Seton Hall Prep bowling team qualifies four bowlers to state individual tournament, wins sixth section title

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep bowling team continued its outstanding season. On Wednesday morning, Feb. 21, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association released the top 100 qualifiers for the upcoming individual tournament at Bowlero in North Brunswick. These are the top averages during the regular season. 

Seton Hall Prep had four bowlers qualify, including No. 1 seed and senior KC Campbell (237.08 average). The others were sophomore Riley Gnecco (211.68), junior Nicholas Dragone (207.65) and senior Antonio Taveras (199.65). 

Later that afternoon, the Pirates traveled to Hanover Lanes in East Hanover to take on Phillipsburg in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 semifinals. They defeated Phillipsburg, 2-0, behind Campbell (256, 223) and Gnecco (205). 

On Saturday morning, Feb. 24, the Pirates traveled to Bowlero to face Bayonne in the section final and captured the section title, defeating the Bees, 2-0, to capture their sixth section title behind Campbell (259), Gnecco (219, 217), senior Desmond Cavanaugh (227), Taveras (243) and Dragone (202). The other titles were in section 1 in 1990, 1994, 2015, 2022 and section 2 in 2023. 

On Tuesday, Feb. 27, they were scheduled to face Bergen Tech (the Section 1 winner). If they won, they were to face either the Central Jersey champion, North Brunswick, or the South Jersey champion. Eastern. for the overall Group 4 champion later that day. 

Following their victory on Saturday, Feb. 24, SHP head coach Mike Smircich said, “Today was an incredible team effort. Every guy contributed. Game one was a shootout with a very good Bayonne team. It came down to the very last frame. Their anchor vs. our anchor (Campbell). KC did what he always has done for us and struck out and we won the game by 11 pins. He is unfazed by pressure. There is no bowler in the state of New Jersey I would take in the 10th frame over KC Campbell. We rode the momentum from game one and there was no stopping us as we won game 2 by 200 pins.”

  Seton Hall Prep bowling