Lansing bowling rolls through regular season

Last season, the Lansing bowling teams each enjoyed remarkable campaigns. The boys team captured the IAC championship and a 51-9 overall record, while the girls team finished 37-23, making it the first winning season it’s had in many years. The good times keep on rolling this time around… literally.

The boys team ended the regular season with a 50-22 record, while the girls team had a solid campaign at 35-37. Their recent spell of success has attracted plenty of attention throughout the community, and head coach Lee Christopher is ecstatic to see their fan base continue to grow.

“[Over] the last two years, I’ve got parents, a lot of grandparents, and brothers and sisters, which normally we never had,” Christopher said. “But this year and last year, I’m very, very happy to see the fan base. A lot of people are watching us. I’ve always said we’re that sport nobody sees. We’re not in the gym or the swimming pool. We’re not there in the school. You have to go to the bowling lanes, wherever they may be, and we’ve got a good following.”

One bowler who has certainly wowed the crowd this season is Nicco Binns. The sophomore leads the Bobcats with an average score of 196, matching last year’s average that also paced the team. It’s clear that consistency has been the recipe for his still-burgeoning career with the Bobcats, and it’s something he honed in on to improve his game.

“I’ve worked a lot on making more spares and having a more solid system for that, as well just being more consistent with my release every time and getting my misses a lot more closer to my good shots and needing to strike a lot more and being confident in picking up my spares when it doesn’t strike,” Binns said.

Continuing with the theme of consistency, Binns credited Christopher for being the dependable presence for over a decade leading the program.

“He’s been here a while, and he’s a very good coach and just helps everyone improve,” Binns said. “From there, you see all the players get along and create a community to be able to help each other improve.”

Despite only being an underclassman, Binns is actually a veteran presence on the team. This is his fourth year on the Bobcats, meaning he’s bowled for them since he was in seventh grade. This season, the shoe’s on the other foot with four seventh graders on the boys team. Bowling is one of very few sports that allows middle schoolers to take part at the varsity level since it’s a non-contact sport. Christopher has liked what he’s seen from the new crop of bowlers.

“They were intimidated, especially when they first got there [in the] first couple practices,” Christopher said. “They’re throwing a six-pound ball, maybe an eight-pound [ball]. The boys in the varsity high schoolers are throwing 15-pound balls, so they’re gonna get more hits, they’re gonna get more carries. With a six-pound ball, it’s a slower roll and it doesn’t deflect off pins as hard. The maturity will come, and as they grow, they’ll be there. It’s just nice to know that I got that many kids right now.”

Despite losing a few bowlers, the boys team’s numbers are even greater this year with 12 on the roster compared to eight last season. Apart from Binns, there are quite a few other bowlers who have stood out, including freshman Tyler Paige with an average score of 185 and sophomore Nathan Armstrong with an average score of 180.

The girls team’s numbers are also strong with nine bowlers. They’re a pretty well-balanced unit with six bowlers averaging scores in the triple digits, while two others average just under 100. Sienna Wright paces the Bobcats with a 146 average score. With their scores so close to each other, it’s only natural that the bond they share is also tight-knit.

“The girls have a good time,” Christopher said. “They get along real good. There’s three seniors. They’re always having a good time. Same with the boys, when it’s time to bowl in matches, they’ve got their game face on.”

With another excellent regular season, the Bobcats went into the IAC Championships in Waverly on February 8 with great momentum. While neither team would hoist the title, they each put on commendable showings, with the boys team finishing in fourth place and the girls team placing seventh.

More postseason action is on the horizon with the Section IV Championships coming up from February 21-22 in Vestal. No matter how things turn out at sectionals, the Bobcats will continue to have an ever-growing crowd supporting them for years to come. That high level of enthusiasm has evidently resonated throughout the entire team.

“I just gotta stay positive and cheer everyone on, help them when they’re struggling, but overall have a positive atmosphere for everyone and hopefully win,” Binns said.