SCHENECTADY — Given its massive enrollment compared to most Capital Region high schools, Shenendehowa predictably has won its share of Section II sports titles, but in bowling the Plainsmen often are also-rans.
They exceeded expectations this season.
Under first-year co-coaches Jessica Aiezza and Connor Chatterton, Shen has changed the narrative, first by winning the Suburban Council crown last week and again Tuesday by capturing the Section II Class A boys’ championship, its first bowling title since 2012.
The Plainsmen totaled 5,979 pins over six games to outdistance defending champion Saratoga Springs (5,915) and Guilderland (5,818) among a 19-school field.
By winning its third sectional title in school history, Shen advanced to the state championship March 10 in Syracuse in the large-school division.
“It’s hard to say what’s different since it’s our first year,” said Aiezza, a standout bowler herself who starred at Mechanicville, “but we tried to figure out everyone’s strengths. We have a good, solid, even overall team. I don’t know if I’d say we had one standout. When one person was down, the rest of the team would pick them up. They were the definition of a good team.”
The Shen star at sectionals was junior Jeremy Shafer, a two-hander who rolled 1,328 over six games (221.3 average). Another two-hander, Jonathan Millis, posted a 1,259, and senior captain Jonathan Bauer hobbled his way to a 1,159 after hitting his ankle in the first game.
Bauer, in his fourth varsity season, had mixed feelings about whether Shen could reach this plateau when the Plainsmen began practicing in the fall.
“There’s always a feeling that, yes, we’ve got the skill,” Bauer said, “but at the same time, the last couple of years we haven’t been close. A couple of practices in you realize how everybody loves being…
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