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FULL COVERAGE: Section 1 Bowling Finals

by John Malone on Wed, Feb 16, 2011 at 1:15 AM  / Updated Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 10:35 PM

FULL COVERAGE: Section 1 Bowling Finals
 
WATCH VIDEO of Branciforti’s final strike of his 300 game from Tuesday’s Section 1 Bowling Finals
 
INTERVIEWS FROM SECTION 1 BOWLING
Beacon senior Erin Correa (WATCH)
Scarsdale's Melissa Fisch (WATCH)
Yorktown senior Vic Branciforti (WATCH)
Clarkstown senior Ryan Ventrillo (WATCH)

Branciforti Qualifies for State Tournament
WHITE PLAINS, NY – Vic Branciforti knew he needed a great day to qualify for Section 1’s state bowling team. The top three finishers at Tuesday’s individual finals would qualify, and the Yorktown senior didn’t finish in the top 15 in the section with his season average.
 
Branciforti knew he would have to out-bowl Section 1’s most talented competitors. And with a perfect 300 in his third game and 1,338 overall, Branciforti accomplished his goal.
 
“Oh my, it’s just an incredible feeling,” Branciforti said. “I’m still shaken up from the 300 game.”
 
Branciforti held a comfortable lead over the entire field of 55 bowlers after five games but finally felt the pressure in the sixth. Hours after his first ever perfect 300 score, he bowled just a 151.
 
It was still enough to get him into the top qualifying spot for the state team.
 
“I knew I had a good lead, but I left four open frames early in the final game,” Branciforti said. “I just told myself to stop being lazy, and get after it.”
 
Ryan Ventillo, a senior at Clarkstown South, ended up on top after the six-game tournament with a grand total of 1,351 pins. Ventillo, who won a state title with last year’s Section 1 team, is already qualified for the state final with his team, Clarkstown.
 
Ventillo and Clarkstown knocked off the three-time Section 1 champions, North Rockland on Tuesday. North Rockland won the team state championship last year, as well.
 
“I didn’t have to bowl today, but I still wanted to prove myself as an individual,” Ventillo said. “I bowled well throughout the six games.”
 
The Section 1 boys team will consist of Branciforti, Chris Natoli of Arlington, and Frank DiRenno of Walter Panas. They finished as the top 3 non-qualifiers Tuesday.
 
They will be joined by the top three bowlers from the regular season: Jon Savas of R.C. Ketcham, Micah Nelson of John Jay-Cross River, and James Wargo of North Rockland, the top bowler of the season.
 
Melissa Fisch, a senior at Scarsdale, qualified for the state tournament two years ago as a sophomore, but missed out on her chance last year. Despite not pre-qualifying, she knew a good day would give her a chance to make it back.
 
“I just wanted to stay relaxed today, and not get nervous,” Fisch said. “It would’ve been the end of my season, and I didn’t want that to happen today.”
 
Fisch finished with the top score on the girls’ side with a total of 1,255 pins. Like Branciforti, she was aided by a big single-game score. She bowled a 255 during her second game, a game-high on the girls side.
 
North Rockland’s girls team won the Section 1 championship for the seventh consecutive year and will advance to the state finals.
 
Joining Fisch on the Section 1 team will be Kerry Rawald of R.C. Ketcham, and Erin Correa of Beacon. They finished second and third, respectively.
 
The top three bowlers from the regular season will also be on the Section 1 team: Jeanna Brown of Mahopac, Brianne Healy of Nanuet, and Marianna Monaco of Yonkers. Monaco’s average of 203.53 for the season was higher than anyone else by 13 pins.
 
The day definitely belonged to Branciforti and his perfect game. Heading to Syracuse with the Section 1 team, he will get a chance to defend the section’s state title.
 
“It’s intimidating to be with these great bowlers who have such high averages and all I did was have a great day,” Bronciforti said. “Hopefully, I’ll keep it up. I’ve got the 300. Now I need an 800 series.”
 
 
Section 1 Champions
 
Boys: Clarkstown
Girls: North Rockland
 
Section 1 State Team
 
Boys: Vic Branciforti (Yorktown); Chris Natoli (Arlington); Frank DiRenno (Panas); Jon Savas (Ketcham); Micah Nesson (JJCR); James Wargo.
 
Girls: Melissa Fisch (Scarsdale); Kerry Rawald (Ketcham); Erin Correa (Beacon); Jeanna Brown (Mahopac); Marianna Monaco (Yonkers); Brianne Healy (Nanuet).
 
BOYS TOP 10 INDIVIDUAL
Rank      School      Bowler            GM1 GM2 GM3 GM4 GM5 GM6 Total
 
1.       Clarkstown     Ryan Ventillo      243  212   229    258   214   195   1351
2.       Yorktown       Vic Bronciforti     212  234   300   215    226   151   1338
3.       Arlington         Chris Natoli          222 197   245    208    246   204  1322
4.       Clarkstown     Eric Jacobs          205  188   227   231   254  207    1312
5.       Panas              Frank DiRenno     221  220  163   203    257 242     1306
6.       John Jay-EF    Kevin Winant       193  244  209   181   233   237     1297
7.       Suffern      Spencer Kostrinsky  206  233  254   204   221  176     1294
8.       Tappan Zee     Derek Leone       198  256  201    235   189  205    1284
9.       Saunders        Robby Shine        225  235  279   179    189 163     1270
10.     Ketcham          Jon Savas           278  212  216   174   203  182     1265

GIRLS TOP 10 INDIVIDUAL
1.     Scarsdale         Melissa Fisch       187  255  223   183  215  192   1255
2.     Ketcham           Kerry Rawald       138  216  221   194  222  216   1207
3.     Beacon            Erin Correa            185  193  211   169  188  210   1156
4.     N. Rockland      Victoria Garcia      182  177  245   188  202  154   1148
5.     Peekskill            Amira Sealy          213  189  170   164  199  203   1138
6.     N. Rockland      Nicole Talamini      189  163  145   225  231  166   1119
7.     N. Rockland      Justine Gizzi         184  153  192   197  209  176   1111
8.     Mahopac          Jeanna Brown      184  206  165   157  213  171   1096
9.     Ketcham          Stephanie Mayer    235  182  181   144  179  171   1092
10.    Clarkstown     Winter Ninivaggi     168  166  179   185  191  201   1090

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

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