Angels ‘Bowl Over’ the Competition

Ask Patrick Dunne about his bowling team early in the season, and you’re sure to meet with guarded optimism. This year was no exception for the Academy of the Holy Angels’ head coach, whose team just concluded a championship-studded 17-3 season.

“I expected our bowling team to be competitive, but my concern was that we were losing a First Team All-County bowler in Breanna Hetzer (AHA ’23),” Dunne said. “If we were going to compete for a county or state title, we would need our JV bowlers to make the jump to varsity.”

Jump, they did.

Dunne’s bowlers are the 2023 Big North Conference Preseason Tournament Champions – United Division, 2024 Big North Conference JV Bowling Invitational Champions, Big North Conference United Division Champions, North 2 Group 2 State Sectional Champions, and NJSIAA Group 2 Finalists. He acknowledged the contributions made by the returning varsity and JV players.

His team includes Carina Ardizzone and Kaitlyn Zheng of Englewood; Charlize Glaser of Old Tappan; Katie McLoughlin of Rutherford; Reagan Mirque of Tappan, New York; Emily Neumann of Ridgewood; Nina Petrou of Rochelle Park; Alyssa Petrowski of Paramus; Tia Sadhwani and Zaara Sadhwani of Alpine; Rachel Stanbury of Hillsdale; and Ava Sung of Cresskill.

“Of the 12 girls on the team, eight of them are sophomores,” Dunne explained. “Almost all of them were on the team last season. Their games have improved tremendously due to their hard work. Three girls, in particular, Kaitlyn Zheng, Nina Petrou, and Reagan Mirque, became very important members of the varsity team and were a big reason for our success.”

Several Angels bowled their way to individual honors. Zheng, who maintained the Angels’ highest average, was named First Team, All-County and First Team All-Division. Stanbury, Petrou, Mirque, and McLoughlin also earned First Team All-Division honors.

“Our team is a very dedicated group, and the girls will continue bowling in leagues and individual tournaments in order to further perfect their skills,” Dunne said.

After a season of big wins, Dunne contemplated one victory that was particularly sweet.

“Our best victory was in the state semifinal as we defeated Indian Hills two games to one in a very tough match,” he shared. “Indian Hills had knocked us out of the county tournament a year earlier.”

Founded by the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1879, the Academy of the Holy Angels is the oldest private girls’ school in Bergen County. While AHA is steeped in Catholic tradition, this prestigious school serves young women from many cultural and religious backgrounds. AHA’s current leaders continue to further the SSND mission to provide each student with the tools she needs to reach the fullness of her potential—spiritually, intellectually, socially, and physically, by offering a first-rate education in a nurturing environment where equal importance is placed on academic excellence, character development, moral integrity, and service to others. Visit HOLYANGELS.ORG to arrange a tour!