Matawan Girls' Bowling Goes Pin for Pin with Keyport

A group of parents and bowlers looked on as a member of the Matawan Girls' Bowling team prepared herself.

Dani Basciano, who currently has the highest average on the team, selected her black bowling bowl, paused, and took a few quick steps toward the lane before swinging her arm forward and releasing the ball while dipping her right leg behind the left.

There she remained for a brief moment, watching the ball barrel down the lane. Knocking down just enough pins to keep Matawan tied with Keyport, she walked back to her teammates and received multiple high fives.

The Matawan girls are currently ranked in first place, while the Keyport girls are ranked in second. At a match at AMF Strathmore Lanes, Matawan's home location, Matawan lost the first round to Keyport by only two pins.

"Matawan and Keyport were neck and neck. It came down to the last ball and Keyport won by two pins," Geran said. Luckily the girls tightened up their game and won the next two rounds, said Coach John Geran.

The boys team faired equally well, beating Keyport in two of their three matches. However, the boys' big rival this year is top seated Keansburg, who won the overall state championship last year.

Geran has been coaching both the boys and girls teams, a group of about 20 students, for the past seven years. The teams practice once a week and regulary meet with other towns for matches. His sister, Susanne Hughes, began volunteering as a coach three years ago. Geran plans to retire from coaching this year and hopes to see Hughes, who played on the NJIT boy's team in college, take over both teams.

Matawan has had a boys and girls bowling team since about 1965, and the last time they won the state championship was when Geran was on the team back in 1969. But with the girls bowling strong this season, he hopes they will remain in first, or even second, place to qualify for the All Shore Conference.

Whether they make it to the conference or not, Geran enjoys seeing students come together to compete in a sport that's less about athletic ability and more about practice, patience and comradery. 

"Bowling is a sport where the average person can participate and do well," Geran said. "It's not only an individual sport. It's just as much a team sport and every kid pulls for every kid on each shot."