Falcons sputter at NFL Bowling Meet

by Eric Keppeler
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, February 1, 2007

Mike Nucci says that he’s not a superstitious man. Really.

But when it comes to Parkside Lanes in North Tonawanda, well, let’s just say that the veteran Niagara-Wheatfield varsity bowling coach would just as soon try to ward off the alley with a cross, a clove of garlic and some Holy Water.

The Falcons – loaded with talent on both the boys and girls teams and contending for Niagara Frontier League titles in each – were pretty underwhelming at last Friday’s NFL Individual Championship at Parkside.

“We bowled really bad,” Nucci said. “I think it’s just that house. We never seem to do well there.”

The only Falcon to be awarded any kind of recognition for placing in the top five was junior Adam Mulholland, who was part of the doubles team that finished fifth overall. Mulholland also wound up with the fifth highest individual single game.

Beyond that, the Parkside Curse worked its magic and held the rest of the Falcons to well below their season averages.

The NFL Meet was a speed bump in an otherwise solid season for the Falcons. Nucci expected that the boys would contend for the league title and the girls would be in the top two or three – and he’s right on target.

The boys check in with a mark of 8-3 in the league, a game behind 9-2 Lewiston-Porter with three matches to go. The Falcons split with Lew-Port during the season, so they need a bit of help to catch the Lancers for at least a share of the league crown.

“We’re right in there,” Nucci said. “We’re where we figured we’d be. Anything can happen.”

The girls are 7-4 in the league, good for third place with two losses each against Lockport and North Tonawanda. Nucci figured at the beginning of the season that Lockport – a perennial state championship contender – would be difficult to catch. So he predicted that his Falcons would be battling North Tonawanda for second place. At 8-4, the Lady Jacks remain one game ahead of N-W with three matches remaining.

“We’ve still got a shot at second place,” Nucci said. “The girls are bowling really well right now.”

The Falcons also have a few individual highlights this season.

Junior Andy Donner is holding down an average of 211, which is the fifth highest in the league.

For the girls, junior Marisa delValle is averaging 192, good for sixth place in the league. Also, senior Sarah Hillman posted a single game score of 262 earlier this year, the fifth highest individual game so far.

The Falcons are hoping to peak at the right time as the Section VI Championships lie ahead, Feb. 15 and 16 at Thruway Lanes in Cheektowaga.

The season ends Tuesday.

“We’re bowling well right now,” Nucci said. “The boys have won five in a row, and the girls are doing very well also. As long as we don’t have to go back to Parkside Lanes again, I like our chances.”