Nutley HS girls bowling team captures Essex County Tournament title for second year in a row

The Nutley girls bowling team gathers for a group pose after winning the county tournament championship at Hanover Lanes in East Hanover on Monday, Feb. 13. It was the Raiders’ second straight county title. From left are Gabriella Botti, Gabriella Lucivero, Cassandra Nesta, Angelica Duffy, Julianne Carson, Brooklynn Robinson and Xael Leon.

NUTLEY, NJ — The Nutley High School girls bowling team won the Essex County Tournament title at Hanover Lanes in East Hanover on Monday, Feb. 13. The Raiders won the county championship for the second year in a row.

Gabriella Lucivero had a 186 high game and 443 series, and Angelica Duffy had a 152 high game and 430 series to lead Nutley. Gabriella Botti had a 142 high game and 393 series, Julianne Carson had a 136 high game and 392 series and Cassandra Nesta had a 131 high game and 336 series in contributing to the win. Lucivero and Duffy also qualified to bowl in the county individual tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at Hanover Lanes.  Lucivero took second place and Duffy finished in fourth place.

The Nutley girls were also scheduled to bowl in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 state sectional tournament on Saturday, Feb. 18, at Bowler City in Hackensack.

Angelica Duffy, left, and Gabriella Lucivero pose at the county individual finals on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at Hanover Lanes. Lucivero took second place overall and Duffy finished in fourth place.

Meanwhile, the NHS boys team also competed at the ECT on Feb. 13 at Hanover Lanes, finishing sixth overall. The Raiders had a slow start which made it difficult to finish higher in the ranking. The Raiders had a good second game, 931, and third game 880. Evan Sanchez led the team (221 high game, 583 series). Jackson Cerniglia-Rapavi (178 high game, 523 series), Joe Duca (191 high game, 524 series), Kalvin Wong (191 high game, 516 series), Jack Bumpus (182 high game) and Kaiden Cerniglia-Rapavi (134 high game) bowled in the tournament.

The NHS boys finished in third place overall at the NJSIAA’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 tournament on Friday, Feb. 10, at Jersey Lanes in Linden. Nutley had a 2,767 total. Warren Hills High School was first with 2,993 and Morris Tech was second with 2,828 among the 10 schools. Nutley qualified as a wild-card berth for the state team tournament on Monday, Feb. 20, at Bowlero in North Brunswick.

Among all the groups that competed in the sectionals on that day, Wong took fourth place overall with a 700 series and Cerniglia-Rapavi was 12th with a 634 series to lead Nutley.

Photos Courtesy of Nutley High School Athletics