Leading off today: Yesterday's blog item about some Suffolk County bowling achievements now merits a sequel after another outlandish keggling accomplishment.
On Tuesday, Bay Shore's Brandon Guerin completed his day by rolling a perfect game at Babylon Bowl just a few lanes away from a pair of North Babylon teammates were throwing 300s in the same game.
On Wednesday, the senior struck again in the opening game of a match vs. Deer Park at Strike 10 Lanes. Guerin opened the match by posting his second consecutive 300 en route to a 690 series.
And then the story gets even better, Newsday reports.
Deer Park senior Adam Zimmerman, Guerin's friend and opponent for the day, also rolled a 300 in the very same game on his way to an 811 series and a 3-0 sweep for his team.
"I'm just trying to get back to reality after that," Guerin said. "It was nerve-wracking, but it was also exciting because one of my best friends did it. We both went shot for shot."
Zimmerman said the two were rooting for each other when perfection as the game progressed. Guerin was the first to complete his perfect game.
"I was clapping for him, I was happy for him, but at the same time, I was like, 'He did it, it's over, you've just got to bury your shot,'" Zimmerman said. "I bowl 300 a lot, but it was kind of a different feeling ... just because of who I was bowling against and because we did it at the same time."
Milestone: Wallkill wrestling coach Jeff Cuilty earned his 400th victory as the Panthers defeated Kingston 77-6.
Jacob Lyle, Michael Fekishazy, Garrett Betcher and Jacob Zimmerman won by pin for the Panthers, who also received eight forfeits in the win.
Long, wild day: Olmsted needed three overtimes to defeat Cheektowaga JFK 65-59 in boys basketball Wednesday. Thomas Isbrandt of the Bears hit a half-court 3-pointer at the end of the second overtime to extend the game.
Brandon Roach scored 16 of his 30 points in OT in the win.
Starry, starry thoughts: Apologies for not remembering who said it -- my noggin has been experiencing data overload lately while trying to close out the fall season and get started on winter sports -- but an athletic administrator mentioned recently that he gets deluged with inquiries related to the public vs. private topic: during the fall playoffs, the winter playoffs and the spring playoffs.
Newspaper reporters on the high school beat can sympathize. That's roughly the same schedule on which they field the most questions and complaints about all-star teams.
There were two especially interesting looks at the subject recently from a pair of experienced reporters.
Mike Zacchio of The Journal News broached the subject of how much team success and an athlete's age may influence the selections for all-league, all-area and all-state in girls volleyball, but the concept can certainly be applied to other sports.
Zacchio cited Mychael Vernon, a very talented outside hitter at Ossining. Her age -- she's an eighth-grader -- and the team's 10-10 record may well have worked against her even though half of the Pride's losses were to two teams that reached the NYSPHSAA quarterfinals.
Zacchio noted Section 1 had 19 girls earn all-state status (Editor's note: I'm not sure whose all-star team this was' the NYSSWA does not select all-star teams in volleyball), but 13 of belonged to teams that reached the section finals. Further, of 60 girls named first- or second-team all-state in five classes, 55 played for teams that reached the state semifinals at the Glens Falls Civic Center.
Meanwhile, Kevin Stevens of the Press & Sun-Bulletin wrote about how much he loves his job -- weaving in a very nice "The Young & The Restless" reference -- except for a few choice weeks of the near... the weeks when he's selecting all-area teams.
