Suffolk boys bowling All-Stars take second in state Division I composite championship
Whitman’s Chris Rinaldi was the top bowler among Suffolk all-stars, who finished just 53 pins behind Section V on Saturday, March 15, 2025. Credit: Nick Soccocio
Chris Rinaldi was hoping for another gold medal.
The Whitman senior is one of two returning members of last year’s Suffolk all-star team that won the state boys bowling composite title.
This year’s team came up just short. Rinaldi shot a 1,368 six-game series, the sixth highest of the state Division I composite championship, as Suffolk took second place on Saturday at Strike ’N Spare Lanes in Syracuse.
Suffolk totaled 6,673 pins, 52 behind Section V, which won the title with 6,725 pins.
Rinaldi averaged a 228 on Saturday with a high game of 255 in Game 3.
“For a six-man team, what it comes down to most is realizing that it’s not you against yourself. You’re with a group of guys that can pick you back up,” Rinaldi said. “But also, you have to step in and be the person to pick the other kids up sometimes. I definitely could’ve done better, but I was putting in decent scores for us six and picking the others up if they needed it.”
East Islip senior Andrew Jacobsen, the only other returner from last year’s championship team, got the team off to a hot start with a 280 in Game 1. He tied with Jesse Taccone of Section V for the day’s high game award. After totaling 1,235 pins to help East Islip take third in Friday’s state Division I championship, Jacobsen shot a 1,307 on Saturday.
“He definitely had a great line today and he learned a lot from Friday,” East Islip coach Judy Fischer said. “In the past two years, he has won a gold, a silver and a bronze medal at a state tournament, so that’s pretty special.”
Commack’s Luke Jovans (1,291), Longwood’s Tyler Uss (1,287), Half Hollow Hills District’s Alexander Greaves (1,277) and Harborfields’ Sean McNally (1,233) rounded out Suffolk’s strong performance.
Led by Bellmore-Merrick’s Lucas Lam, Nassau took eighth place with 6,345 pins.
Lam finished ninth with 1,365 pins and rolled a high game of 258 in Game 4. Though Lam is just a sophomore, his varsity career in Nassau comes to an end, as he and his family are moving to North Carolina. Lam led Nassau this season with a 230.03 average.
“I’m definitely going to miss the competition and all my friends from our school and even other schools,” Lam said. “I really looked forward to today and I had a really great time with my teammates.”
Sewanhaka’s Joshua Agliam finished just outside the top 20 with a 1,288 series and 214.67 average. He averaged 207.34 throughout the season.
In the first year of the state Division II tournament, Section VIII took seventh (6,158). Seaford’s Jack McKenny finished fifth with 1,323 pins and a 220.50 average. His season average was a 184.50.
Nicholas Lesica of Island Trees shot 1,240 to tie for 20th. McKenny was one of five Seaford bowlers on the team. He and his teammates will compete in the state Division II team competition at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
