The Norwin Knights Bowling Team is back at another year after losing only 2 varsity bowlers combined (boys and girls) last year to graduation. The Knights are back hunting another chance at the WPIAL title for both the boys and the girls team. Like wrestling and track, there are two ways to win in WPIAL Championships in bowling, singles and team, and the Knights will be contributing from both the boys and girls teams.
The Boys Bowling Team this season is 5-5 fighting to comeback from a roster disheveled by the graduation of Michael Sincak and Josh Siegel, two key contributors from last year. The Boys are averaging a 795 team score per game, placing the boys in 4th place in the Southeast Section. This year there are three bowlers that are new to varsity, Mike Mihalchik, Will Whitaker, and Noah Carney. Following this season, two of the Norwin Boys will continue their hunt for a WPIAL Title, Jake Sincak and Hunter Cook. To qualify for a spot at WPIAL individuals you must average a 170+ pin average, whereas for team the team has to be one of the top three seeds in the section. Hunter Cook averages a 192.4 pin game and Jake Sincak averages a 182.5 pin game
“It ain’t that hard, but all jokes aside my team and I are proud of how far we have come from last year,” Sincak said.
Jake Sincak and Hunter Cook will continue to practice Sunday nights throughout the next few weeks on the Stonehenge Oil Pattern in hopes to better their game for WPIAL Singles. Wednesday, February 21 is the day in which the Boys WPIAL Singles Tournament will happen. The top 70 bowlers will advance to compete in the Western PA Regional Championship on Friday, March 1. The top 12 boys that advance from the Single’s PA State Championship on Friday, March 15.
The Norwin Girls Team this season were once again undefeated this season finished with a perfect 10-0 record, following last year’s perfect season. The Lady Knights coming into this season lost no varsity contributors for the roster. Fortunately, the Norwin Girls Bowling Team have two of the top three averaged bowlers in the Southeast Section, Kali and Kari Siegel, and the Girl Knights have swept every meet this year. Without trouble the Knights Girls Varsity roster is going to have all 6 contributors going to WPIAL singles, which is astounding for a team. As you can only register 5 bowlers in a varsity meet, but even the 5th and 6th interchangeable bowlers are qualified for WPIAL singles. The contributors and their averages go as follows, Kali Siegel (195.1), Kari Siegel (193.6), Angela Furin (192.7), Gabby Anders (167.7), Raenna Bruce (142.6), and Teresa Solano (141.9). Not only are the individuals all qualified, but the whole team is qualified for WPIAL team playoffs. Out of 52 teams in the East Section, the Norwin Girls are second behind Plum for highest game average, as Plum averages a 902, and Norwin averages an 863. A bowling match against another team consists of three games–three for the boys and three for the girls. Each game one is 2 points and winning the pin total is 1 point. There are 5 bowlers allowed to be rostered on each varsity roster.
“Kali and I have been practicing and working hard at bowling for years and especially this year, we practiced a lot until we felt confident on how to be better at bowling,” Kari Siegel had to say about her and her sister’s success.
For the Girls team, all the Lady Knights will bowl Sunday after Sunday on the Stonehenge Oil Pattern. The Girls WPIAL Single’s Tournament which will take place on Thursday, February 22, the top 70 bowlers in that tournament will advance to the PA Western Regional Championship. The PA Western Regional Championship will occur on Friday, March 8th, and the top 12 bowlers from this meet will advance to the Singles Championship at Lancaster, PA. This will occur on Friday the 15th of March this year.
Game by game recap
The girls played their first match on Nov. 27 against Yough at Herminie VFW The pin total for Norwin was, 2402-1907. Kari Siegel bowled both the highest match and the highest series. Twin sister, Kari bowled a 212 pin game and a 588 series. Whereas for the boys the pin total was 2292-1863. The high series was 546 by Jake Sincak and the highest game was Noah Carney who bowled a 200.
Then the Knights battled Connellsville at Yough Lanes on Nov. 29. The Connellsville team didn’t have any girl bowlers to register. New bowler, Raeana Bruce bowled her first 200+ game, as she bowled a 208. It was also an amazing meet for Kari Siegel as she bowled 3-200+ games, (216/214/223). Kali Siegel also bowled amazing bowling an 653 pin total. Angela Furin also bowled her first 200+ games (203). The Boy Knights won 5-2 taking the first and third game, and the pin total, 2568-2552. Jake Sincak bowled the highest series once again bowling a whopping 614, and the high game, 214.
Thomas Jefferson only registered four girls on December 6th. The Lady Knights bowled a WPIBL high series, 2724. Kari Siegel bowled her best series ever throughout her career, bowling a 245, 214, 225, leading to a 685 pin series. Although, the Norwin Boys got swept, Thomas Jefferson won the pin total, 2607-2141, and all three matches. Jake Sincak took both the highest series and the highest game bowling a high game of 215 and a pin total of 541.
Norwin played against Belle Vernon, on Dec. 13. The pin total was 2437-971, and the high game and series for girls was Norwin Bowler, Kali Siegel, bowling a 226, and a 588 pin series. The Norwin Boys got swept, and the high game of the day for the boys was led by Hunter Cook, bowling a 216, with a team high series of 602 pins. The Norwin Boys team is now placed 3rd in the Southeast Section, being 2-2 with 12 total points.
The Lady Knights also played Yough on Jan. 3, at New Great Valley Lanes. The pin total was 2611-1894 in favor of the Knights. Kari Seigel bowled a 604 high series and high game of 222 pins. Norwin Boys took all seven points taking all three game wins and the pin total 2409-2071. Hunter Cook bowled a season high series of 645 pins across three games, highest game being a 227.
The next matchup was against Connellsville at home on Jan. 10. The boys unfortunately lost all three games and the pin total of this matchup (2756-2438). Hunter Cook bowled the high series of 570, and Noah Carney bowled the high game of 204. Also the Girls Team had no matchup, since Connellsville doesn’t have a girls bowling team, but Kali Siegel bowled the high series of an astounding 629, and high game of 256.
The Norwin Girls contended against Elizabeth Forward on Jan. 12 at home, and the final pin total was 2662-1832. The high series was an all-season high for Kali Siegel as she bowled a 650 series. However, the high game went to twin sister, Kari Siegel who bowled a 222. On the Boys side the Norwin Boys swept all seven points, winning the total (2381-1864). The high game and series was Hunter Cook, 215-555.
The Norwin Girls also took place in this matchup at Spins Bowl, on Jan. 17 against Thomas Jefferson. The pin total was 2502-1526 for Norwin, the high game was Angela Furin who bowled a 200, and high series Kali Siegel who bowled a 556. The Norwin Boys lost the matchup, but won the third game, the pin total was 2805-2539. The high game and series was Hunter Cook who bowled a 235 and a 642.
The Senior Knight Matchup for Norwin took place on Jan. 24th, at home. The Norwin Girls pin total was 2461 and they swept the meet, high game was Angela Furin (200), and high series was Kali Siegel, 556. The Boys unfortunately two bowlers short got swept, high game and series was Jake Sinca 197, and 598, and the pin total for the Knights was 2074.
