NYSPHSAA BOYS' BOWLING: HORSEHEADS SOPHOMORE BOWMAN DOMINATES WAY TO STATE TITLE (12 PHOTOS) (March 14, 2026)

Southern Tier Sports Report
SYRACUSE — Horseheads’ sophomore Cayden Bowman turned in a dominant performance to win the state title at the NYSPHSAA Division I Bowling Championships at AMF Syracuse Lanes on Saturday.

Bowman won the state title by 72 pins. He was 57 pins ahead of anyone in either class size. 

The Horseheads standout never shot a game under 224 on the day and averaged 239.67 as he shot 1,438 for six games.

Bowman averaged 12 pins higher than anyone else on the day. 

“It’s a great experience to be here,” Bowman said. “It’s great, I won. Every shot I was just like one more, let’s get going, let’s get this thing over with. It’s a great feeling. Everyone was just here with me through it all.”

Bowman came in with the goal of finishing top 10 and earning a state medal. After he went out and shot 234-248-255-737 through the first three games his mindset started to shift to thinking a state title was possible. 

“I wanted to go as high as I possibly could,” Bowman said. “I wanted to go top 10. Obviously I’m very grateful that I got an opportunity to go all the way up to first. After the first three my mind kind of shifted from top 10 to maybe winning the thing and being able to do it.”

A year ago Bowman was at states, but didn’t have a showing like this.

“I was here last year and I didn’t bowl this good by any means,” Bowman said.

But, getting a taste of states as a freshman helped Bowman out this year.

“It gave me a soft of idea of the magnitude of this thing and what to expect,” Bowman said. “Last year I had no idea what was really going on and what to expect.”

Bowman shot 224-243-234-701 for the final three games. 

Nick Vuono of North Babylon, who finished second at 1,366, led the tournament with a 739 through three games. Vuono had a two-pin lead over Bowman heading into the second three games, when Bowman outshot Vuono by 74 pins. 

Bowman was the only bowler to shoot a 700 in both sets of three games and only sixth-place finisher Jacob Trado of Cologne (who shot 704 in the second three games) had a better closing three games on Saturday. 

Bowman is the first bowling state champion in Horseheads history. 
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PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR. 

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