High School Bowling:
Shawnee Knocks Down Pennsauken's Chances

Tuesday, February 8, 2000

By Art Redd
SJSports Staff Writer

The sound of pins dropping into the pit was a familiar scene at Maple Bowl Lanes in Maple Shade. Two of the top Olympic Conference boy's bowling teams were battling it out in an American Division meet. The high scoring Pennsauken Indians were hosting the divisional leader Shawnee Renegades in an exciting and intense rivalry. The Renegades were the ones putting the match away after the second game and dashed the hopes of their opponents catching them in the standings.

If one looked at the individual and team high games for the 1999-2000 high school bowling season, two teams are at the top of those list for the American Division. Pennsauken's anchorman Mike Fish is one of the bowlers responsible for putting his school on those lists as top team high game (1,081), team high series (3,245) and individual high series (787). His teammate Tom Guinn shows up on that list also in the individual high game (277). Scott Fish (198 average), Sean Perkins (193 average), Jim Mackenzie (188 average), Guinn (201) and Mike Fish (208 average) started out this match with confidence before the first ball was rolled down the lane.

On the opposite lane were the Renegades of Shawnee with Wayne Shannon (219 average), Bob Baitzil (179 average), Doug Brown (187 average) and Jeff Morski (198 average) and Paul Molinari (199 average) starting out the match. Shannon is currently holding the highest average in the Olympic Conference and is behind Mike Fish in the individual high series (731) category. The Renegades are second in the team high game (1,063) and team high series (3,087) behind their opponents.

When the first game started, both leadoff bowlers set the tone for this game by starting with a strike in the first frame. After the third frame ended, Mike Fish had started things off with a three bagger to give the Indians an early lead. But Doug Brown and Bob Baitzel strung together a series of strikes to set up the tenth frame for Shawnee and hold a narrow lead. Shawnee would hold on to the lead and capture the first game 950 to 936. Baitzel finished with a team high 214 and Doug Brown rolled a 201. Mike Fish completed the game with a 230 while Jim Mackenzie had a 201 game.

The lane conditions seemed to change in favorite of the bowlers as the scoring increased. Anchorman Paul Molinari found his line as he connected on a five bagger for the Renegades. Leadoff man Scott Fish also connected on a five bagger also and Jim Mackenzie ended his game with six in a roll. Mackenzie finished with a team high 216 and Scott Fish ended his game with a 210 for the Indians. But that was enough as Shannon matched Mackenzie's six bagger and finished with a 226. Molinari finished the game with a team high 227 and Shawnee captured the second game 996 to 950.

Now behind 60 pins after two games, there wasn't much fight from Pennsauken. With much of the oil now pushed further down the lanes, the scores dropped and Shawnee went on to capture the last game. Shannon finished the game with a team high 225 and a 641 series. Mike Fish had a 603 series for Pennsauken.