By BILL SNIER
JACKSON TWP. — After graduating from Jackson High School in 2024 and spending three years as a varsity bowler, Donivin Gillono wasn’t ready to jump straight into an adult league.
“I really am what I have around me,” the 19-year-old Jackson Township right-hander said. “If I don’t have the right people around me, I just don’t have the wont to bowl.”
But Gillono stayed active on the lanes during the 2024-25 season because of former Jackson teammate and second-team All-Federal League pick Alex Lovas, a 2025 graduate.
“That’s the only thing that kept me bowling,” said Gillono, a customer experience banker at Huntington Bank’s Hartville branch. “He wanted someone to bowl with every week, so we practiced the entire season. Then, he needed someone to bowl with in the summer in a league so we decided to do that.”
So Gillono teamed up with Lovas and Jackson Langdon, another former teammate and 2025 Jackson graduate, in the Tuesday Night Trio league at Park Centre Lanes.
After never reaching a 200 average during his three varsity years at Jackson (his high was 196.69 his senior season), Gillono is hoping to get over that hump during the 12-week summer league. Currently, he carries a 204 average.
“This is new to me … getting back into serious bowling after a year of just practicing,” Gillono said. “I never dropped from where I was in high school. I had months where I averaged 200s and 190s … it just went back and forth,” Gillono said. “But this would be my first-ever league, sanctioned or nonsanctioned, where I had a 200 average. I’m trying to hang on to that.
“I’ve never been able to take that next big step … I’ve always been in the high 190s range.”
The highlight came July 15 when Gillono had games of 279, 266 and 269 for 814 — his first career 800 series. He’s not even sure of his previous high, adding “I know it was no where near this.”
Gillono, who has a high career game of 286, started Game 1 with the front nine strikes before leaving a 4-pin spare. He then started Game 2 with three strikes before leaving a 4-7 spare in the fourth. The righty then ran strikes again until his second ball in the 10th frame, when he left another 4-pin and covered it.
It was hard not to notice where he stood going into Game 3.
“I was trying not to think about it, and I really didn’t,” Gillono said, adding he knew he needed a lot of strikes. “But I knew what I had to do.”
After a strike in the first frame, he left a corner-pin spare (he wasn’t sure which) in the second and covered it. He then continued to run strikes until again leaving a 4-pin on his second ball in the 10th frame.
“I really didn’t know when it happened. I knew I was getting close, but I couldn’t point to this ball or that ball that got the 800,” Gillono said. “I only knew it when everyone around me started cheering when I had it.”
Gillono, who used to be employed by Park Centre, used a five-year-old Storm Proton Physix that he got from bowler Wayne Lovelace three years ago.
“He said he hated the ball and I always wanted one because it was the shiniest ball Storm offered at the time,” Gillono said. “I already had the Physix and the Astro Physix and they all worked great for me.”
Gillono’s target area was around the corner of the second arrow (10 board). He made a couple of moves left – about two or three boards — with his feet before completing the night where he started.
“I just moved where the ball was telling me to go,” Gillono said. “I moved left originally, but when it started going high, I went back to the right.”
Gillono will join Lovas, former Green High School bowler Angelo Pallota and former Jackson teammate Kaden Biles on a team in the Pizza Oven Classic league at Park Centre in the fall. Langton will be bowling in college and is unavailable.
In addition to league play in the summer, Gillono and Lovas continue to practice at least one day.
“It’s been a long time since I had the help of Dave Miller and Bill Reese coaching me every single day when I worked here,” Gillono said. “I think, right now, I’ve got all the lessons I need from them
“I know where I’m at and I just need to stay consistent and stay focused with what I’m doing. Laziness has always been something I’ve struggled with. I need to focus on that and keep giving it the right effort.”