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2011 - 2012 Romeo Bowling Team News Links
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Articles

Fourteen consecutive strikes not enough: Bulldogs lose very close match to LCN; Culver leads way with 229 – 225 454 for varsity boys; Paquette earns first varsity match point for girls; Lightcap lights it up for JV boys 201 – 227 428

December 19, 2011

The varsity boys lost a thriller to L’anse Creuse North at Van Dyke Bowl in their second MAC Red Conference match 16 – 14. The Bulldogs dug themselves a deep hole losing both baker games but kept working hard. The hard work paid off as the team responded with a furious finish in game two of the match games and at one point, the team had thrown 14 consecutive strikes. The match could have gone either way, and in the end, one head-to-head match point was the difference as LCN hung on to win. Leading Romeo was sophomore Tyler Culver with a 229 – 225 454 and winning both of his match points. Also winning both match points was sophomore Dylan Stokes with a 190 – 208 398. Junior Andrew Nelson bowled well once again and won a match point with a 184 – 243 427 as did Senior Captain Matthew Fazzalare winning a match point with a 218 game. Sophomore Joseph Seefried recovered well and came up just short of winning a match point for the Bulldogs.

Baker games score: LCN 173 – 158 331 Romeo 124 – 162 286

Match games score: LCN 1,051 – 1,006 2,057 Romeo 911 – 1,073 1,984

The varsity girls made a great effort against LCN despite bowling short one player losing 29 - 1. The girls were able to put up some nice games but were unable to outscore LCN. Sophomore Tori Paquette won her first MHSAA varsity match point with a 159 game. Junior Kayla Rziemkowski led the bulldogs with a 165 – 141 306 series. Juniors Ashley LaVoie and Kaitlin Lowran competed well but were not able to win any match points.

Baker games score: LCN 181 – 173 354; Romeo 112 – 129 241

Match games score: LCN 934 – 844; Romeo 572 – 460 1,052

The junior varsity boys fell to LCN 28 – 2 after falling behind in the bakers, they were unable to mount an offense to overtake their opponents. The Bulldogs did not match up well with the lane conditions as a whole and were outscored by LCN in both match games. The bright spot was junior Kirk Lightcap who led all players from both schools with an impressive 201 – 227 428 and won the only two match points for Romeo. Freshman Brendan Leahy, sophomores Danny Bartolotta, Jake Peyerk, and Patrick Brunkey were not able to win a match point.

Baker games score: LCN 153 – 162 315; Romeo 138 – 128 266

Match games score: LCN 903 – 884 1,781; Romeo 748 – 844 1,592

Bulldogs comeback against Stevenson falls short in 2011-2012 MAC Red opener; Nelson paces Varsity Boys with 243 – 186 429; Rziemkowski wins point for Varsity girls; Brunkey’s 192 – 243 435 leads the JV Boys

December 12, 2011

The varsity boys lost their opener in MAC Red Conference play to rival Sterling Heights Stevenson 24 – 6 at the Titan’s home house Sunnybrook Lanes. The 2011 – 2012 boys team is very young with three sophomores, a junior, and a senior. Stevenson is one of the favorites in Division 1 this season and the very young Bulldogs hung tough. After losing the first two baker games, the Romeo bowlers regrouped and came back in the 10th frame throwing strikes to overtake Stevenson in dramatic fashion in the first regular match game. Senior captain Matthew Fazzalare anchored the victory by throwing two strikes in the 10th frame to win the game by 1 pin. Stevenson could not be denied and they bowled a phenomenal second match game shooting 1,244 which is the highest game bowled in MHSAA this season. Junior Andrew Nelson led the team with a 243 – 186 429 and one a match point. Fazzalare had 211 and also won a match point. Sophomore Tyler Culver had a 212 game. Sophomores Joseph Seefried and Dylan Stokes were intense but were unable to win a match point.

Baker games score: Stevenson 234 – 238 472; Romeo 194 – 160 354

Match games score: Stevenson 970 – 1,244 2,214; Romeo 971 – 873 1,844

The new look varsity girls fell to the Titans 25 – 5. This year’s team features four new girls and they all contributed during the match. The girls lost their first baker game but came back to win the second game. In match play, the girls stayed with Stevenson thru the first 7 frames of the first game and were outscored in the final frames. In game two, Stevenson bowled well and shot a nice 961. First year player Junior Kayla Rziemkowski won her first Romeo match point with a 146 game and the rest of the bulldogs competed until the end but were unable to outscore their opponents. Freshman Abby Vecore, sophomore Tori Paquette, junior co-captains Kaitlin Lowran and Stephanie Seefried all worked hard until the end but were not able to win match points.

Baker games score: Stevenson 170 – 132 302; Romeo 146 – 153 299

Match games score: Stevenson 809 – 961 1,870; Romeo 728 – 614 1,342

The junior varsity boys lost to the Titans 22 – 8. The Bulldogs looked good early, winning the first baker game and totals to take a 6 – 4 lead. Stevenson knew their home lanes well and were able to outscore Romeo winning both match games. Sophomore Patrick Brunkey led Romeo with a 192 – 243 435 set. Two new players; freshman Brendan Leahy 205, and sophomore Jake Peyerk 204 won their first points in MHSAA competition. Sophomore Danny Bartolotta and junior Kirk Lightcap made adjustments all match but were not able to win a match point.

Baker games score: Stevenson 180 – 191 371; Romeo 190 – 133 373

Match games score: Stevenson 958 – 1,057 2,015; Romeo 850 – 852 1,702

Bulldogs test the Kegel Challenge Series lane condition at the Davison Doubles

December 30, 2011

Five Romeo mixed doubles teams competed at the Varsity level Davison Doubles tournament on December 30. The team enjoys this tournament as they get an opportunity to bowl against the powerhouse teams from the Flint area in a nice bowling center and on the same lane conditions that they will face when they bowl in the MHSAA regionals and finals.

Overall, the entire team had great chemistry and worked hard the entire time trying to adjust to the much more difficult and low scoring lane conditions. Unlike a house shot which is much more forgiving, the Kegel Challenge Series lane conditions require athletes to hit a much smaller target area and they must also make several adjustments as the lanes change during play. Good spare shooting is essential to score well on these conditions. Everyone on the team learned a lot and this should help when the teams compete in the MHSAA regionals and finals.

Although Romeo had no teams qualify for the top 32, two teams came close. Kayla Rziemkowski and Andrew Nelson along with Kaitlin Lowran and Dylan Stokes fell just short of qualifying. The team is already looking forward to bowling again in this event next season.

Top: Patrick Brukey, Ashley LaVoie, Kaitlin Lowran, Dylan Stokes, Tori Paquette, Matthew Fazzalare. Bottom: Andrew Nelson, Kayla Rziemkowski, Joseph Seefried, Stephanie Seefried at the Davison Doubles Tournament December 30, 2011

2011 - 2012 Season Preview

Back: Coach Paul Stokes, Joseph Seefried, Brendan Leahy, Logan Schult, Kirk Lightcap, Andrew Nelson, Matthew Fazzalare, Tyler Culver, Alex Finn, Jake Peyerk, Chris Zehnpfennig, Coach Mark Nelson. Bottom: Stephanie Seefried, Tyler Quarles, Danny Bartolotta, Abby Vecore, Dylan Stokes, Tori Paquette, Coach Corey Wachtmeister, Kayla Rziemkowski, Patrick Brunkey, Kaitlin Lowran, Ashley LaVoie. Not pictured: Jacob Loherer, coach Hal Stokes, and coach Jim Brunkey

Senior Captain Matthew Fazzalare returns to lead a young and talented core of Romeo Bowlers.

Junior Co-Captain Kaitlin Lowran leads by example: showing the improvment she made during the off season.

Junior Co-Captain Stephanie Seefried also improved her game this past off season and is ready for the MAC Red schedule.

The 2011 - 2012 Romeo Bulldogs bowling team is young and talented. The team is captained by Senior Matthew Fazzalare, Junior Kaitlin Lowran, and Junior Stephanie Seefried. All three demonstrated a strong commitment to the team and worked on their game in the off season in anticipation of helping the team improve over last season. The core of the team is young and loaded with talent and potential.

The girls team features four new additions: juniors Kayla Rziemkowski and Ashley LaVoie; sophomore Victoria Paquette; and freshman Abby Vecore. All of the girls are working hard to get prepared for the tough MAC Red schedule. Stephanie and Kaitlin anchor the team and return for their second season of Varsity competition. The team is looking forward to the new season.

Most of the boys team worked on their games during the off season and this should translate into some excitement for the team in the toughest conference in MHSAA Division 1; the MAC Red. The team consists of two freshman, nine sophomores, and two juniors, and a senior who join senior captain Matthew Fazzalare. Three sophomores and a junior have varsity experience from 2010 - 2011 and hope to turn that to their advantage. This includes Sophomores Tyler Culver who qualified for the divison 1 state finals in singles last season and Dylan Stokes who was the teams high average regular player and points winner in the MAC Red last season. This seasons talent pool also inlcudes: freshman Brendan Leahy and Logan Schult; sophomores Danny Bartolotta, Patrick Brunkey, Alex Finn, Jake Peyerk, Tyler Quarles, Joseph Seefried and Chris Zehnpfenning; juniors Kirk Lightcap and Andrew Nelson; and new to the team this season is senior Jacob Lohrer.

It was a Super Bowl at the 5th Annual Romeo Team Invitational...Anchor Bay girls become first ever two time winner over Chippewa Valley and Dakota boys win clash with the Titans

January 7, 2012

High school athletes from southeastern Michigan descended upon Romeo to test their skills on the brand new synthetic lanes at Summit Sports Center. Once again, the tournament was sold out as the powerhouse teams from the area went head-to-head providing a glimpse of what to expect at the MHSAA regionals and MHSAA finals this season. Leading qualifier for the Girls was Chippewa Valley with a 3,112. Austin Timmer led the Sterling Heights Stevenson boys to a top qualifying score of 3,601 as he came off the bench to bowl a perfect 300 game! Amber Hoflich from Waterford Mott was the top three game qualifier for the girls with 617. Mitch Jachcinski from Dakota was the top three game qualifier for the boys with 707 and is also the captain of the 2012 Boys All-Tournament Team with a best two game total of 256 – 268 524. Sarabelle Owens from Utica Ford II is the 2012 Girls All-Tournament Team captain with a best two game total of 278 – 195 473.

Click here for the tournament results.

For information about the tournament, please see the tournaments page.

Bulldogs teams qualify during 2012 Romeo Team Invitational

January 7, 2012

The varsity girls continued to roll picking up where they left off on Friday finishing in 14th position in the field with a 2,384. Juniors Kayla Rziemkowski 172 – 187 – 175 534 and team co-captain Kaitlin Lowran 183 – 205 – 140 528 bowled very well. Juniors Ashley LaVoie, co-captain Stephanie Seefried and sophomore Tori Paquette also made a lot of nice shots in this great team performance in their own tournament. In the afternoon match play finals, the Bulldogs ran into Utica Ford II and the All-Tournament team captain losing a close match 319 – 284.

The varsity boys also performed well and qualified eighth with a 3,384. Senior captain Matthew Fazzalare led the Bulldogs with a very solid 230 – 234 – 204 668 series qualifying 9th in singles. Sophomore Dylan Stokes qualified 20th in singles with a nice 185 – 206 – 246 637 series. Sophomore Patrick Brunkey had a 184 – 182 - 221 587 series and qualified 36th in singles, Tyler Culver a 214, and junior Andrew Nelson a 209. Sophomore Joseph Seefried came in off the bench with intensity and helped the Bulldogs shoot the highest baker game in qualifying with a 236. In the afternoon finals, the Bulldogs faced ninth seed Clarkston winning the first baker game but losing the second game and totals as the Clarkston anchor bowler had a break and carried a Brooklyn strike in the tenth frame.

Home Cookin’ …Romeo Varsity girls win over Utica sparked by Rziemkowski with 187 – 172 359; boys fall despite solid showing by Nelson with 202 – 214 416; Leahy leads short-handed JV boys

January 6, 2012

The varsity girls won their first match of the MAC Red 2011 – 2012 campaign with a solid 17 – 13 victory over Utica at Summit Sports Center in Romeo. The Bulldogs got off to a hot start winning both baker games and taking a 10 – 0 lead into match play. Junior Kayla Rziemkowski won both of her match points with a 187 – 172 359. Sophomore Tori Paquette also one a match point with a 167 game. Juniors Ashley LaVoie, Stephanie Seefried, and Kaitlin Lowran helped the team to victory without winning match points.

Baker games score: Utica 101 – 91 192 Romeo 111 – 136 247

Match games score: Utica 667 – 741 1,408 Romeo 745 – 623 1,368

The varsity boys were unable to match up to the lane conditions as a unit and Utica found the Bulldog’s home house to their liking in a MAC Red match as the Bulldogs fell 28 - 2. Utica won both baker games for an early 10 – 0 lead and never looked back. Junior Andrew Nelson led the Bulldogs with 202 – 214 416. The lone match points were won by sophomores Patrick Brunkey with a 217 and Joseph Seefried with a 193. Sophomores Dylan Stokes and Tyler Culver and senior Matthew Fazzalare were not able to outscore their opponent for a match point.

Baker games score: Utica 203 – 251 454 Romeo 165 – 197 362

Match games score: Utica 1,061 – 1,080 2,141 Romeo 900 – 936 1,836

The short-handed junior varsity boys fell to Utica 30 – 0. The all first year lineup Bulldogs worked very hard and gave it 110 percent all afternoon. Two of Romeo’s regulars had important activities to attend. Congratulations are in order for Sophomore Danny Bartolotta who came in second place in the business competition he entered in Port Huron. Utica won both baker games and both match games. Freshman Brendan Leahy led the team with a 141 – 172 313. Freshman Logan Schult, sophomores Jake Peyerk, Chris Zehnpfenning, and Senior Jacob Lohrer made some nice shots but were not able to win match points. The coaches were very impressed with the competitive fire the team displayed. Once the young Bulldogs get some experience under their belt, this mental toughness will certainly translate into victories down the road.

Romeo High School Bowling Romeo, MI