Tufaro Bowls 300 Game as Scotch Plains Rolls Past Westfield

It started out just like any other match between rivals Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Westfield, but how it ended had everyone around lane 9 standing in applause.

The Raiders came in with a 3-0 record, the Blue Devils at 1-2, with the SP-F veterans taking on a young and inexperienced Westfield squad, looking to make a statement.

And make a statement they did, as Raiders roller Mike Tufaro put an exclamation point on his team’s victory, bowling a perfect game, which just happened to be the first 300 effort in his life. And even he admits there was that added pressure heading into the final frame.

“It’s probably the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Tufaro said. “I almost fell on the approach, my knees were shaking. I didn’t even trust it until I got to the last ball. I took the second shot, and at that point, I was thankful I struck on that.”

Teammate Katarina Nicer, who bowled a 213, 212 and 201 in the Raiders win, was just as excited to see her teammate make his own personal history.

“I can’t even describe it. I didn’t even bowl it, but I’m so happy for him,” she said.

Tufaro led all bowlers with a 738 pin effort for his three games, rolling a solid 256 and 202 before his eye-opening third game. Coach James Mason had confidence that Tufaro would someday reach the 300 milestone.

“To be honest with you, I was pretty confident he was going to get it,” Mason said. “I had said to someone earlier, after the young man from Roselle Catholic (Joe Gramiak) rolled his 300, that Mike was going to get his pretty soon. I didn’t have any idea it would be this soon, but he’s been rolling the ball very well. It’s nice his Mom was here to see it. He’s a strong young man, very focused, and we’re just happy to have him."

Meanwhile, Mike Tirone, at the helm for 31 years as Westfield head coach, had nothing but praise for Tufaro, knowing how much pressure he was under in the final frame.

“Very special,” marveled Tirone. “He did a fantastic job, kept his composure, reached out, turned the ball, did everything he needed to do.”

As for the Blue Devils, although they’re 1-3, he knows the growing pains are just part of the process for one of the most storied programs in county history.

“It’s one of the most inexperienced teams that we’ve had,” added Tirone. “In the last three years, we’ve lost 15 seniors, most of them have been at least all-conference, some of them all-county and all-state, so we have to have a rebuilding year, and this is our first rebuilding year in the last sixteen.”

As for Tufaro, this was the first time he ever came close to a perfect game, entering the day with a 211 average. But just as important was the team victory which pushed the Raiders to 4-0.

“It feels good to win again. And Westfield’s good, so we knew we had to bowl well,” Tufaro said.

“I’m very happy,” added Mason. “This is probably the best we’ve bowled as a team that I can remember, and I’ve been here over 25 years. The best thing about today was the second game, they pushed us, and we answered, so I’m very happy.”

"We’re hoping to put up a good fight in the last match of the season, and place well in the county tournament and states,” continued Tufaro. “The states are looking real good this year."

At least for today, he was perfect.