Penn College Bowlers Look to Defend PCAA Championship

Pennsylvania College of Technology's bowling team may not have the depth as some squads in the past, but that doesn't mean coach Deb Vincenzes expects anything less at the state championship meet.

"I hoped it would have been a little better (regular season), but I knew going into the season we didn't have the depth this year that we've had (in the past)," said Vincenzes, in her third year.

During the four-match regular Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference season, the Penn College men's top level Blue Team finished second and its second-level White Team was first. At the EPCC Championships Feb. 18, the Blue finished first and the White second, according to the coach. As the lone women's team in the conference, the Wildcat women swept everything.

In this weekend's Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association championships at the Moshannon Valley Super Bowl in Philipsburg, Penn College will field both men's and women's teams. Singles and doubles competition is scheduled Saturday and team events on Sunday.

On the men's squad are Merle Burkhart (sophomore/Lancaster), David Birunas (freshman/Lancaster), Matt Zarr (sophomore/Milton), Wes Moyer (sophomore/Fleetwood), Mike Cefalo (freshman/Exeter) and Bryann Bingaman (sophomore/Lancaster). Burkhart is averaging 226, Zarr 210, Cefalo 205, Moyer and Birunas 204 and Bingaman 203. Doubles combinations will be Moyer-Zarr, Birunas-Burkhart and Cefalo-Bingaman.

Penn College women are Jessica Fritz (freshman/Lewisburg), Elizabeth Watts (freshman/Doylestown), Chelsea Morgan (freshman/Williamsport), Samantha Prisk (freshman/Lemont) and Caitlin Wagner (freshman/Northumberland). Morgan and Prisk are averaging 165, Fritz 157, Watts 140 and Wagner 130. Doubles teams will be Fritz-Morgan and Prisk-Watts.

"I think the kids would like to keep it going," Vincenzes said of her squad, which will defend its overall team title.

"I don't think we have the same camaraderie as we did last year and I'm hoping to quickly develop that before we go," the coach said of her team's biggest challenge heading into the state tournament.

"It was kind of a weird year in that we couldn't practice together. We had three of four who could practice here, four or five who could practice there. There were a lot of makeup of practices, so they haven't jelled. This week, we're working on getting them to know each other a little bit better," Vincenzes explained.

"The overall attitude is, yes, they want to keep their string going. I think we'll do well. We were so overpowering the last two years with the depth that it does create a little question, but I think we have just as good a chance to win this year as we have the previous years," the coach added.

Individually, Vincenzes looks for Morgan, Prisk and Fritz to excel among the women and Burkhart, the team's captain, Birunas and Zarr to be among the top men.

(Complete rosters and season schedules are available on the college's Athletics Web site . For more information on the PSUAC, visit on the Web; more about the USCAA also is available online. )