Sewanhaka's Morgan Winchell retains Nassau individual girls bowling crown
Morgan Winchell of Sewanhaka celebrates after winning the Nassau girls individual bowling championship on Wednesday at AMF Garden City Lanes. Credit: Neil Miller
For the second straight season, Sewanhaka’s Morgan Winchell has proven that she is the cream of the crop in Nassau County.
Winchell bowled a 1,305 over six games to earn back-to-back Nassau girls bowling individual championships on Wednesday night at AMF Garden City Lanes. The sophomore rolled a 243 high game in Game 1.
“I was very confident, but I was also extremely nervous,” Winchell said. “I just went into things hyping myself up and having my family here behind me was a big boost.”
Winchell survived a late push from Mineola’s Michaela Palumbo, as the two finished within eight pins of each other. Winchell entered the fifth game ahead by 61 pins, but Palumbo bowled a 246 in Game 5 to cut the deficit to 16 pins.
Winchell rolled a strike and knocked down nine pins in the 10th frame to survive Palumbo rolling three straight strikes and a spare to close out the game.
“I was trying to not really pay attention to what the other girls were doing, just wanted to shoot my highest scores possible,” Winchell said. “I knew things were going to be close, but I just knew with the games that I was shooting, that I could get the win.”
Palumbo bowled a 259 high game in Game 1, before Winchell took the lead with 204 in Game 2. The Mineola senior finished with a 1,297.
“I’m one of the younger bowlers competing here so it means a lot to me,” Winchell said. “I mentally prepared pretty well and was able to do some good things out there.”
East Meadow junior Amanda Morris, bowled with a heavy heart and took third with a 1,263 six-game total. She rolled a 234 high game in Game 6.
“My godfather passed away on Sunday and I was really bowling today for him,” Morris said. “I wanted to bowl my heart out and make the [sectional all-star team] because he was supposed to be here watching today.”
Winchell and Morris will each be part of the Nassau sectional all-star team that will compete at AMF Strike ‘N Spare Lanes in Syracuse on March 9. Holland Boder (MacArthur) rolled a 1,155, Simone Chan (MacArthur) had a 1,102, Abby Buenaventura (MacArthur) had a 1,088 and Rachel Rothke (Massapequa) rolled a 1,048 and will round out the sectional all-star team.
Palumbo will compete at the state championship with Mineola in the Division I team event, making her ineligible for the sectional all-star team.
“This is going to be my third year bowling for the composite team and it’s just as exciting as the first time,” Morris said. “We have some returners and some newcomers, and I love to see the new faces having the opportunity.
Christopher Matias covers high school sports for Newsday after spending time in Athletic Facilities and Operation at St. John’s and in Sports Information at CUNY York college.