300 FOR WHEELER RARE: Perfection for Longwood first in girls bowling since 2016
Matias, Christopher. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 16 Jan 2022
Cheers grew as the ball left Katelyn Wheeler’s hands and rolled down the lane. As the pins dropped, pure joy came and Wheeler’s face lit up as the spectators at Coram Country Lanes exploded in celebration.
Wheeler was perfect. Her 12th and final roll of a 300 game was right down the middle and crushed the 10 pins.
The Longwood senior was the first in Suffolk girls bowling to roll a 300 since Julia Bocazama of East Islip in Dec., 2016. Wheeler’s 300 came in a matchup against Patchogue-Medford on Jan. 6.
“Honestly, it still doesn’t feel real to me,” Wheeler said. “Every time I think about the last roll, I get happy and excited, I’m really proud of myself.”
Wheeler came closest to this achievement in her sophomore year when she rolled a 288 game against Smithtown West. That was the second-best high game in Suffolk in the 2019- season.
“I was just very anxious that day,” Wheeler said. “It was my 11th shot where I messed up, just pulled the ball a bit, because I was freaking out.”
This time she felt that something special was occurring by the seventh frame. The same frame she always feels “nerves start to kick in” when she catches fire. By the final roll, she had confidence that she would secure perfection.
“I counted 3,2,1, in my head and threw what I would say was the most perfect shot I’ve ever thrown,” Wheeler said. “You could barely hear it hit the ground and it went so smoothly over the second arrow and struck.”
Teammates, parents, opponents, and even strangers at the alley all became one as they supported Wheeler’s attempt at history.
This was a far cry from a season ago in which spectators weren’t allowed, and teammates could only rely on each other for a little boost.
“It got very quiet, and everyone started crowding around me,” Wheeler said. “There were random people that I didn’t even know, and it just felt like a once in a lifetime thing that you have to experience yourself, to have strangers cheering for you.”
Emily Kulkarni of Sachem came closest to achieving a perfect game this season before Wheeler. She faltered on her final roll and ended up with a 297.
“I’ve never bowled 300 before, I was trying to play my game and I remember seeing Katelyn [Wheeler] out the corner of my eye cheering me on,” Kulkarni said. “The nerves kind of got to me and I turned my hand a little as I was releasing the ball.”
Kulkarni understands the difficulty in the achievement after having come so close. She was present when Wheeler had her perfect game, cheering her on as she rolled strike after strike.
“I always knew she could bowl a 300, we’ve been friends for a while and even when we go against each other I’m still cheering her on,” Kulkarni said. “I was crying with her after it happened, I was so happy for her.”
Wheeler has been a big part of the early season success that has Longwood at 8-1. She has the eighth-highest average in Suffolk (208.444) and the ninth best high series (706).
In the previous two seasons she had finished within the top 14 in average in Suffolk. The culmination of the hard work she has put in, arrived in the form of a 300 on the scoreboard.
“I never could’ve done it without my team supporting me,” Wheeler said. “They’ve always pushed me to do my best.”
Wheeler gets second perfect game
Katelyn Wheeler notched her second 300 in less than a month’s time as she took home the “A” doubles crown with Longwood teammate Samantha Slocum. The tandem scored an 854 in two games. They finished just ahead of Dakota Collins and Kailyn Bloch of East Islip, who achieved a score of 849.
Wheeler’s first 300 was the first for a girl in Suffolk’s regular season since the 2016-17 season and the first in Longwoodteam history. She now also holds the distinction of being the only Longwood bowler, male or female, to roll two perfect games. Her strong bowling in the month of January has helped her raise her average from 197.5333 to 207.9167.
She bowled a 609 series in Longwood‘s regular season finale against Sachem, helping Longwood hand Sachem its first loss and enabling the team to become Suffolk I co-champions. – Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 06 Feb 2022:
Samantha Slocum’s 268 helps Longwood win Suffolk bowling title
Cassie Edwards from Longwood competes at the Suffolk bowling team championships at Sayville Lanes on Saturday in Sayville Credit: Pablo Garcia Corradi
Six pins separated the Longwood and Sachem girls bowling teams for the top spot at the Suffolk team championship Saturday as they headed into the sixth and final game at Bowlero Sayville.
Longwood had the advantage and kept it thanks to Samantha Slocum’s best game of her junior season.
Slocum threw eight consecutive strikes in a 268 Game 6 to propel her squad to the county title. She finished with a 1,053 five-game series.
“I was able to really feed off the energy of my teammates,” Slocum said. “They were all making a ton of noise and it helped me big time to put up that score.”
Longwood totaled 6,602 pins, Sachem was second (5,908) and East Islip placed third (5,808). For Longwood, Cassandra Edwards had a 245 in Game 4 of a 1,298 six-game series, Katelyn Wheeler had a 206 in both Game 2 and 3 of an 1,165 six-game series, Jolie Penney rolled a 268 in Game 1 and Mikayla James tossed a 249 in Game 5.
After the three-game morning session, Sachem led by one pin over Longwood, 2,986 to 2,985. Following an hour lunch break, Sachem extended its lead to 71 pins with a 1,023 in Game 4. Longwood answered with a 1,060 in Game 5 to take the six-pin lead .
“Our number one girl [Katelyn Wheeler] was seventh-best in the county with a 207.92 average. East Islip and Sachem each had two girls above that,” Huey said. “We had so many girls step up and bowl better than their average and it was truly a great all-around team performance.”
Longwood will represent Section XI in the state tournament on Sunday, Mar. 13, at AMF Strike-N-Spare Lanes in Syracuse. Cira Arcangel (Sachem), Shannon Darby (Sachem), Leighanna Tolan (Central Islip), Canan Bademci (Patchogue-Medford), Dakota Collins (East Islip) and Kailyn Bloch (East Islip) will make up the Section XI All-Star team that will compete at the states on Saturday, Mar. 12. Bloch’s 217.5 average over six games was the highest of the county tournament. Emily Kulkarni (Sachem) will serve as an alternate on the sectional team.
“I can’t wait to be up in Syracuse with this group of girls,” Slocum said. “If we bowl like we did today, I think we can make some noise up there.
Mikayla James, Katelyn Wheeler roll Longwood to second place at state tournament
Longwood’s Mikayla James bowls during the 2022 NYSPHSAA Bowling Championships at the Strike N’Spare in Syracuse, NY, Sunday, March 13, 2022.
SYRACUSE — It had been a while since the Longwood girls bowling team participated in the state tournament. Nevermind the event being canceled the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lions were making their first appearance since 1989, coach David Huey said.
The road upstate was paved by a full team effort. Sure, senior Katelyn Wheeler is capable of bowling a 300 in any given game but it’s the talented young bowlers behind her that make the Lions one of the best teams in the state.
Longwood went a long way toward proving that on Sunday at Strike ‘N Spare Lanes, totaling 5,689 pins in six games to finish second in the Division I championship. Rockland of Section I won with 5,874.
“All season long it’s been a team effort,” Huey said. “Look at Mikayla James today, she stepped up and it says a lot about who we are and our team.”
James, a sophomore, had the third best series in the championship with a six-game total of 1,254. Her 256 in the second game was her best effort. Samantha Felice added a 223 in the second game of a 1,142 series.
“We’re all so close and we rely on each other’s energy to help each other,” James said. “Getting here today is a dream come true.”
Wheeler, who threw the only two 300 games in Longwood history this season, finished the day with a 1,198 series and a high game of 257.
“I’m so glad to be here with my family and to have them be able to watch me because it’s my senior year,” Wheeler said. “We had the whole season and you really never think you’re actually going to make it this far and then you’re here. It still doesn’t feel real.”
Huey added, “I’m sad to see Katelyn go. She’s one of the best bowlers in the county but I have faith in these younger kids. They eat, sleep and breathe bowling but I anticipate another good year next year.”
Mineola, the Nassau champion, also has a bright future to look forward to with only one senior on the roster.
Sophomore Michaela Palumbo will look to continue her ascent as one of the best bowlers in the county. She bowled the highest game of the championship, rolling a 267 in the final game of the second highest series, a 1,272.
“Considering it was the last game of the season it really means a lot to me,” Palumbo said. “I wasn’t trying to just do it for me but also for my team.”
Mineola finished ninth with a six-game total of 4,954.
“The fact that we won counties and were able to come up here this season was such a good experience for us,” Palumbo said. “Now we know what to expect in the future. Overall it was a great experience.”
James strikes, Longwood 2nd
Morris, Gene. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 14 Mar 2022
SYRACUSE – It had been a while since the Longwood girls bowling team participated in the state tournament. Nevermind the event being canceled the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lions were making their first appearance since 1989, coach David Huey said.
The road upstate was paved by a full team effort. Sure, senior Katelyn Wheeler is capable of bowling a 300 in any given game but it’s the talented young bowlers behind her that make the Lions one of the best teams in the state.
Longwood went a long way toward proving that on Sunday at Strike ‘N Spare Lanes, totaling 5,689 pins in six games to finish second in the Division I championship. Rockland of Section I won with 5,874.
“All season long it’s been a team effort,” Huey said. “Look at Mikayla James today, she stepped up and it says a lot about who we are and our team.”
James, a sophomore, had the third best series in the championship with a six-game total of 1,254. Her 256 in the second game was her best effort. Samantha Felice added a 223 in the second game of a 1,142 series.
“We’re all so close and we rely on each other’s energy to help each other,” James said. “Getting here today is a dream come true.”
Wheeler, who threw the only two 300 games in Longwood history this season, finished the day with a 1,198 series and a high game of 257.
“I’m so glad to be here with my family and to have them be able to watch me because it’s my senior year,” Wheeler said. “We had the whole season and you really never think you’re actually going to make it this far and then you’re here. It still doesn’t feel real.”
Huey added, “I’m sad to see Katelyn go. She’s one of the best bowlers in the county but I have faith in these younger kids. They eat, sleep and breathe bowling but I anticipate another good year next year.”
Congratulations to the Longwood High School varsity girls bowling team on their first Suffolk County Championship since 1989!
Under the leadership of Coach Huey, the team secured their spot with a 154 pin lead over Sachem with outstanding performances by top bowlers Cassie Edwards, Jolie Penney, Mikayla James, and Sam Slocum.
The team will represent Section XI – Suffolk County Athletics in the NYSPHSAA Girls Bowling Championships on March 11-13 in Syracuse!