Staff Report

It didn’t take long for Oneonta High junior Jack Benjamin to get rolling.

Benjamin threw his first 300 game Thursday at Holiday Lanes in Oneonta as the host Yellowjackets opened the bowling season with a 5-2 Southern Tier Athletic Conference victory over Chenango Valley.

Benjamin capped his match-high 767 series with the 300, which followed a 279 in the second game. After shooting a 188 in his first game, Benjamin rolled nine straight strikes before closing his second game with a nine-spare and a strike in the 10th frame.

"He opened in the 10th frame of the first game, and we lost that game," OHS coach Pat Muller said. "That got him fired up. He took it personally that we lost."

Benjamin then threw 22 strikes on his last 24 balls en route to his highest varsity series.

"I’m not surprised our team threw a 300 this year," Muller said. "We have the ability to throw a 300. I was surprised it came in the first match. We haven’t even had two weeks of practice."

Jon Geasey is the last OHS bowler to roll a 300 in high school competition, leading the Jackets to a 5-2 victory over host Norwich at Plaza Lanes on Dec. 2, 2004.

Bryan Goodas contributed a 614 series and Peter Simmons finished with a 604 for the Yellowjackets, who had a total pinfall of 3,112.

Becky Adsit’s 581 series led Oneonta’s girls to a 7-0 victory over CV. Adsit’s series included games of 241 and 193.[an error occurred while processing this directive]

at Holiday Lanes

BOYS: Oneonta 5, CV 2

Chenango Valley (2,965): Ryan Galli 213, 257, 656; Brendon Lawrence 241, 240, 636; Pat Hazilla 203, 234, 633.

Oneonta (3,112): Jack Benjamin 279, 300, 767; Bryan Goodas 217, 214, 614; Peter Simmons 200, 205, 604; Joseph Simmons 220.

GIRLS: Oneonta 7, CV 0

Chenango Valley (1,485): Ashley Lawrence 145, 408.

Oneonta (2,148): Becky Adsit 193, 241, 581.

Basketball

Grasso Tournament

The high school girls basketball season opens today with the Pat Grasso Tournament at Laurens.

Defending Class D state champion South Kortright and Morris open the tournament at 6 p.m. today, followed by host Laurens and Gilbertsville-Mount Upton at 7:30 p.m.

The event concludes Saturday with a 6 p.m. consolation followed by the championship at 7:30 p.m.

Stamford graduate Patti McGrail will make her varsity head coaching debut tonight with South Kortright. The reigning Delaware League and Section Four Class D champion Rams went 25-1 under Harry Nissen en route to the Class D state title last season. McGrail served the 2005-06 Rams as an assistant coach.