Commack boys bowling takes third at Division I state tournament in controversial finish

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The New York Division I bowling state tournament found itself mired in a controversial finish between Commack and Sewanhaka, as each school believed themselves to have placed third, Sunday at AMF Strike ‘N Spare Lanes.

Officials initially awarded Commack third place. Freshman Luke Jovans held the team’s medals and plaques after helping the Cougars roar back in the competition after sitting in seventh place after the tournament’s first three games. Sewanhaka coach Jay Hegi said he noticed a discrepancy for Commack’s Game 5.

“We were looking at the screens, and it showed Commack bowled a 1070, but the score card showed a 1080,” Hegi said.

Results were not released until several hours after the competition concluded. New York state girls bowling coordinator Eileen Shultis confirmed that Commack had correctly placed third after faulty equipment caused the confusion.

“[The lane’s sensor] shouldn't trigger a foul [when a bowler doesn’t step on the line],” Shultis said. “It’s been verified by more than one person that this kid did not foul.”

Commack coach Brian Gasser noticed the incorrect foul calls and, with the help of state bowling officials and Kenmore coach Bob Howard, made sure to have spotters on the lane.

“Anthony’s [Bocchino] final roll of Game 5 was a strike, but the sensor marked it as a foul,” Gasser said. “We wrote it down correctly on the score card.”

As it was the final roll of the last frame the screen had locked, showing a different result than the submitted score card.

Commack finished with eight pins more than Sewanhaka, 5864 to 5856, with Section IV’s Corning placing first with 6264 pins. Sewanhaka found itself in the running for a medal thanks to junior Liam Sushko’s career-first 300 in Game 2, the first for Sewanhaka’s boys team in a state championship.