Seaford teams bowling strikes behind stars

Donovan is currently at the top of the 10-member girls’ team. Last year, her bowling average was 188, rising this season to 193 and securing a second-place berth in the Nassau County individual standings. She has improved greatly from her freshman year, when she averaged 160 per game and qualified for the Nassau County individual championship tournament. She was unable to compete in that tournament because the Seaford team advanced to the state championships in Syracuse.

Pedone captains the 16-member boys’ team and averages 195 per game. He is the only member of the team who has bowled in every match this year. Donovan’s younger brother, eighth-grader Jason, is one of his teammates.

A bowling average comes from the points accumulated during each game averaged all together, according to Donovan. The team plays matches consisting of three games each. The Seaford girl’s bowling team has continued its winning streak for the past five matches.

Last year, both teams went to the state championships, with the girl’s team finishing with a 608 average according to Director of Athletics Michael Spreckels, and have ambitions to repeat this year.

Donovan grew up in Seaford watching her parents bowl and has played for the Wantagh/Seaford Police Athletic League [PAL] bowling team on Saturday mornings since 2007 when she was 5. “I hadn’t been super into [bowling] until the first year the school had it,” she said. “And then I just came to an open bowling [session] and there were people laughing and having fun and I just loved it from there.”

Donovan is a tri-sport athlete, competing on the school’s softball and volleyball teams. As with bowling, Donovan began laying softball as a child, starting volleyball in sixth grade.

Donovan’s has a 95 overall academic average. She said enjoys her Advanced Placement Capstone class, even though it is her most difficult class. “I do feel like I am improving in many aspects.” she said. “Definitely my most difficult class, but also very beneficial.”

Donovan hopes to continue bowling in college and beyond. She is looking at several schools, but currently favors Tulane University in New Orleans.

Pedone said he started bowling when he was 5. As a young boy, he competed alongside Donovan in many PAL tournaments.

Pedone also plays soccer and lacrosse in addition to bowling. His favorite sport is soccer, where he plays goalie, and he recently signed a national letter of intent to play next year at Pennsylvania State University at Altoona .

Pedone said he had a 93 academic average during the school year’s first quarter. He will major in accounting at Penn State.

Spreckels considers Donovan and Pedone “gold-standard athletes” at Seaford High School. “They embody what it means to show ‘Seaford pride,’ both on and off the lanes, and in the classroom and their athletic endeavors,” he said. Spreckels said both students are high-character students who “lead from the front.”

“We are proud to have them represent us as students [and] as individuals,” Assistant Principal Nicole Schnabel said. “I’m sure they are going to go on to do fabulous things … but we still have a full year ahead of us. So we’re excited to go see them bowl … I know they will make us proud.”