Westfield bowling’s season has come to an end, and with it came an excellent year filled with triumph and heartbreak.
The bowling team entered the 2022-2023 season with high expectations. After finishing last season at the top of the Union County Conference, the Blue Devil bowlers anticipated a successful campaign. The team finished the year with a 13-2 record and finished second in the Watchung division standings. This was their sixth straight season finishing with five or fewer losses and a top-five finish in the conference.
The year began with a hot start. After taking their first loss against Scotch Plains-Fanwood in the second match of the year, the Blue Devils became unstoppable. The Blue Devils won six consecutive matches after falling to the Raiders, winning 7-0 in five of those matches. Their only other loss came once again to Scotch Plains, a team that finished second in this year’s Group 3 state tournament. After their loss, the Blue Devils also went on another six-game win streak, this time shutting out four of six opponents.
“Playing any sport for your hometown is much more of a thrill,” said co-captain Gabe Dayon. “When you win, your team and town wins as well.”
This year’s team was heavily dependent on its senior class. With only 10 bowlers on the roster, 9 of them were seniors, accompanied by a single junior. Westfield was led by senior captains Perry Cuccaro and Dayon. Dayon held the team’s season game high, bowling 299, and Cuccaro led the team in total pins with 10,022 while Dayon trailed closely behind with 9,639. This was Dayon and Cuccaro’s second consecutive season with 9,000+ points each.
The Blue Devils accomplished much this year in their various competitions. They once again won the Union County Tournament and fought for an impressive sixth-place finish in the Group 3 state tournament. Individually, Cuccaro won another individual county tournament and also finished sixth in this year’s individual state tournament, his second consecutive year with a top-10 finish out of 100 bowlers. Cuccaro started all four years of his high school career on the varsity team.
“A lot of people doubted us and I felt we were able to overcome that for the most part,” said Dayon. “It was awesome what this team was able to accomplish with our four years of bowling here.”
The team as a whole operated as a well-oiled machine, determined to advance further than in previous years. Whether persevering in the state tournament, the county tournament and more, the team overcame obstacles. Though the year may have ended in disappointment, the Westfield bowling team accomplished much in the alley, establishing itself as one of the most dominant programs in the Union County Conference.
