BY GABY MALANGA
Sports Copy Editor
The girls bowling team finished 13-0 in the regular season, picking up right where they left off last Winter. Key bowlers Savannah Gomez, Madison Freudenberg, and Savanah Funk led the way to a Red Division Championship and a trip to the Finals of the GMC Tournament.
Senior captain Savannah Gomez, who is currently ranked 30th in the State, has led the team in points since her freshman year. “I feel extremely proud and accomplished to be the top bowler each season,” stated Gomez, who tallied 6,397 total points in the regular season.
An undefeated season for the girls put them in a good position for division and state rankings. “It felt wonderful, especially after almost reaching that goal last year with only one loss. I am so happy that we achieved this before most of us graduate,” explained senior Madison Freduenberg, who finished the regular season third in points with 5,572.
The girls finished the regular season as the one seed in the GMC Conference and Central Jersey Group 4 rankings. “Earning the title of Red Division Champions is a huge accomplishment in my books, and I’m proud of the team and how hard we worked for it!” shared senior Alyssa Woodburn, who rolled a high game of 205 this season.
Funk, a sophomore, has played the most games this season, ranking second on the team in total points with 6,009. “It is a good feeling to be the one seed,” expressed Funk.
In the first round of the GMC Tournament, the girls rolled to the win, beating South River 2-0. “We were very excited to make it this far a second time,” mentioned Freudenberg.
In the Quarterfinals, Old Bridge faced South Plainfield, knocking them off the board 2-0. “Winning against South Plainfield felt really good,” stated Funk who bowled the game high 213 in that match.
Winning against Monroe in the semifinals set Old Bridge up for a tough battle between Woodbridge. “We faced Woodbridge last year in the finals and gave them their only losses this season,” expressed Freudenberg.
Unfortunately, the girls fell short to Woodbridge 2-0, but they still had an incredible season. “The girls and I really stepped up to the plate and worked hard this year to have an undefeated season!” said Woodburn. They finished 16-1 and won the title of Red Division Champions.
On the boys’ side of the lanes, Zachary Wilson, Dominic Rodriguez and Noah Kang helped the team tremendously. “I felt like it made me feel like a great supporter to the team, and attending every match has gotten me better at my bowling skills,” said Kang, a sophomore who finished third on the team in total points (7,103).
Finishing the regular season 6-9 the boys sit 6th in Central Jersey Group 4 rankings. “It felt good to have such a great season and lead the team,” stated Wilson, who led the team in total points with 8,234 and a high game of 290.
According to Theresa Fischetti, newcomer Rodriguez has made a great addition to the team. “I feel that considering this was my first-time bowling for Old Bridge the season went well. I had many great games and had a lot of fun,” said Rodriguez who led the team with a 182.33 average.
In the GMC Tournament, the boys managed to beat South River 2-0 in the First Round, which set them up for a challenging match against St Joseph Metuchen. Ultimately, losing 2-0 in the Quarterfinals concluded the boys’ GMC tournament run.
Being a young team on the rise for the boys has created excitement for the future. “I can confidently say I predict a better season next year,” explained Rodriguez, who finished second on the team in total points with 7,293.
Both teams qualified for the NJISIAA Tournament and hope for winning outcomes. Gomez finished the season ranked 30th in the State and will play for the individual State Championship on February 29.
Posted on 2/8/24
Photos by Francesca Panetta and Lors Photography
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