KING FERRY - Britteny McIntyre and Chris Gomez had a lot in common Sunday.
Jill Connor / The Citizen
Chris Fleming sends a practice ball down the lane during warm-ups for the Byrn's Junior Masters at King Ferry Bowling Center on Sunday.
Chris Fleming sends a practice ball down the lane during warm-ups for the Byrn's Junior Masters at King Ferry Bowling Center on Sunday.
The talented pair came out of the losers' bracket to win their Boys and Girls Byrn's Junior Masters crowns at the cozy, six-lane King Ferry Bowling Center in front of enthusiastic fans. The bowlers' versatility, meanwhile, was key in attaining the championships.
And, no less important, McIntyre and Gomez each rolled 236 in their opening game of the finals, propelling them to victory.
McIntyre held on to defeat Stefanie Spinney, 560-521, while Gomez outscored Dan Bibbens, 659-621.
“I wanted to bowl the best I could, but I also wanted to have fun,” said McIntyre, who edged Meghan Short, 552-539, to start the day. “Stefanie's an awesome bowler.”
Gomez, who bowled a 300 game in the event last week, maintained his solid delivery throughout to earn a second junior title.
“You have to keep bowling to win,” he said.
Good thing he did. Bibbens rolled a 260 finale, but it wasn't quite enough.
The winners each received $500 from the Auburn Youth Bowling scholarship fund in memory of Nancy Barski, a longtime champion of junior bowling. The checks, made out to the children and their parents, are already earmarked. McIntyre will go to SUNY Cobleskill next fall, while Gomez is set to attend Tompkins-Cortland Community College.
Making the proper adjustments was important Sunday. McIntyre said the middle of the lane “is my comfort zone,” but she was forced to move to the dry outside boards to get the ball rolling toward the pocket.
“Normally I play around the second and third arrows, but I was outside of that today,” she said.
McIntyre, 18, who won the Starlite Lanes Junior Masters earlier this season, made it a personal goal to capture the Byrn's title. The Mynderse Academy senior defeated Spinney 575-516 in the first finals match, and then fired her first four strikes en route to a 236-172 victory in the deciding series.
Spinney, however, kept chipping away. She outscored McIntyre, 196-156, in the second game to cut the deficit to 24 pins. But neither bowler could put strikes together in the third, and McIntyre prevailed.
“I needed to get more strikes,” Spinney, 16, said. “My spare-shooting was off, and things just weren't going my way. But there's always next year.”
Gomez had a plan and he stuck with it. The setup at King Ferry, where the ball comes back to the bowlers above ground, made it impossible for him to rev up the wrist action. He would have spent the day slamming the return on the right lane with his leg. So, the 19-year-old decided to throw hard and straight. He first knocked off two-time defending champion Chris Fleming, 672-616, and then snuck past Bibbens in their first match, 628-623.
Bibbens was really hooking it, bringing his ball back from the edge of the lane on many shots. But the right-hander paid a penalty if his execution was not perfect, causing some shots to drive straight through the headpin.
Gomez, with his strong start, led 449-361 after two games. The eventual champion stayed clean his last game, allowing him to withstand Bibbens' big finish.
“I'm happy. I didn't want to quit,” said Bibbens, 17, who despite being a junior in high school will jump to the adult leagues next season.
Gomez, who also won in 2003, plans to move up as well. That means he won't match the five junior titles won by his cousin, professional Michelle Feldman.
“She gave me a hard time about it last night,” Gomez said with a smile. “But I'd like to try to win The Citizen Masters next year. She can't bowl in that tournament because they won't let her.”
McIntyre has more competitive bowling ahead of her. She'll roll in the team and singles events this weekend at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships in White Plains, representing Section V.
The top four finishers were presented with scholarships. Spinney and Bibbens each received $250 in memory of Vi Stoddard for finishing second, Fleming and Short earned $150 donated by Dan Pilat for placing third, while Kevin Roche and Alli Streeter won $100 in memory of Frances Lansbury for finishing fourth.
Tournament Directors Tom Ostrander and Chick Pidlypchak ran things smoothly, while Pilat assisted throughout the event. Sunday he served as the official scorekeeper at King Ferry, which does not have computerized scoring. He also donated the trademark replica checks, made at his self-owned business, Pilat Graphic Design.
And, no less important, McIntyre and Gomez each rolled 236 in their opening game of the finals, propelling them to victory.
McIntyre held on to defeat Stefanie Spinney, 560-521, while Gomez outscored Dan Bibbens, 659-621.
“I wanted to bowl the best I could, but I also wanted to have fun,” said McIntyre, who edged Meghan Short, 552-539, to start the day. “Stefanie's an awesome bowler.”
Gomez, who bowled a 300 game in the event last week, maintained his solid delivery throughout to earn a second junior title.
“You have to keep bowling to win,” he said.
Good thing he did. Bibbens rolled a 260 finale, but it wasn't quite enough.
The winners each received $500 from the Auburn Youth Bowling scholarship fund in memory of Nancy Barski, a longtime champion of junior bowling. The checks, made out to the children and their parents, are already earmarked. McIntyre will go to SUNY Cobleskill next fall, while Gomez is set to attend Tompkins-Cortland Community College.
Making the proper adjustments was important Sunday. McIntyre said the middle of the lane “is my comfort zone,” but she was forced to move to the dry outside boards to get the ball rolling toward the pocket.
“Normally I play around the second and third arrows, but I was outside of that today,” she said.
McIntyre, 18, who won the Starlite Lanes Junior Masters earlier this season, made it a personal goal to capture the Byrn's title. The Mynderse Academy senior defeated Spinney 575-516 in the first finals match, and then fired her first four strikes en route to a 236-172 victory in the deciding series.
Spinney, however, kept chipping away. She outscored McIntyre, 196-156, in the second game to cut the deficit to 24 pins. But neither bowler could put strikes together in the third, and McIntyre prevailed.
“I needed to get more strikes,” Spinney, 16, said. “My spare-shooting was off, and things just weren't going my way. But there's always next year.”
Gomez had a plan and he stuck with it. The setup at King Ferry, where the ball comes back to the bowlers above ground, made it impossible for him to rev up the wrist action. He would have spent the day slamming the return on the right lane with his leg. So, the 19-year-old decided to throw hard and straight. He first knocked off two-time defending champion Chris Fleming, 672-616, and then snuck past Bibbens in their first match, 628-623.
Bibbens was really hooking it, bringing his ball back from the edge of the lane on many shots. But the right-hander paid a penalty if his execution was not perfect, causing some shots to drive straight through the headpin.
Gomez, with his strong start, led 449-361 after two games. The eventual champion stayed clean his last game, allowing him to withstand Bibbens' big finish.
“I'm happy. I didn't want to quit,” said Bibbens, 17, who despite being a junior in high school will jump to the adult leagues next season.
Gomez, who also won in 2003, plans to move up as well. That means he won't match the five junior titles won by his cousin, professional Michelle Feldman.
“She gave me a hard time about it last night,” Gomez said with a smile. “But I'd like to try to win The Citizen Masters next year. She can't bowl in that tournament because they won't let her.”
McIntyre has more competitive bowling ahead of her. She'll roll in the team and singles events this weekend at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships in White Plains, representing Section V.
The top four finishers were presented with scholarships. Spinney and Bibbens each received $250 in memory of Vi Stoddard for finishing second, Fleming and Short earned $150 donated by Dan Pilat for placing third, while Kevin Roche and Alli Streeter won $100 in memory of Frances Lansbury for finishing fourth.
Tournament Directors Tom Ostrander and Chick Pidlypchak ran things smoothly, while Pilat assisted throughout the event. Sunday he served as the official scorekeeper at King Ferry, which does not have computerized scoring. He also donated the trademark replica checks, made at his self-owned business, Pilat Graphic Design.
