Raymond's McGovern confident in capturing state bowling title
Feb. 26—RAYMOND High School bowling coach Bob Slater studied Colin McGovern while McGovern was bowling at Manchester's Yankee Lanes on Saturday, and then pulled McGovern aside for a quick conversation.
"The one comment I made to Colin early in the day is that he seemed to be bowling extremely confident and relaxed," Slater said. "Confidence and relaxed will bring a bowler a long way in a tournament."
It brought McGovern to the NHIAA Individual Tournament championship. McGovern beat Merrimack's Ryan Church, last year's individual champion, in the final match.
"I did indeed feel like I was the underdog because he's this kind of big name and I'm just a kid from Raymond who can roll the ball," McGovern said. "I think I made a name for myself today."
McGovern and Church each bowled a 147 in the final game before McGovern won a ninth- and 10th-frame roll-off, 39-26.
McGovern entered the day seeded No. 18 with a 179.44 average. He was the No. 6 seed for the 16-player Championship Flight.
Church entered the event seeded No. 2 with a 204.50 average, and was the No. 8 seed in the Championship Flight.
"I was confident (going into the final match)," McGovern said. "My heart was racing a little bit, but I took a couple deep breaths to collect myself. I felt relieved. Big moment."
Church, a senior, was attempting to become the first player to prevail in the Championship Fight in back-to-back years.
"Overall, it wasn't exactly what I was looking for," Church said. "All I did was fight all day. I didn't bowl good. I just bowled good enough to beat people. I didn't bowl over 200 the whole day, which was my average coming in.
"In the end (McGovern) just bowled better, and that's all that really mattered. He's a good bowler. He deserved it."
Raymond junior Abbey Yockel beat Stevie Rheaume of Stevens to win the Medal Flight.
"I really didn't have a game plan going into it," Yockel said. "It was just take it game by game, frame by frame until the end. I was very confident and that really helped me out in the finals and the semifinals. I think my opponents were feeling my energy."
McGovern used a one-hand style as a freshman, but began to bowl with two hands during his sophomore year. He said his parents introduced him to bowling.
"They're in a league on Wednesday nights with my coach," he said. "My dad — I'd give him a run for his money, but my mom's really good."
Travis LaFontaine (Hollis-Brookline) and Quinn Sullivan (Merrimack) were the other semifinalists in the Championship Flight.
"I wouldn't have considered Colin an underdog at all," Slater said. "You can tell when a bowler is bowling loose and when a bowler is bowling tight. And when a bowler is tight, he or she is not bowling very well.
"Colin has had that demeanor all year long. He was still in the top 18 in the state (during the regular season) and could have done better. He had his ups and downs throughout the season. He was bowling really well in practice (leading up to Saturday) and I had the utmost confidence in him."
