The Junior season figured to be a chance for the youth to step up and take their game to the next level. With the graduation of so much talent, it was an opportunity for new faces to show what they had.
And shine they did as a new crop of talent arose, but none more than Matt Comerro and Leyna Kratzer as their breakout seasons made them the lehighvalleylive.com Junior Bowlers of the Year.
Both Comerro and Kratzer faced adversity throughout the season and fought through it. The 14-year-old Kratzer managed to toss a perfect game at Steel City to go along with a coveted Major A title in the Lehigh Valley Junior Masters tournament.
Comerro, 16, opened the floodgates in January when he took down West Hunterdon with a perfect game and followed with 300s at both Steel City and Oakwood. His scoring prowess included a high of 797 at Oakwood along with 700s in four different centers.
“I came into the season working on my approach and my spare shooting,” said Kratzer who lives in Bangor and is a freshman at Bangor Area High School. “I added a spare ball and my average has gone up from the 180s to the 190s. Overall, it was an amazing year.”
The start of the season was decent, but in November, tendonitis in her left ankle sidelined her. Rest and physical therapy were the norm while the whole time she chomped at the bit to return.
“I was excited and a bit nervous,” she said. “But I felt good and it was an amazing last few months.”
Kratzer caught fire down the stretch. She carded her season-best 692 at Blue Valley in mid-February during a stop in the Lehigh Valley Junior Traveling League. That set helped propel her to the top girls average at a tick over 193.
It was only the appetizer as she scored her perfect game in mid-March at Steel City, becoming the youngest girl to ever record a perfect game in the area. It was one of two highlights that month.
Kratzer took home the most coveted local title when she captured the Major A crown in the Junior Masters tournament at Jordan Lanes in Allentown. She needed every pin of her two-game 457 match against Sicora Floyd’s 440.
“I finished second last year but this time winning, it was amazing,” Kratzer said. “I didn’t realize how special winning that tournament was.”
Kratzer finished the season at Steel City averaging 191 and wants to average 200 this time next year. She said with coaching from Krista Sandt, it’s achievable.
“I want to work harder on bowling on different patterns. Learning how to adjust in the different centers,” Kratzer said. “I’m bowling at Skylanes this summer and that should help my game. And I want that first 700.”
She won the district portion for the Pepsi Scholarship tournament and was 7th scratch in the recently completed state finals. In July, she’ll head to Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the Junior Gold tournament.
At only 14, she’ll be fun to watch over the next couple of seasons.
Comerro wasn’t a one-hit wonder or a home-house hero. The sophomore at Warren Hills spread his scores throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He averaged 212 at Oakwood, 212 to lead his league at Steel City, 208 in the traveling league and 216 in the Skyland Conference, leading his high school mates to a mere two-loss season.
Much like Kratzer, Comerro credits a switch to a spare ball to cover the dreaded 10-pin.
“My average went up because I think I missed every single 10-pin,” said the Washington Borough resident. “Now, I’m making about 80% of them.”
He didn’t need his secondary ball when he struck for his first career 300, while bowling with his high school team at West Hunterdon. His dozen came as a surprise since big scores had eluded him at the Kingwood Township center.
The 300 came a month after Comerro’s mom, Nikole, passed away. Through it all he turned to bowling for a way of healing. He turned his healing into big scores.
“I didn’t think shooting 300 was going to happen, but I’m glad it happened. Coming into the season, I was looking to shoot a 650 but now I’m looking more toward 700,” he said. “I’m more confident now when I go into other places.”
With a highly successful season under his belt, Comerro looks toward the future. One of his obvious goals is to tally that first 800. He’ll spend some of his summer fine-tuning a game that’s definitely on the upswing.
“I need to learn where to play when there’s a lot of oil or no oil. I’m working on my ball rotation in those situations,” the Blue Streaks bowler said. “Also, I want to have a better attitude. Before I was mad when I made a bad shot but I’m telling myself to just do better on the next ball. I want to look forward and not back.”
Junior Bowlers of the Year
2022 – Matt Comerro, Leyna Kratzer; 2021 – Parker Laubach, Jenna Garman; 2020 – Parker Laubach, Chloe O’Donnell
2019 – Francis Vitelli, Jenna Garman; 2018 – Aaron Heckman, Amber Kishbaugh; 2017 – Francis Vitelli, Jenna Henderson; 2016 – Aaron Heckman, Jenna Henderson; 2015 – Greg Tack, Jenna Henderson; 2014 – Brian Duke, Lauren Scholes; 2013 – Greg Tack, Laura Zaugg; 2012 – Mike Itterly, Laura Zaugg; 2011 – Greg Tack, Amber Dehaven; 2010 – Andrew Longenbach, Ashley Alexander
2009 – Owen Darby, Amber Dehaven; 2008 – Ryan Noraas, Michele DeVries; 2007 – Owen Darby, Michele DeVries; 2006 – Tim Frye, Danielle Knittle; 2005 – Shane Sottosanti, Danielle Knittle; 2004 – Owen Darby, Jacquelyn Heimbach; 2003 – Tom Evasick, Jacqui Reese; 2002 – Tom Evasick, Jacqui Reese; 2001 – Tom Evasick, Jacqui Reese; 2000 – Chad Heckman, Jacqui Reese
1999 – Tim Buck, Jacqui Reese; 1998 – Matt Burley, Jacqui Reese; 1997 – Matt Burley, Jacqui Reese; 1996 – Matt Burley, Jackie Olszewski; 1995 – Lester Hoffman, Jacqui Reese; 1994 – Ron Wynkoop, Miranda Reese; 1993 – Jeff Allem, DJ Cryan; 1992 – Don Rothrock, DJ Shaner; 1991 – Dan Schriner, Wendy Zimmerman; 1990 – John Quick, Stacey Mirowski
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Dave Goodman can be reached at badgood2@aol.com.
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