Contested annually for more than four decades, the Central Jersey Winter Classic bowling tournament has a long history of giving back to the community through charitable contributions to nonprofits.
This year, the tournament committee decided to allow the winning team to select the charity of its choice to receive proceeds from the event.
Saint Joseph High School of Metuchen, which claimed the boys team title of the 41st annual Central Jersey Winter Classic on Jan. 13 at Bowlero in North Brunswick, has donated $200 in its program’s name to The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.
Tournament Director Tracie Smith of Edison High School shared the news with the foundation’s leadership in a letter its executive directors received earlier this month.
Widely regarded as the largest and arguably most competitive regular-season tournament in the state, Saint Joseph bested a 34-team field with a 3,313 pinfall to claim the championship.
Saint Joseph also rolled to team titles at the Marisa Tufaro Classic and Charles A. Simon Baker Challenge before embarking on a postseason run during which it defended its Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament crown, claimed an eighth straight sectional title and won a second consecutive state championship.
The Falcons finished undefeated for the second straight season and set a state record, knocking down 3,671 pins in a victory over East Brunswick. Saint Joseph posted a 25-0 mark and lost just three games all year.
Saint Joseph’s six regular starters all qualified for the NJSIAA Individual Championships. Kai Strothers defeated teammate Will Cunningham in the state final. Freshman Josh Lamoreaux also advanced to the stepladder portion of the tournament, where he placed fifth.
Saint Joseph’s first ever Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament individual champion, Cunningham (three) and EJ Chin (two) combined to roll five perfect games for the Falcons.
Teammates Devin Kiessling (221) and Joe Lamoreaux (206) were among Saint Joseph’s six starters who averaged over 200.
As impressive as the Falcons were on the lanes, they were equally charitable off of them, collecting toys for The Marisa Tufaro Foundation to donate to Hackensack Meridian JFK University Hospital’s pediatric patients during the holiday season.
Saint Joseph also hosted a pro-am tournament pairing faculty and staff members with varsity bowlers. The event served as a fundraiser for Hands of Hope for the Community, with the Falcons and The Marisa Tufaro Foundation combining to donate more than $4,000 to the food bank.
“As fun as it is to win and watch these young men achieve all of their accomplishments and awards, to me it is equally important and satisfying to try my best to help mold them into leaders and great young men and watch them get ready to pursue their careers and move on to the real world,” Saint Joseph head coach Rusty Thomsen said in a Facebook post.
The Falcons were renowned statewide for being as benevolent as they were good.