Lancer Keglers Prepare for ECT

Livingston bowlers are hoping it will be their year in Essex County.  The Lancer bowling team heads into the Essex County Tournament, to be held Saturday at Eagle Rock Lanes in West Orange, looking to dethrone defending champions Nutley.

Livingston is searching for its first county championship since 2002; the Lancers were the runner-up to Nutley last season.

Livingston High School is primed for the destinction, as they lead in the Super Essex Conference Colonial division, ahead of Seton Hall Prep, a team the Lancers have already defeated twice this season.

"We have approved a lot from last year," said senior co-captain Evan Gutentag about the Essex County Tournament. "They (Nutley) are the favorite, but we're very balanced and all of the top five bowlers can bowl a good game."

In preparing for the county tournament on Saturday, Livingston easily dispatched Weequahic 7-0 on Thursday afternoon at the Hanover Lanes in East Hanover.

Gutentag had a poor game with a score of 147, but Livingston won the match.

"If one bowler bowls a bad game, the others will have good games," said Gutentag.  The senior bowler, though, stormed back with scores of 234 and 203 in the second and third games.

Sophomore Brandon Gershon led the way against Weequahic as he set the season team mark for most pins in a series with 687, one more than junior co-captain Scott Sperling's 687.

"He broke it today," said Hughes pointing out there are several matches to go this season.

Gershon agreed.

"The ball was hooking a lot and I was finding my spots," said Gershon, who bowls every Sunday during the year in addition to his bowling during the season.

The sophomore, whose high game is a 279, said that he is looking to average 220 for the season. Gershon had an average of 204.74 as of last week.

Livingston head coach Griff Hughes has three co-captains this season in Sperling, senior Gutentag and junior Scott Hochberg.  Despite some very good bowlers, Hughes said that the best aspect of his team is the depth and balance.

"I will give up the high average bowler any day to get the winning team," said Hughes.

The Lancers have already competed against Nutley in the Westfield Tournament, which was  held in December.   Livingston finished eight pins better than Nutley then.

In the Essex County Tournament, there will be three games with five bowlers in each game.

"On any day anybody can beat anybody," said Hughes, who added that Seton Hall Prep could also come out on top.  A couple of the other  top teams at the Essex County Tournament are expected to be Science Park and West Orange.