Skeletons that linger in a closet for 4 years are a bit tough to get out - Just ask Joanna Errico and Christina Schulze.

Errico and Schulze are the remaining members of the last Mineola High School girls bowling team to go into the Nassau County Championships ranked as the best team in the county. Unfortunately, that team could not pull off the victory in the one-day tournament. Two years ago, trailing by only 24 pins entering the last game of that tournament, victory was denied. Last year all of Nassau County was beaten handily by a great Freeport team. It seemed as though this squad had their chance.

Finally, Errico (a senior) and Schulze (a junior), seniors Alison Conti and Melissa Purdy, junior Lauren Anderson and sophomore Jennifer Pirrone can call themselves champions. The girls brought home the school's first county title in 13 years, beating runner-up Clarke by 40 pins, 5050-5010

All season long this team knew it would be a part of the title chase. The top 16 teams (ranked by average during the regular season) get invited to the tournament, which was held on Feb. 3 at Garden City Lanes.

After capturing the conference with a hard fought victory over Carle Place, the Mustangs were ranked number one heading into that Saturday. Teams like Bellmore-Merrick, Westbury, Lynbrook, as well as Freeport, Clarke and Carle Place would all be out to beat them, and had been closing the gap throughout the season. The fact that this tournament is a single day, six-game total pins affair makes it even tougher, because one bad game can end the day - quickly.

The name of the game for this team all day was consistency. Everyone had a part in the victory, and the five-person team never bowled a game under 800, and Schulze was the only bowler to average over 200 for the day.

In this type of tournament format, you hope to get paired up with a tough opponent so you are challenged early in the day, and keep that intensity up as the day goes on. There is a real benefit in facing a good squad in the very first game. For Mineola there was no better opponent than the team right behind them in the rankings, Clarke.

Well, the team came out prepared - Clarke, that is. Despite an outstanding 837 by Errico, Conti, Purdy, Pirrone and Schulze, the Mustangs found themselves behind by 70 pins. Fortunately, this team, made up of five returning members from last year's tourney, knew that didn't decide the winner - yet.

Errico (191), Pirrone (174) and tournament rookie Anderson (156) led the girls back, and by the end of that game the tide had turned. Clarke had a difficult second game, and Mineola was in first by 16 pins. A solid third game of 837, and at the intermission, there was a 47 pin gap between Mineola and conference rival Carle Place.

Just as the fates would have it, the fist match of the afternoon pitted one versus two. Schulze's 205 helped to widen the gap, but a new challenger was on the attack - defending champion Freeport, down by only 51 pins. Freeport was a juggernaut last year, and most teams would have needed two days to pile up the total they accumulated on their way to the title. And here they were again, poised to snatch another one out of the hands of Mineola. Maybe, but not today.

Alison Conti, struggling throughout the day, rallied to post a personal best of 224 - outdone by Schulze's 225 in the same game - and the team recorded their high score of 895 in game 5. The gap widened to 79 pins. One more game to go, and this close to victory. Tension? - slightly.

Game 6 and the opponent couldn't be any more fitting - Clarke. Although this time the Mustangs had a cushion to start with, both teams knew that could either expand or shrink significantly in one frame. They also knew that as each frame passed, if the gap didn't close, it would be that much harder for Clarke to overcome.

Parents, friends and teammates, so supportive all day long, now huddled together, ready to explode with excitement if the Mustangs could get off on the right foot. Joanna Errico didn't make them wait too long, burying a strike in the first frame. Pandemonium from the gallery - could it be? Not yet...

As the match went on, the gap held strong at first, but by the middle of the game began to shrink. Not significantly, but the window began to close. Clarke knew they had beaten Mineola before, and could do it again, and they picked up the attack. Strike after strike, spare after spare, they were more than in the match by the sixth frame. Time for someone to step up for Mineola and take this game over. Fortunately, five "someones" did. Jennifer Pirrone began a string of four straight strikes to match her opponent, essentially eliminating her from the match. Lauren Anderson picked up a difficult split for a much needed spare. Suddenly spares and strikes started showing up on the red and black side, and the gap stopped shrinking. One frame to go to the championship, and time for one more team effort.

Bowler for bowler was essentially matched, leaving one for each team. Christina Schulze has bowled in many big games before, it might be safe to say that this was a BIG game. You could have told her (and the team) that she doesn't even have to throw a strike or spare and the title was yours, but that would not have helped. Never was there a more tense moment in these young women's athletic lives than right now. Three strikes in a row later, anticipation turned to celebration as the title was theirs.

Everyone on that team, from players to parents, felt a part of the championship that day. A total group effort is a huge understatement, but one that has been the motto of this outstanding team since they began the season in November. Their reward is one more tournament, the New York State Tournament on March 3 at Sayville Lanes in Suffolk County.