Moore, Puntin Lead Red-Hot Pittsfield at Ken's Bowl

PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The unbeaten Pittsfield High bowling team was in seventh heaven on Thursday at Ken’s Bowl.

 

Nick Puntin opened his first game of the weekly Berkshire County High School League competition with seven straight strikes on his way to a 246.

 

A.J. Moore did him one better, closing his first game with seven in a row for a 269 on his way to a 505 series as the Generals defeated Drury, 3-0.

 

Afterward, Moore agreed it made a difference getting the miss out of the way early in his game as opposed to having the kind of pressure Puntin probably felt with a possible 300 looming in the distance.

 

“I would say it’s definitely a different mindset going into the last few frames,” Moore said. “When you have the front seven, all you’re really focused on is, ‘I really want to get this next shot just so I can get to the 10th frame and have a shot at 300.’

 

“But once you miss early, you’re like, ‘OK, there’s not a lot of pressure. Let’s just go out there and throw the ball well.’ … You’re just kind of more calm, and you’re up there thinking, ‘I have a good chance at striking out, so let’s not think about it. Let’s just get up there and throw each shot.’ “

 

Puntin, Moore and all the Generals have been throwing the ball well all winter, winning their first three matches by 3-0 margins to join a four-team logjam atop the eight-team league. McCann Tech, Wahconah, Lee and Pittsfield each came into Thursday’s matches with 6-0 marks, and each left with their records at 9-0.

 

Each week, a team faces one other league opponent in a three-game match: two conventional five-player games and one Baker format match where each team member rolls two frames in a best-of-three games matchup.

 

On Thursday, the Drury Blue Devils manage to push Pittsfield in the end, taking the first Baker game before Pittsfield rallied for the next two to win the Baker point and a 3-0 sweep of the match.

 

Drury was led by Michael Oakes, who rolled a 394 series (181-213).

 

McCann Tech, which defeated Mount Everett, got the day’s best series from Brandon Vallone, who rolled a 525 (267-258). He was backed up by Jared Blondon (213-167--280) and Kalley Vanuni (162-164--326).

 

Vallone, who rolled a 300 earlier in the season, started his second game on Thursday afternoon with five straight strikes before needing a spare to pick up the seven pin the sixth frame.

 

Mount Everett got a 345 series from Tucker Wilson (171-174).

 

Lee High’s Adam Dingman rolled a 365 series (170-195) to lead his team past Mount Greylock, which got a 322 from Taylor Callahan (161-161).

 

The day’s best game and best series among the girls came from Wahconah’s Amber Wood, who rolled a 211 game and 405 series to help her squad defeat Taconic. Alex White was high for Wahconah with a 477 (202-275). Taconic was led by Alexis Hamel (133-159--292) and Sara Curry (126-160--286).

 

Moore said that watching Puntin get off to his red-hot start on Thursday helped him post the big numbers.

 

“I found a line early in practice, and I was hitting it well,” Moore said. “Watching Nick throw, I saw his line, and I knew me and him could play around the same area because our balls hook roughly the same. Basically, just watching how his reacted and making adjustments off that, I was able to find my mark and keep hitting it.”

 

Moore said the the Generals, who won’t bowl against a team with a winning record until they face McCann Tech on Jan. 11 at Greylock Bowl and Golf, are playing with confidence.

 

“Right now, we’re 3-0, and I really like our chances,” Moore said. “Last year, at states, we kind of struggled a little bit. But I really think this year we’re much stronger.

 

“Our varsity team is the same as it was last year, but Alex [Fruet] and Colby [Rooney], their averages have jumped 20 or 30 pins. With those guys jumping like that -- and my average has jumped up, Austin [Blessing] has jumped up. Nick [Puntin] is bowling great. If we can keep this going and keep our team chemistry going, I don’t see anyone who is going to stand in our way.”

 

The league is off for the holidays, returning to action on Jan. 4 in Great Barrington at Cove Lanes.