Plum heats up, wins WPIBL boys team championship

By: Triblive
Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | 9:16 PM

Once the Plum boys bowling team hit its stride Wednesday, nothing was getting in its way.

After losing their first game of the semifinals, the Mustangs reeled off wins in the next four games to claim the WPIBL boys team championship at AMF Mt. Lebanon.

Plum, which finished second in qualifying, faced third-seeded New Castle in the semifinals. The Red Hurricanes opened the 10th frame with a strike to win the first game, 203-199. Plum came alive in the second game with seven straight strikes to win 269-164, then cruised in the decisive third game 237-196.

Facing top-seeded Greensburg Salem in the finals, Plum didn’t slow down, winning 195-152 and 192-167 to complete the two-game sweep.

Greensburg Salem led qualifying with a three-game score of 3,025. Plum was second at 2,922 and New Castle third at 2,824.

Hempfield (2,800) and Thomas Jefferson (2,741) rounded out the top five in qualifying, followed by East Allegheny (2,687), Gateway (2,627), Butler (2,624), Baldwin (2,622) and Shaler (2,604).

Greensburg Salem had two bowlers on the all-tournament team: Sam Demine, who rolled a 668 series in qualifying, and Brandon Semoni, who had a 651 series.

East Allegheny’s Jacob Bingham was the top bowler in qualifying with a 725 series. New Castle’s Jeffrey Natale (696) and Armstrong’s Jacob Sullivan (643) also made the all-tournament team.