BY BOB LIEPA | SPORTS EDITOR
When the final bowling ball of the day was rolled for the Riverhead Blue Waves, the last number in a line of numbers next to Elliot Jones' name spoke volumes: 288.
The 288 game added up to a career-high 772 series for Jones, a junior making a name for himself in the world of Suffolk County boys bowling.
Riverhead Coach Scott Hackal seemed to take it all in stride, though. Had he ever seen Jones bowl like that before?
"I see it every day," he said. "He's like that. He gets locked in, he can throw a lot of strikes."
John Horton, a teammate and fellow junior, also sees what Jones does every day in practice as well as on Sunday mornings when they bowl in East Islip. "His form is the same every shot -- strike, strike, strike," said Horton.
That's the way it was for Jones on Monday when he led the Blue Waves to a 26 1/2-6 1/2 victory over the Patchogue-Medford Raiders at Wildwood Lanes in Riverhead . The junior, who bumped his average up to 237.6, knocked down 10 straight strikes during one stretch in the third game. The little he had to lament was a first-frame spare and his last throw, which left the 2 pin standing.
Jones threw a 226 and a 258 in the first two games. He finished the match with 24 strikes and nine spares.
As it turned out, Riverhead needed every one of Jones' 288 pins in the third game, which it won by a single pin, 1,019-1,018. Riverhead held an 891-865 lead entering the 10th frame. The Blue Waves took the first two games as well, 986-845 and 1,079-1,014.
"It was getting nerve-wracking at the end," said Jones, who had scored a 289 two years ago.
In Riverhead 's two previous matches, Jones put up a 710 series against the Connetquot Thunderbirds and a 656 versus the Ward Melville Patriots.
To Hackal, Jones, a two-time all-county bowler, is reminiscent of Craig Wellbrock, one of the best bowlers Riverhead has ever produced. The coach said he would like to see Jones reach the state tournament this season.
What was it that Jones had working for him on Monday?
"It's confidence," Hackal said. "Look how he threw the ball and he knew it was going to be a strike. He's so consistent."
Jones is the top player on an up-and-coming Riverhead team that doesn't have any seniors, yet has made significant growth. For example, the team never broke 1,000 in a single game last season, but it did so twice on Monday.
Riverhead , which has won eight of its first nine League III games, also received a 600 series from Travis Walker. Walker rolled a 181, 213 and 206. Horton fell three pins shy of a 600 series, with games of 229, 203 and 165. Adam Vail added a 562 series and Matt Mulvaney had a 552 for the Blue Waves, who have 69 points from three matches.
"Everyone did very well," said Jones.
Patchogue-Medford, which has 32 points from four matches, was led by Matt Reed's 638 series (211, 225, 202). Reed found the pocket for 20 strikes. Anthony Evangelista broke 200 twice with a 202 and a 238 to finish off a 579 series. The Raiders also received series scores of 573 from Mike Arne, 552 from Mike Lebrecht and 535 from R. J. Stephani. Lebrecht made 15 spares, more than anyone else.
Riverhead 's ability to put away spares made a difference. Horton had 13 of them, Vail 13, Mulvaney 13 and Walker 12. One of the most memorable was one in which Horton downed the 3, 6 and 7 pins.
"We're not missing a lot of spares," Hackal said. "That's the name of the game."
Hackal said his team is off to a great start, but he knows the biggest tests are yet to come. Their first three matches have been on the familiar lanes at Wildwood, but the Blue Waves will play their next five matches on the road under lane conditions they will have to adjust to. Said Hackal, "That's what high school bowling is all about."
bliepa@timesreview.com
Comments