Preview: Boys Bowling Will Lean on Seniors For Success

Record Last Year: 3-4

Head Coach: Greg Iorio

Key Players: Chris Cappellini, Chris Dillman, Ryan Sparks, Sean Kelso.

Key Games: East Islip (12/9), West Babylon (12/16), @ East Islip (1/13), @ West Babylon (1/20).

After earning a spot in the 2009-10 county tournament due to another team's disqualification, head coach Greg Iorio believes his West Islip varsity boys bowling team can earn a spot in this season's tournament outright, and will look toward senior leadership to get them there.

Team captain Chris Cappellini, the team's No.1 bowler, will lead a top-six group of seniors and one junior; Chris Dillman, Ryan Sparks, Sean Kelso, Phil Siconolfi and Darren Schmidt. With a veteran lineup, Iorio knows that if some guys can be more consistent, his team will have success this season.

"Individually, I have a couple of guys that are inconsistent and I'd just like to see them get some averages above 200," he said. "They're close, some in the 190s and high 180s, but they could push it up."

The way high school bowling works is five bowlers take on five opposing bowlers in three games. Substitutions can be made if necessary, but most bowlers roll at least two games and most of the time, play all three. A team wins a point for every individual match, as well as the highest total games.

The team will look towards key matchups with East Islip, who went undefeated (8-0) in League I action in last season, and West Babylon, who finished ahead of the Lions last season as well.

"East Islip is always tough," Iorio said. "They've got one of the best teams on Long Island and they play us tough every year. A couple of the better teams in our division have had a lot of graduating seniors like West Babylon. That's a key matchup…and I think we can beat them this year."

With such a senior-heavy team, another goal Iorio wants to accomplish this season is to make sure his team leaders help develop the younger players so the drop off after this season isn't too sharp.

"I want to encourage the team this year to help develop some of the younger players because after this year five of my top bowlers are gone," Iorio said. "Next year is going to be an interesting season, but we need seniors in general to help bestow some knowledge on the younger guys and help bring their game up."

While development for the future is important, with a core of six veterans, the Lions will take aim at the county championship in 2011.

"I think we've got a good shot," Iorio said. "From what I've heard a lot of the top guys graduated, and while a lot of these teams usually have more depth and larger rosters than we do, I think we have a good shot with the bowlers we have in place to get there again."