Bowling: Final boys and girls rankings, highlights of the 2024-25 season
Year 2 of the NJSIAA bowling “playoff era” featured North Jersey’s first state champion under the new format.
But does the sectional- and state-tournament change reflect the spirit of the sport?
When the state’s governing body for high school athletics scrapped the longstanding, one-day tournament format (used from 1958-2023), the idea was to make the bowling postseason more similar to other sports, with brackets of head-to-head matches determining champions.
Holy Angels now owns titles from both styles of competition after besting Brick Township in the Feb. 25 girls team finals.
“I always look at it as, just tell me what the rules are, and I’ll go by it,” Angels coach Pat Dunne said. “Bowling is not like other sports… but they want it to be fair, and this is a fair way to do it, there’s no doubt about that.
“The only reason I like the tournament is because it’s one day, and everyone’s bowling under the same conditions, the same house, the same oil pattern,” he added. “But it certainly worked out for us this year.”
The biggest tweak for 2024-25 was reducing the number of girls sections from four (North 1, North 2, Central and South) to two, leaving only North and South. This made sense with fewer girls’ programs in the state than boys’, but it also created a logistical anomaly.
Boys team sectional finals took place on Feb. 22, when bowlers were able to collect their trophies and enjoy them for a few days before that state semifinals and finals.
In the girls’ case, the sectional finals are now de facto state semifinals. That meant teams which earned sectional trophies in the Feb. 25 morning session at Bowlero North Brunswick basically had time for high-fives and pictures before immediately moving to the afternoon state finals.
Again, with the format still relatively new, the NJSIAA will continue to adjust. Its best move this season was holding the Unified team finals – featuring member schools registered with Special Olympics New Jersey – concurrent with the afternoon session of the Feb. 27 state individual finals.
After the second-round cut reduced a total field of 200 individuals down to 36, there was enough open space on Bowlero’s upper lanes for the Unified competitors. Plus, that part of the house can accommodate larger crowds and (ideally) draw more fan interest.
Final rankings
Carrying over a trend that began last season, the Varsity Aces base our final bowling rankings on those found in the North Jersey bowling database maintained by Rich Smith and Big North/NJIC coaches.
The spreadsheet rankings are based on straight team average. We also add the human element, so teams that won division titles and made deep runs in the state tournament get a bit of a boost, provided their averages were comparable to the teams around them (within, say, 5-10 pins).
Immense thanks to all who help bring us the numbers, so we can bring them to you. And, once again, both boys and girls bowling rankings are Top 10s.
North Jersey boys bowling Top 10
- Bergen Tech (21-4)
- North Arlington (22-3)
- Demarest (18-4)
- Passaic Tech (13-4)
- Old Tappan (11-4)
- Bergen Catholic (15-5)
- Fort Lee (14-7)
- Pascack Valley (12-6)
- Hackensack (13-8)
- Fair Lawn (11-3)
Also considered (alphabetical order): Hasbrouck Heights (16-13), Lyndhurst (19-6), Rutherford (19-2), Wayne Valley (12-3), Westwood (13-3).
North Jersey girls bowling Top 10
- Bergen Tech (25-1)
- Holy Angels (22-1)
- Demarest (19-2)
- Fort Lee (16-4)
- Cliffside Park (14-3
- Passaic Tech (15-3)
- Mahwah (17-3)
- North Arlington (19-5)
- Immaculate Heart (10-7)
- Dumont (19-11)
Also considered (alphabetical order): Hackensack (14-6), Lakeland (9-8), Paramus (10-6), Ridgewood (7-8), River Dell (9-8).
Bowling Athletes of the Week
For the first time in four seasons, multiple bowlers were recognized with The Record North Jersey Athlete of the Week award:
Salute to champions
► For the third year in a row, Passaic Tech swept both the boys and girls team titles at the Passaic County Tournament. The boys outscored Wayne Hills, 2,625-2,511, while the girls topped Lakeland, 2,408-1,791, on Jan. 13 at Parkway Lanes.
► Wayne Hills junior Myles Berkowitz shot a 637 series to win the Passaic boys individual title. Passaic Tech senior Dakota Bertinato (572 series) edged junior teammate Gianna McCloskey by one pin for the girls crown.
► The Jan. 18 Bergen County girls team tournament at Bowler City came down to North Jersey’s two best teams. Bergen Tech, which carried a perfect 154-0 points record in regular-season matches, posted the top qualifying score with a five-girl, three-game 2,885.
In the best-of-5 Baker playoff final, however, No. 3 seed Holy Angels knocked off the reigning champion Knights 157-200, 212-157, 181-180, 180-168.
► A weeek later at Bowler City, the Bergen County boys team tournament produced three winners for the first time. Bergen Tech was the Groups 3-4 champion with a four-game 4,101, rolling better than 1,000 each game. Pascack Valley opened with a 1,060 en route to winning Groups 1-2 with a 3,929. And in the inaugural bowling BIT, St. Joseph scored 3,448 to take the invitational trophy.
NVOT Strikes Again. For the second year in a row a Golden Knight takes home the Bergen County Individuals Bowling Championship. First year bowler Alex Orecchio Bowled a scorching hot 715 series on his way to beating PV's Lucas Mercado 234 to 182 in the finals! pic.twitter.com/XPTSlh3ilw
— NVRHS Old Tappan (@NVOT) February 5, 2025
► An Old Tappan bowler captured the Bergen County boys individual title for the second year in a row. Senior Alex Orecchio fired the No. 1 qualifying series (715) to earn a bye to the Feb. 4 stepladder final at Bowler City. There, he held off No. 5 Lucas Mercado of Pascack Valley, 234-182.
► The top seed in the Feb. 15 Bergen County girls individual tournament also emerged victorious at Bowler City. Bergen Tech senior Samantha Seneres began with a 664 qualifying series. The FDU commit from Little Ferry then outscored No. 5 Alexa Baker of Demarest, 242-211, in the stepladder final.
► North Arlington closed the NJIC campaign by winning the Feb. 20 conference tournament at North Arlington Bowl. Only 61 pins separated the first-place Vikings (2,232) of the Meadowlands Division, runner-up Butler (2,187, Colonial) and third-place Park Ridge/Emerson (2,171, Patriot).
North Arlington junior Alex Garcia won high series (622), and Butler senior William McHone earned the high game award (253).
Final Big North boys standings
NOTE: All below records reflect points won and lost in divisional play only, based on three-game, 7-point matches (2 points for each game won, 1 point for total pinfall).
AMERICAN: Fort Lee 48-8, Dumont 45-11, Ridgefield Park 25-31, Dwight Morrow 22-34, Cliffside Park 0-56.
FREEDOM: Hackensack 45-11, Ridgewood 35-21, Ramapo 33-23, Paramus 19-37, Northern Highlands 8-48.
INDEPENDENCE: Fair Lawn 47-9, Wayne Valley 45-11, West Milford 23-33, Wayne Hills 21-35, Lakeland 4-52.
LIBERTY: Bergen Tech 67-3, Passaic Tech 59-11, Eastside 42-28, Clifton 13-50*, Kennedy 11-52*, Passaic 11-59. *Feb. 6 Clifton/Kennedy match postponed and not made up.
NATIONAL: Old Tappan 59-11, Demarest 56-14, Pascack Valley 51-19, Teaneck 24-46, Tenafly 18-52, Bergenfield 2-68.
PATRIOT: Westwood 69-1, Pascack Hills 43-27, Mahwah 40-30, River Dell 23-47, Indian Hills 18-52, Ramsey 17-53.
UNITED: Bergen Catholic 38-4, St. Joseph 28-14, Don Bosco 18-24, Paramus Catholic 0-42.
Final Big North girls standings
AMERICAN: Fort Lee 55-1, Cliffside Park 41-15, Dumont 30-26, Ridgefield Park 10-46, Dwight Morrow 4-52.
FREEDOM: Hackensack 45-11, Paramus 44-12, Ridgewood 35-21, Northern Highlands 9-47, Ramapo 7-49.
INDEPENDENCE: Lakeland 34-8, Fair Lawn 30-12, Wayne Hills 16-26, Wayne Valley 4-38.
LIBERTY: Bergen Tech 70-0, Passaic Tech 56-14, Kennedy 26-37*, Passaic 31-39, Eastside 14-56, Clifton 6-57*. *Feb. 6 Clifton/Kennedy match postponed and not made up.
NATIONAL: Demarest 70-0, Tenafly 45-25, Old Tappan 42-28, Teaneck 22-48, Pascack Valley 18-52, Bergenfield 13-57.
PATRIOT: Mahwah 68-2, River Dell 45-25, Pascack Hills 29-41, Indian Hills 29-41, Ramsey 28-42, Westwood 11-59.
UNITED: Holy Angels 28-0, Immaculate Heart 14-14, Paramus Catholic 0-28.
Final NJIC coed standings
COLONIAL: Butler 95-17, Eastern Christian 92-20, Hawthorne 89-23, Lodi 61-51, Glen Rock 56-56, Paterson Charter 50-62, Garfield 34-78, Pompton Lakes 23-89, Manchester 4-108.
MEADOWLANDS: North Arlington 124-16, Rutherford 123-17, Lyndhurst 110-30, Hasbrouck Heights 92-48, Wood-Ridge 92-48, Becton 87-53, St. Mary 54-86, Wallington 38-102, Harrison 26-114, Weehawken 18-122, Secaucus 6-134.
PATIROT: Park Ridge/Emerson 103-9, Hawthorne Christian 101-11, Leonia 90-22, Palisades Park 66-46, Saddle River Day 51-61, Midland Park 37-75, Bogota 33-79, New Milford 16-96, Mary Help 7-105.
GIRLS TEAMS (Independent): North Arlington 105-26, Eastern Christian 4-45.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ bowling: Final boys/girls rankings, standings, 2024-25 highlights
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