Brockport's Secours, 15, rolls 300 game, wins tournaments

Nick Secours has been blistering hot on the bowling lanes. Since Holiday Recess, the 15-year-old Brockport High School sophomore has been the toughest bowler in town, whether it's been in team or singles competition.

The story begins on December 20, when Secours and his Brockport Bowl Travel Team locked up the First-Half of the RYABA Boys' Scratch Travel League. The southpaw also tied for the league's points lead with Mark Scuderi, (a recent 300 shooter in the High School League who, coincidentally rolled his 300 against Nick's team.)

On Friday, December 26, AMF Gates Lanes hosted the Junior Bowlers Tour and Secours was entered in the Scratch Division event. Sitting in third place after the four-game qualifier with 798, Secours jumped into first place after the three-game semi-finals.

As top seed, Secours waited in the wings, watching three stepladder matches and trying to stay loose. Derek Fitzgerald emerged as his title match opponent.

Fitzgerald was in his second consecutive JBT championship match, but Secours kept his line for a 212-189 victory. It was Secours first victory in JBT action and he also collected a $100 scholarship.

Three days later Secours and the Brockport High School Bowling Team won the High School Team Bowling Challenge at Clover Lanes. Scores were low that day, but Secours managed a 620 total, one of day's top scores.

Now full of confidence, Secours traveled to Doug Kent's Rose Bowl Lanes in Newark on Sunday, January 4 for the Youth Bowlers Tour.

Right out of the box, Secours fired a 280 game, his new career high. He finished the four-game qualifier with 960, with his sights on making the stepladder finals.

In the semi-final round, Secours tossed games of 225 and 234, staying in the thick of things with a game to go.

Then everything went just perfect. Secours rolled a 300 game and vaulted into the top seeded position for the stepladder.

"I was excited about the 280 game, because I had a bunch of 279 games the past couple of years," he said. "Then the last game, my carry was better. The only ball I thought may not strike was the 11th one. I got it farther outside, but it came up light and I tripped out the 10-pin."

"I was fairly calm during the 300, but then I had to wait around for the final match and that was pretty tough. I was still pacing around up until the 4th frame of the final game."

Secours got himself calmed down by rolling the first six strikes and taking a commanding lead. After three straight spares, he struck out in the 10th frame, topping Gary Sutton of Auburn, 257-224, for his first career YBT title.

"I have to say that I've basically used just one ball (during the streak)," said Secours, who averaged 247 during his YBT win. "It's a Storm Shock Trauma drilled by Dave Emler at Brockport Bowl Pro Shop.

"And I love Rose Bowl Lanes. I made the stepladder there last year in the handicap division."

Over the summer, Secours made the Empire State Games Western Region team, at the age of 14. He's the youngest to accomplish that feat and he topped it off by picking up a gold medal in the Men's Trios event.

The southpaw's proposed agenda includes an 800 series and a top finish on the YBT Second-Half Points List - where he placed 6th in the recently completed First-Half.