As the Section IV bowling season heads into the postseason, it’s been business as usual for both teams at Lansing.
The boys team has put together another stellar regular season, posting a 62-10 record. They finished with the same exact mark as Tioga, but the Bobcats had the higher total pinfall. That tiebreaker allowed the Bobcats to win the IAC Small School Division title.
Bowling can often be seen as an individual sport. But with a large roster of 13 bowlers, the boys team’s sturdy chemistry has powered them to another rewarding campaign.
“I think these guys are more of a tight-knit group,” said head coach Lee Christopher. “They’re in class together. The maturity is about the same level. They connect a little bit better that way than, say, having a senior with a ninth grader.”
With the boys team upping their win tally by 12, the girls team had similar levels of improvement. The Bobcats went from a 35-37 record last year to a 46-26 campaign this time around. While they have a smaller roster with seven bowlers, they certainly pack a punch any time they’re out on the lanes.
“They want to win, too,” Christopher said. “They’re getting better and better. A couple of them actually got new bowling balls this year, so that tells me that hopefully they’ll be around next year. If this group pretty much stays together hopefully it’ll get better and better as the years go by.”
Believe it or not, there’s only one senior across both the boys and girls teams. Sienna Wright is the lone 12th-grader, and she has the highest average on the girls team at 140, earning IAC Second Team All-Star honors. As the bowler with the most experience on a mostly-underclassmen squad, Wright has displayed tremendous leadership to help the Bobcats grow their game as a whole.
“I’m always willing to give advice to everyone who needs it,” Wright said. “If they’re struggling with, ‘Oh, where do I stand? Where do I shoot?’ I’m always right there to give them advice if they want it.”
As for the boys team, it’s no surprise to see Nicco Binns lead the way yet again. The junior averaged an IAC-leading 200 during the regular season, up from last season’s average of 196. The IAC First Team All-Staralso led all bowlers with a game high of 268 (against Tioga) and a series high of 720 (against Groton). It’s been continual improvement for Binns, who has been on the team since seventh grade, making him the most experienced bowler on the roster.
“I feel like I’ve just been able to make better shots and keep them closer and be able to strike more and just let that build into more confidence, and then just continue that on,” Binns said.
Nicco is joined this year by his younger brother Nathan. The seventh grader has put together an impressive debut season, bowling the fourth-highest average on the Bobcats at 160. It’s safe to say that Nathan has learned a lot from Nicco to help him excel this year.
“[He’s helped me] keep my mind set up and throw the best ball that I can,” the younger Binns said.”
Tyler Paige has also excelled this year. The junior is second on the team with a 188 average, netting him an IAC First Team All-Star nod. He increased his average by three pins from last season, showing how much he’s honed in on his accuracy.
“Before this season, I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn,” Paige said. “It’s definitely more of a mental thing, because when I get upset, I don’t bowl as good as I should.”
Rounding out the top four bowlers on the boys team is Nathan Armstrong. The sophomore holds the third-best average at 180, good enough for an IAC Second Team All-Star spot. Like his coach, he too believes that their tremendous teamwork has resulted in much of their success.
“I think it’s helping each other out, giving each other tips and stuff and telling each other what we’re doing wrong,” Armstrong said.
The Bobcats are now gearing up for the Section IV Class C championship, which will take place February 20-21 at Midway Lanes in Vestal. The biggest challengers for both teams are undoubtedly Tioga and Newark Valley. In fact, of the 10 losses the boys team had, nine of them were to the two Tioga County teams. If Tompkins County wants to prevail, there’s one key area of the game that the Bobcats will aim to improve on.
“Our downfall right now is splits,” Christopher said. “When you get a three-pin split, or two-pin split, you gotta get one. Tioga beat us by three points one game, and that one or two split we picked up could have made a big difference. And [it’s] also the 10 pin. We work on that, too. Anybody you know who bowls, they will tell you the 10 pin. But we got to get those splits.”
