The Lancaster-Lebanon League bowling season got underway Friday, Dec. 1, with league matches beginning Dec. 5.
Below is a team-by-team look at the L-L squads.
Section One
Cedar Crest
Coach: Joey Leal (6th season).
Last year’s record: 37-57.
Key bowlers lost: none.
Key bowlers returning: Toby Zombro, sr., 212 average, 8th at L-L tournament; Paxton Thomas, jr., 182.
Coach’s thoughts: “(The outlook is) great. We picked up some new talent and they should do well.”
Hempfield
Coach: Tom Degnan (10th season).
Last year’s record: 60-31, section champion.
Key bowlers lost: Xander Green.
Key bowlers returning: Derick Keller, sr., 214, third in District Three; Priest McKenzie, jr., 223.95, had league-high average, section MVP.
Bowlers to watch: Jhada Luciano, jr., Blake Garman, so.; Adam Shank, so.
Coach’s thoughts: “Our team has a strong core of bowlers. We will lead by Derick and Priest. Both bowlers have the opportunity to have the two highest averages in the league.”
Manheim Township
Coach: Steve Schulz (2nd season).
Last year’s record: 56-35, Eastern Regional boys semifinalist, state boys champion.
Key bowlers lost: David Broich, Nick Tomlinson.
Key bowlers returning: Hope Broich, jr., 180 average; Bethany Jaquith, jr., 201, 10th at L-L girls tournament; Logan Wenger, jr., 195; Josh Finkelstein, so.
Coach’s thoughts: “This year sees the loss of prior leaders and the growth of new leaders to take their place. I am excited to see interest in those who have not bowled with us before and the improvement in those who are returning.”
McCaskey
Coach: Barry Wallace.
Last year’s record: 43-48.
Key bowlers lost: Logan Bughman, Connor Gerardi, Julee Getz, Adam Petrosky.
Key bowlers returning: Elizabeth DeJesus, sr.; Cameron Getz, jr., 203; Zeke Neff, jr.; Maia Torres, so.
Coach’s thoughts: “Even though we lost five key seniors, this is a growing team with depth of consistently scoring bowlers from grades 9-11. Without any seniors this year, we look forward to continuing our winning season and building for the future.”
Penn Manor
Coach: Chris Vital (20th season).
Last year’s record: 59-32, 2nd in Eastern Regional and state girls tournaments.
Key bowlers lost: Lacey Slaymaker, Josh Stock.
Key bowlers returning: Eva Brubaker, sr., 193, 6th at L-L girls tournament and qualified for states; Corinne Smith, sr.; 182, 5th at L-L girls tournament and 4th in District Three; Chris Hull, jr., 189.
Coach’s thoughts: “Every new season has its challenges. A lot depends on how much the returning starters are willing to put into their craft. So far, I am pleased with how hard they are working to improve. ... The key for us this year will be staying healthy. With only 9-10 bowlers, you can’t afford to be shorthanded for your matches.”
Section Two
Conestoga Valley
Coach: Maggie Gribble (2nd season).
Last year’s record: 49-42.
Key bowlers lost: None.
Key bowlers returning: Ryan Muckle, sr., 208 average, 9th in L-L Tournament, section all-star; Josiah Casler, jr., 203; Daniel Subers, so., 181, 6th in L-L Tournament.
Coach’s thoughts: “We are looking pretty strong this year with our starting varsity players back. We finished off the second half of the year strong and raising our team average. Other coaches took notice to this and commented that we had the most improved team for the year. Our hope is to better our record from last year and be in the top two of our section.”
Elizabethtown
Coach: Frank Telenko (20th season).
Last year’s record: 58 1/2-32 1/2, section champion, L-L champion.
Key bowlers lost: Zach Wentzel, 2022 L-L champion.
Key players returning: Derek Deardorff, sr., 203 average, 4th at L-L boys tournament; Evan Kimble, sr.; Cole Winters, sr.; Ella Eberle, jr., 207, 7th at L-L girls tournament and Eastern Regional first-round qualifier; Kendra Griffie, jr.; Declan Lentz, jr., 196; Mason Moore, so., 207, 5th at L-L boys tournament, section all-star.
Coach’s thoughts: “We will continue to have fun every day at practice, foster friendships on our team and get better every day. We have a full squad, ready to compete!!”
Ephrata
Coach: Andrew Gockley (1st season).
Last year’s record: 63-28, section winner.
Key bowlers lost: Nathan Barnica, Mateo Morales.
Key bowlers returning: Tanner Murray, sr., 205; Jacob Buckwalter, so., 206.
Other bowlers to watch: Bryce Carvell, sr.; Braden Murphy, jr.
Coach’s thoughts: “Ephrata is coming off a fantastic season last year. We have some key bowlers returning this season that should give us plenty of depth while we keep our focus to repeat as L-L Section Two champions.”
Lebanon
Coach: Ryan Schies (5th season).
Last year’s record: 0-91.
Key bowlers lost: None.
Key bowlers returning: Mason Bender, sr.; Dakota Folsom-Brasley, sr.; Alexa Lopez, sr.; Joshua Haulman, jr.; Daniel Liriano, jr.; Omar Milete, jr.; Joshua Perugorra, jr.; Reinaldo Rivera, jr.
Coach’s thoughts: “This season’s squad goes from eight bowlers to 13 bowlers, as well as going from having no seniors to seven seniors. We have four new bowlers coming out this season who have bowled before but never in the league format. This season I hope to get some wins; we haven’t had any wins since Feb. 4, 2020. With a new assistant coach (William Samuels) on hand, he and I plan to work on the fundamentals by going back to the basics. ... Once they know that, it may help improve their game.”
Warwick
Coach: Neil Vital (8th season); due to illness, he will not be coaching this year, replaced by assistants Kevin Kahler and Tyler Miller.
Last year’s record: 53-37.
Key bowlers lost: Robert Speer.
Key bowlers returning: Jordan Adams, sr., 196; Damian Erisman, jr., 188; Landen Kahler, jr., 185; Taylor Miller, jr., 217, 2nd in L-L and Eastern Regional girls tournaments, District Three champion, section all-star.
Coach’s thoughts: “As always, Section Two will be strong again this year. Losing just one senior, I expect to be competitive again with every team in the section. After missing the L-L team tournament last season, our goal is to qualify this year by finishing in the top two in the section.”
Section Three
Cocalico
Coach: Michael Vital (2nd season).
Last year’s record: 55-29, section champion.
Key bowlers lost: Jared Ferguson, Zach Fetter, Donovan Weik.
Key bowlers returning: Andrew Folwell, jr.; Alyssa Nessinger, so.
Coach’s thoughts: “We will be a very young team along with Alyssa and Andrew. I have some good young bowlers with lots of potential and very eager to learn.”
Elco
Coach: Pam Rittle.
Last year’s record: 14-70.
Key bowlers lost: none.
Key bowlers returning: Hunter Heisey, sr., 201, section all-star; Morgan Kline, sr., 209, L-L girls champion, 5th in District Three, section all-star; Ben Smeltzer, jr.
Coach’s thoughts: “We have a solid core group of bowlers who mesh well together. Looking forward to seeing where we end up. Each of my bowlers have their specific individual goal for the year and I’m here to support them and their goal.”
Garden Spot
Coach: Susan Doerrman (5th season).
Last year’s record: 46-38.
Key bowlers lost: Lacey McCalicher.
Key bowlers returning: Gavin Courtney, so., 222, section MVP.
Coach’s thoughts: “Smaller team, but some good bowlers added.”
Lampeter-Strasburg
Coach: Matt Shockey (1st season).
Last year’s record: 69-15, section champion.
Key bowlers lost: None.
Key bowlers returning: Nick Bukowski, sr., 181 average; Peter Mecouch, sr., 179; Katie Pope, sr., 181, 8th at L-L girls tournament; Ethan Snyder, sr., 199, section all-star; Maddux Harsh, so., 175.
Coach’s thoughts: “With everybody back, we are looking forward to the challenge of defending the section championship. We understand it will be difficult. We will not be able to sneak up on anybody this year. I expect the team to step up and perform at a high level. We have five solid bowlers returning with others ready to step in if needed.”
Manheim Central
Coach: Alan Sides (7th season).
Last year’s record: 61-23.
Key bowlers lost: Ethan Howard, Jesse Hurst, Hailey Kowalski.
Key bowlers returning: Landen Statts, sr., 190; Aaron Vogel, sr.; Bailey Boltz, jr.; Asher Harris, jr.; Ashton Fritz, so., 180.
Other bowlers to watch: Michael Martin, so.; Kitiara MacFeat, so.
Coach’s thoughts: “Even losing three starters, we have a strong returning team that should be in the thick of the section. With returning varsity starters Landen Statts and Ashton Fritz, along with Aaron Vogel and Asher Harris (both frequent varsity contributors last season), and Bailey Boltz, I feel we have a strong starting five.”
Section Four
Columbia
Coach: Becky Kinser (6th season).
Last year’s record: 54-13.
Key bowlers lost: Dominic Lenhart.
Key bowlers returning: Rory Bender, sr., 186, section all-star; Robert Cox Jr., sr.; Trenton Garza, sr.; Derick Kinser, sr., 204, section all-star.
Lancaster Catholic
Coach: Dave Sharpe (17th season).
Last year’s record: 13-65.
Key bowlers lost: Abraham Santiago.
Key bowlers returning: Blaise Segro, sr.; Isabel Santiago, sr.
Coach’s thoughts: “We hope to be competitive in our section.”
Lancaster Mennonite
Coach: Duane Evans (1st season).
Last year’s record: 7-70.
Key bowlers lost: Arturo Veras.
Key bowlers returning: Hayden Gruno, Lukas Stauffer.
Coach’s thoughts: “Still building the program.”
Northern Lebanon
Coach: Joshua Evans (1st season).
Last year’s record: 35-42.
Key bowlers lost: Owen Walmer.
Key bowlers returning: Landon McGaw, sr.; Charlie Albright, jr., 206, section all-star; Chase Stohler, jr.
Coach’s thoughts: “I have a good mix of returning bowlers from last season and a new bunch of 9th and 10th grade students coming out for the team for the first time. They are all very eager to get to work and reclaim the Section Three title after coming up short last season against a strong Columbia team. With a new crop of new bowlers, we will be returning back to the basics, which will be great for all bowlers. It will be a refresher for some and new lessons for others.”
Non-league
Donegal
Coach: Paul Stubenrauch (2nd season).
Last year’s record: 6-8.
Key bowlers lost: None.
Key bowlers returning: Charles Winders, sr.; Cooper Palmer, jr.
Coach’s thoughts: “We were a brand-new program last season and we will begin our second season as an independent before our inclusion into the L-L League next season. ... The future of Donegal bowling is very bright and exciting as we prepare for the L-L League next season. ... We have two great returning bowlers (Winders and Cooper) and will have a great deal of young talent. We will see who is going to step up this season to compete at the varsity level.”
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