Farmingdale boys bowling slides by Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK for Nassau III title
Carmelo Randazzo of Farmingdale gets congratulated after a strike in a Nassau county boys bowling match against Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK at Farmingdale Lanes on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020. Credit: James Escher
Farmingdale boys bowling coach Joseph Bianca said that this year marked the first time that he had to make cuts on his team when a group of 50 had to be reduced to 16.
On Tuesday, three of those 16 led the Dalers to the Nassau III championship at Farmingdale Lanes.
“Butterflies in my tummy consistently,” Bianca said about winning the title.
“Anguish watching them. I feel sorry for the kids working so hard, the kid that loses. There’s some times that you have to lose and that makes you a better person.”
Farmingdale (10-2) entered the day eight points ahead of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, needing to avoid getting swept to secure the crown. After winning the final game, it won the title based on seasonal points, 110-107.
Carmelo Randazzo had a 645 series to lead Farmingdale. Seniors Nick Rose and Steven Diaczun and eighth-grader Aidan Rinaldi also had strong performances.
“All the hard work pays off,” said Randazzo, who rolls the ball two-handed. “I put on a good performance. My team did. We got the job done.”
Plainview won the final match, 8-3, but it wasn’t quite enough to overcome the one-game deficit for the season.
“I’m just glad to be part of the team” said Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK senior Ben Raifer when talking about coming so close to a conference title. “It doesn’t matter to me that we lost. The experience [the season] was amazing.”
Plainview senior Anthony Schiano had a strong strike-filled first game as he scored a 253 to help give the Hawks the opener, 820-799.
The second game was a back-and-forth affair, which Plainview also won, 832-805.
But Farmingdale prevailed as Randazzo and his teammates delivered what would be the final blow to the Hawks’ title hopes, winning the title-deciding final game, 832-802.
Randazzo bowled a strike and smacked his hands together as if to say “my job is done here.”
Before the match, Bianca told his team to “make the spares” or as Randazzo and his teammates refer to it, “wood.”
There was nothing to spare in the end. Everything was accounted for.
