Lancer Keglers March On

Millburn did not have a chance on Monday.

The Livingston bowling machine keeps on chugging along, with a sweeping 7-0 win against the Millers at home.  The Lancers won all three games and total pins at Hanover Lanes in East Hanover.

With Monday's win, the team set another school record for most pins in a game, this time with 1135, eight pins better than the school record which was set earlier this season.

"We are really bowling great," said Livingston head coach Griff Hughes.

All five of the Livingston bowlers scored more than 200 points in the first game.  Freshman Howard Hsu led with 256 points and Scott Hochberg followed with 237; other team members Mike Helderman scored 223, Evan Gutertag bowled a 215 and Brandon Gershon had a 204.

The Lancers easily took care of Millburn in the game, winning 1135 to 829.

What was perhaps more impressive for Hughes, though, was that one his best bowlers, junior Scott Sperling, did not bowl in that game.

For total pins, Livingston collected 3135 pins to the Millers' 2379.

With the sweep the Lancers continued to be on track to win the Super Essex Conference, which would be the second part of their triple crown plan, along with county and state titles.

"It would be great if we can do it," said Helderman after the win over Millburn.

As of last week, the Lancers were 66-4 while Seton Hall Prep, the school closest to Livingston, was at 51-12. Livingston could lock up the league on Wednesday when the team takes on the Pirates. The Lancers already defeated Seton Hall Prep earlier in the season. They could face the Pirates again this season with position round (first versus second, third versus fourth etc.) on Feb. 8.

The Lancers bowlers won the Essex County Title for the first time in seven years. Livingston outscored the favorite, Nutley, 2,979 to 2,962 points. It came down to the last couple of frames with Nutley still bowling; Livingston was done. The Lancers held on in the end.

Livingston has an ace in the hole this season in freshman Hsu, who bowled a 681 series in the county tournament, the third highest in the county tournament that was held at Eagle Rock Lanes in West Orange.

It helped that Hsu was familiar with the lanes.

"I played a lot last year in the Saturday league," said Hsu. "It helped a lot because of the experience on the lanes.It felt great winning the county as a freshman."

Along with Hsu at the county tourney, Sperling tied for high game with a 247 and had a 627 series. Gershon threw a 617 series while Helderman had a 569 and Gutentag scored a 485.

Livingston bowling schedule

(Matches at Hanover Lanes at 3:50 p.m. unless noted)

Jan. 16                   ECADA Championships, Eagle Rock Lanes, Noon

Jan. 21                   West Orange

Jan. 25                   Millburn

Jan. 28                   Seton Hall Prep

Feb. 1                     West Side

Feb. 8                     Position Round

Feb. 13                   NJSIAA state tournament, Jersey Lanes, Linden, 9 a.m.