ugly head, halting the NA contingent. The win would rest on the shoulders of Peoples, the fifth and final bowler for NA, in the anchor position. Peoples would need to throw double strikes to earn the win for the NA Tigers. He stepped on the lane, threw at his target, and STRIKE, the first step was achieved. The crowd went silent as Peoples stepped back on the lane for his second throw. Hitting his mark again, a booming strike was heard throughout the alley. This was 1-2 punch that NA needed to win the game. Redondo and Peoples had captained the Tigers to a Game 1 victory, 922-913. Redondo finished with a 223 to Peoples’, 208.
The Tigers’ confidence was high after winning the first game and continued throughout the second. Starting strong in Game 2, Scott led with double strikes. Followed quicky by Senior Jacob Feiling and his double. Scott continued to improve throwing a turkey in the 5th, 6th, and 7th frames. Peoples added a double in frames 7 and 8. To close out Game 2, Feiling added a double in the 10th frame, sealing the victory for North Allegheny, 899-857. Pacing NA in Game 2 was Scott’s 208. Notably, the Tigers converted 71% of their spares.
Game 3 started with a washout split by Redondo, the 3-4-6-7. This split configuration has a low conversion rate and remains one of the more challenging spare pickups in bowling. Success in converting this split comes with experience, practice, and developing a consistent and effective spare shooting technique. Redondo converted the split like a true professional. Scott quicky added a double to the NA attack. With an errant throw in the 3rd frame his string of strikes was thwarted, but he calmly made the spare, and continued again in frames 4-6 with a three-strike turkey. Feiling added his turkey to the feast, striking in the 5th 6th, and 7th frames. North Allegheny rolled their highest games of the match with a commanding victory of 946-890. Scott’s 227 led all bowers and his 618 for the match was the highest series thrown by either team. NA took all seven match points also winning the total pinfall 2767 to Moon’s 2660.
The North Allegheny Girls Bowling Team did not fare so well against the meteoric invasion from Moon. The Lady Tigers from Moon outmatched the young team from NA winning 689-486, 571-398, and 665- 386. North Allegheny succumbed to the onslaught, losing all 7 match points. Leading the way for NA, was veteran, Abbie Peigh, with a 321 series. The high game for NA was thrown by Senior Julia Jordan with a 127.
The Tigers traveled to North Hills for their second matchup in the WPIBL West.