Groton bowling rolls to success

There are currently only two Tompkins County schools in the IAC with bowling programs: Lansing and Groton. As the Bobcats continue to have a strong season after a stellar start, the Red Hawks are doing much of the same.

Through the first eight matches of the season, the girls team is flying high with a 23-9 record. The Red Hawks are coming off a historic campaign, making state qualifiers for the first time in school history and finishing in second place at sectionals. With many key athletes returning, it’s no wonder why they’ve carried over their success into this season.

“The girls team is fairly consistent and fairly steady,” head coach Chuck Felko said. “The core four [Emily Cargian, Lacie Hilker, Mady Pitts, Cassandra Mejia] were all part of that team that got to the state qualifier last year. I felt we were in pretty good shape with them and I still think we’ll make a run at it with this group.”

Cargian is the top bowler for the Red Hawks on either team, putting up an average score of 179. The senior has displayed tremendous leadership and work ethic throughout her career, and it’s paying off this season in a big way.

“Emily’s always willing to work with most of the kids,” Felko said. “She is probably the most dedicated kid I’ve ever had as a coach. She works at her game. She’ll go down and practice on nights when we don’t have practice. She always has a plan when she goes to a match. It’s not just going out and flinging the ball. She’s got a clue as to what she’s going to do. It’s not gonna be the same next year [without her].” 

Hilker, another senior, is not too far behind Cargian with an average score of 173, while Pitts is third on the Red Hawks with a 156 average score. Mejia (130), Sophie Rose (111) and Kairi Adsitt (100) have also put up triple-digit averages.

Pitts in particular is putting up impressive numbers as only a freshman and has improved her average by about 30 pins from last season. Not only is Felko helping Pitts out, but her dad David and grandfather Chuck also work with her, the latter of which (according to Felko) is one of the top bowlers in the Cortland area.

“You’re blessed when you have those things,” Felko said. “Sometimes we’ll talk to each other after a match and I kind of pick Chuck’s brain a little bit. He teaches a little bit different than I do. The arm swing is his approach is a little bit different.”

As for the boys team, they have had a remarkable turnaround season. After going 2-46 last season and sitting dead last in the IAC Small School division, the Red Hawks have markedly improved with a 14-18 record and are now in the middle of the IAC pack. 

“They’ve been a pleasant surprise,” Felko said. “Last year, we bowled with two seventh-graders on the starting team and really struggled mightily. We actually bowled part of the season with only four bowlers because our top average bowler was hurt. This year, we have eight kids on the boys side. I recruited a couple of first-year seniors [Jimmy Bush and Jason Noble] that came out to bowl and pleasantly have been a surprise… The ones that really want to work are coming along. They’ve progressed better than I thought they were going to for this year. I’m happy to be where we are. They’re upbeat.”

Leading the way is senior Nick Hall with a 167 average score, while the brother duo of Mike and Elijah Brehm round out the top three with average scores of 163 and 159, respectively. Noble (125), Jonathan Hinkle (110) and Bush (109) have also cracked into the hundreds. Felko said Elijah Brehm has been his biggest surprise putting up such high numbers as only an eighth grader.

The Red Hawks have also managed to hit a sweet spot in terms of how big their teams are. The girls team has eight athletes while the boys team has seven. Both teams have enough bowlers to field the minimum six needed for a team, but it’s not too big to keep everybody on their toes.

“I think that we’ve been lucky,” Felko said. “We’re getting enough to at least field six-bowler teams. That’s half the battle. Any time you have a full squad against anybody and they don’t have a full squad, you’re definitely at an advantage…. The nice part about having seven or eight, there’s a little competition in the team to be bowling in that match.”

There’s still a few more regular season matches before the postseason gets underway on February 10 with the IAC Championships. If the season so far is anything to go by, the Red Hawks are sure to have a good showing at IACs and sectionals.