Shaler bowling teams work through growing pains

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, December 30, 2017 | 11:00 PM

Shawn Pilyih is used to helping inexperienced players learn everything about being a part of the Shaler bowling team.

Taking first-time rollers and bringing them into the fold is a step-by-step process. This year's Titans are in the developmental stage and off to an 0-3 start.

“I basically break them down,” Pilyih said. “I start them doing step one, two, three and four and work back through again. I want to get them from Point A to the foul line with good steps and a decent arm motion. Then we work on technique and teach spare shooting.”

Shaler has three returning starters — Lucas Sadlowski, Jason Wiggins and Joey Moneck — from last year's team. They not-so-coincidentally have the Titans' top three averages. Sadlowski has a high game of 223 and an average of 159.89. Wiggins is right behind him with a 158.56 average and a high game of 201. Moneck has a 142.56 average and high game of 190.

Shaler also has a number of freshmen contributors, including John Sagi,Charles Nieder, Jonathan Zang and Andrew Simon.

Zang has the highest average among the freshman with a 132.5 and a high game of 195.

Pilyih thinks all the freshmen are coming along at the right pace.

“We are growing this year,” Pilyih said. “A lot of the new freshman hadn't bowled before. We are in a transition stage for next year.”

On the girls side, Shaler is 1-2. Bella Pilyih leads the team and ranks fourth in the section with a 169.11 average. Lindsay Gill (123.17) and Shannon Roche (122.11) have the second- and third-best averages, respectively, on the team.

Shawn Pilyih is happy with how interested the kids are in the program.

All but a small few have balls that feature holes drilled to custom-fit their grip.

He's hoping that will help the Titans have strong results throughout the season.

“Every year, we try to make it to the payoffs,” he said. “We just want to make a run at it and see what happens.”

Josh Rizzo is a freelance writer.

Tags: Shaler