Hempfield Area School District has only had a bowling team for three years, so it’s a bit surprising perhaps that the squad has already won one championship, and is taking aim at a second. Or maybe it’s not. The way high school bowling has grown in the last decade or so, it only stands to reason that some new team would take home a title. When Angelo Bordogna became the bowling coach at Pittsburgh Central Catholic in 1990, there were eight teams in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Bowling League. In the year’s since he’s become league president, Bordogna has seen the league grow to 24 teams, with another half dozen or so expected to join next year. Now in its 29th year, the WPIBL is on the verge of obtaining WPIAL status. “This is a big year for us,” Bordogna said. “This is the first year teams will have to qualify for the state tourney and we have corporate sponsorship behind us.” Bordogna is also close to having the state finals, set for March 14-16, televised on Pennsylvania Cable Network. Bowling dignitaries, including Professional Bowlers’ Association pro Randy Peterson, who doubles as an ESPN color analyst, will attend. A number of Westmoreland County schools — Hempfield Area, Greensburg Central Catholic, Greensburg Salem, Franklin Regional and Penn Trafford — compete in the WPIBL’s East Division. All have seen success, too. The Spartans in particular have developed into a dominating squad. Under the tutelage of coach Larry Shively, Hempfield’s boys and girls were WPIBL champions last year. In the PIAA tournament, Hempfield’s boys took state honors, setting a new state team record. Nathan Shively, the coach’s son, won the state all-events (team plus singles) title with a state-record 1465. On the girls’ side, Tara Kane set a state girls’ singles record (775 series) and teammate Jenn Ridilla set a girls state all-events record (1420) in winning PIAA crowns. Hempfield is strong again this year, too. The boys’ team boasts three of the top five bowlers in the WPIBL: Jason Torrance (with a 215 average), Mario Sollecchio (211) and Nathan Shively (209). Kane and Ridilla, each with a 203 average, are tied for top honors on the girls’ side, and Jen Dalicandro is fifth at 189. “We have good people to draw from,” Shively said. “These kids come out of junior programs at Hillview Lanes and the Main Bowling Center and by the time they get to the high school level, they already know how to bowl. My job is easy. “My kids have given me a great effort. I cannot ask for more from them. They are serous about their game, intense.” At Greensburg Central Catholic, bowling has become so popular that the physical education department takes students bowling twice each year. GCC is the returning section champion, led by coach Don Yuhouse. His son, Aaron (200 average, 262 high game), is the Centurions’ anchor. Last year, Aaron had the league’s highest average, and generally rolls in the neighbor of a 600 series each week. Greensburg Salem features a young team of bowlers. Coach Jim Heater has only three bowlers with more than three years of experience. Topping that list is the Golden Lions’ top kegler, junior Samantha Steele, who sports a 185 average. Steele’s younger sister, Amanda, a sophomore, comes in with a 168 average. Freshman Mike Smolka anchors the boys’ team. “This league is extremely competitive,” Heater said. “These kids take bowling seriously. Many bowled together in the junior leagues and it becomes a matter of pride and bragging rights to play better for the school. It may be an individual, non-contact sport, but you can actually sense the intensity.” Penn-Trafford is equally young. Coach Andy Rizzardi has only two seniors on the team. Chris Wojton tops the boys with a 196 average (254 high game), while Danielle Holodnak, who has been the girls’ anchor for four years, comes in with a 202 average (255 high game, 680 series). They, and others like them, have paved the way for today’s newest bowlers to get involved in the sport, he said. “This league has grown so much in our four years,” Rizzardi added, “and it has become much more competitive. We see more and better bowlers every year.”

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