Kinnelon wins the boys team title at the New Jersey Super Bowl for the second year in a row.
Updated: Feb. 07, 2026, 11:11 p.m.Bowling: NJAM Boys and Girls New Jersey Super Bowl Tournament at Ocean Lanes February 7, 2026When Kinnelon enters the baker playoff bracket, head coach Jim Soules trusts his bowlers will make the best decision on who will bowl where and who will be the anchor in the lineup.
On Saturday at the sixth annual New Jersey Super Bowl in Lakewood, senior Zak Kessler served the role of anchor for the Colts., needed Kessler to record at least a strike and a spare to hold off No. 11 Bergen Tech and win its third tournament of the season. Kessler, who will be attending Cornell University in the fall, didn’t let the pressure overwhelm him.“I was definitely feeling the pressure, but at the end, I just let everything go and just bowled,” Kessler said. Kessler delivered three straight strikes to help Kinnelon hang on for a 671-645 victory over Bergen Tech and win its second straight team title at the tournament.The senior recorded a spare and knocked down nine pins on his last roll to complete Kinnelon’s comeback in the third game to make it into the finals. “I wasn’t expecting to be it today,” Kessler said after helping Kinnelon win its second New Jersey Super Bowl. “John is usually our anchor. It feels really nice to know that I was able to do it.” Kessler tallied a three-game set of 608 during the qualifying round to help Kinnelon grab the fourth and final spot in the baker playoff bracket.Toms River East and Bergen Tech each recorded over 3,000 pins as a team to advance to the baker playoff bracket. With both Bergen Tech and Kinnelon winning their respective semifinal matches, the finals were set with the state’s No. 11 ranked squad taking on the No. 12 ranked team in the state. Kinnelon got off to a fast start in the finals, grabbing a 48-pin advantage heading into the third and final baker game.The Knights recorded eight total strikes in a clean 259 game. This forced Kinnelon to need Kessler to get at least two strikes to win the tournament. Kessler knew once Bergen Tech started the third game with three straight strikes that he and his teammates needed to bowl their best to hang on.Kinnelon fended off Bergen Tech’s lights out performance with a clean game of its own to tally 237 pins and hang on to repeat as New Jersey Super Bowl champions. “This is a really special group of kids that we’re able to comeback and win this again,” Soules said. “Some of the best talent in the state was here today. These kids really battled all day.” Both juniors John and Michael Sprague each recorded a strike leading up to Kessler’s strong finish in the finals to help Kinnelon repeat as champions. John Sprague had four strikes in the finals. The junior also led the team during the qualifying round with a three-game set of 628. Toms River East senior Connor Gregory led all bowlers with a high series of 735 and rolled a career-best game of 269 during the tournament. Gregory has improved his average on the lanes this winter from 199 to 210, helping him qualify the state individual tournament. “I’m really just focusing on my spares and going on from there,” Gregory said. “It’s really good to see all my hard work show this year.” Sophomore Michael Fogarty recorded a high game of 279 and a three-game set of 706 to help No. 6 Jackson Township place fifth in the team standings.1-Toms River South ; 2-Toms River East ; 3-Bergen Tech ; 4-Kinnelon ; 5-Jackson Township ; 6-Manalapan ; 7-Brick Township ; 8-Belvidere .
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