Hindman makes impact at NJCAAs
WINFIELD TWP— His rally fell short, but Kevin Hindman made a statement at the NJCAA Men’s Bowling Championships nonetheless.
The Knoch graduate and CCAC-Boyce sophomore placed second out of 103 bowlers at the national tournament. The winner was Andrew Marotta of Schenectady County Community College.
“He had me by 100 pins with three games to go and I almost caught him,” Hindman said. “I just couldn’t make up enough.
“His first game of the last series was a 148 and I rolled a 212. I picked up 60 on him right there, but couldn’t close the deal.”
Hindman competed at NJCAA Nationals last year and finished 22nd. By his own admittance, that was a rough year.
“Things didn’t exactly go swimmingly for me,” he said. “I was adapting to a new coach, learning new things ... I wasn’t on top of my game.
“This year was a lot better.”
Hindman averaged 199 for CCAC Boyce last season. This year, he averaged 222.
His 12-game score at the three-day national event — held at AMF Airport Lanes near Buffalo, N.Y. — was 2,398. Marotta tallied 2,438.
Hindman put together series of 532, 612, 681 and 573. His highest game was a 258. He averaged 199 for the tournament compared to Marotta’s 203.2.
“The shot there was really tough,” he said. “Usually, if you miss your shot to the right, there’s a dry part of the lane that will bring it back.
“With this shot, there was no dryness. If your ball hangs to the right, wave goodbye because it’s going to slide on by.
“I had about a board and a half to work with, that was it. It was that tight, for sure,” Hindman added.
Also the Knoch High School bowling coach, Hindman works with his high school team Mondays and Wednesdays during the season and does his collegiate bowling Thursdays and Fridays.
His college coach is Angelo Bordogna, who doubles as president of the Western Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Bowling League (WPIBL).
“That’s been an ideal situation,” Hindman said. “What I learn from Angelo as I continue to work on my own bowling, I can pass on to my team.”
