With no chance of going to the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs, the Archbishop Carroll boys bowling team was looking for a good time as it bowled its last match of its season Feb. 8 against number-two ranked Father Judge at Thunderbird Lanes.
The Pats enjoyed a meal and a last match together, and lost 4-0.
The Pats lost their shot at the playoffs with a Feb. 6 loss to Roman Catholic. playoffs. Missing senior starter Patrick McGonigle as the team had during the Roman loss, Ryan Cook stepped up to fill his spot.
The boys started off game one with having two players roll a strike. Father Judge did not come out as strong as the Pats were anticipating, and the boys had a chance to have some bragging rights. That fantasy was short lived as Judge had three players roll two strikes in a row. Judge finished with three players bowling over 170, and took game one by 165 pins.
“We’re just trying to have fun with this one,” senior Stephen Thomson said. “I’m sad this is our last game, but I’m glad it happened.”
The boys enjoyed a little pizza and chicken tenders on senior Marco Petroccia’s tab before starting the second game.
The second game started off slow for the Pats, and started off hot for Judge. Judge had three out of five players rack up two strikes in a row again, and ran away with the lead. Senior James Klusarits had himself a nice score of 205 with five strikes. The Pats took the L in game two by over 100 pins.
“After that second game, it began to get a little emotional,” Klusarits said. “This third game is going to be our last game as a team.”
With each shot in this last game, the seniors on the team were one shot closer to the end of their season. The boys battled in this third game, but most importantly they had fun. Cracking jokes the whole game, these boys reached their final frame of their Archbishop Carroll bowling career. Each guy had at least two shots in the last frame, and that was it; the season had ended. The boys lost by over 100 pins in the last game, but at least they went out having fun.
“This was a tough finish to a great season and a great career,” Coach Thomas Quintois said. “I will miss our seniors dearly.”
The boys ended up in seventh place for the Philadelphia Catholic League, and had seniors Marco Petroccia and Jesse Ventre just short of All-Catholic.
