Sewanhaka District's Brandon Hughes rolls to boys individual bowling title
Brandon Hughes of Sewanhaka District, right, gets congratulated by Seth Braum of Wantagh after rolling a strike in the Nassau boys bowling individual championship at AMF Garden City Lanes on Tuesday. Credit: James Escher
Sewanhaka District bowler Brandon Hughes was warm.
(How warm was he?)
He was so warm that the only way the Carey junior could find relief from the heat during the Nassau boys individual bowling championship was by borrowing a small, personal fan.
(That’s not a joke, folks.)
Hughes, who was about 100 pins clear of his nearest competitor late in the fourth game of a six-game series at AMF Garden City Lanes, enjoyed a black, hand-held fan for a few seconds.
"It gets hot up there, throwing six games in two hours," he said. "It cooled me down for sure."
The rest of the competition probably wishes Hughes’ fan would have cooled off his bowling performance on Tuesday afternoon. Alas, it didn’t.
He churned out games of 266, 212, 237, 255, 237 and 180 to lead from start to finish and win the Nassau individual crown with a 1,387 — 137 pins better than Wheatley’s Joseph Dolezal (1,250) who was second. (Dolezal was fourth overall in Nassau by average this season with a 210.)
Farmingdale’s Aidan Rinaldi was third (1,217), followed by Bellmore-Merrick’s Brendan Moran (1,210) and Wantagh’s Seth Braum (1,204) to round out the top five.
Hughes, who utilizes a two-handed delivery from the left side, led Nassau this season with a 225.4 average; so to many, it wasn’t a surprise he won. Still, his execution in the biggest individual event of the season was nothing short of sensational.
"I just came in with a positive attitude," said Hughes, who placed fifth last season in the same event. "I knew if I threw the ball well, I’d come out on top."
Although Hughes said he began bowling as toddler ("I started when I was two, and my parents never let me use the bumpers," he quipped) he didn’t start bowling for the district’s high school team until last season.
Why? Well, Hughes is also an accomplished hockey and lacrosse player.
The 16-year-old, who happens to wear No. 29 in hockey, clutched a No. 29 charm around his neck throughout the event, and even bowled part of the day on Lane 29.
So rate your sports for us, young man.
"Hockey is first," said Hughes, who plays center for the Long Island Edge club hockey team. "Now bowling [second], and then lacrosse."
Hughes had a backpack around his shoulders and started to hurry out of the bowling alley. Where was he going?
"I have a 9:15 practice in Port Washington," Hughes said.
Maybe on the ice, he’ll finally cool off.
