Horseheads state champ named Star-Gazette/Leader Boys Bowler of Year

Horseheads High School's impressive bowling credentials received a boost this season when sophomore Cayden Bowman captured the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Division 1 title.

By securing the ultimate prize for an individual high school bowler in New York, Bowman has been selected as Elmira Star-Gazette/Corning Leader Boys Bowler of the Year for the 2025-26 season.

Horseheads High sophomore Cayden Bowman, shown at Crystal Lanes in East Corning, won the Division 1 boys individual title at the NYSPHSAA boys bowling championships March 14, 2026 at AMF Syracuse Lanes.

Bowman captured the state championship at AMF Syracuse Lanes with a stunningly consistent performance. He had games of 234, 248, 255, 224, 243, and 234 for a six-game total of 1,438 that was 72 pins better than the runner-up.

"I knew in order to compete with them I had to be consistent, I had to stay slow, I had to do certain things to make sure I would be able to compete, place top-10, possibly win the thing," Bowman said of his title-winning performance.

More: Becoming a state champion 'amazing feeling' for Horseheads bowler

That followed a cumulative score of 1,900 pins at the Section 4 state qualifier that secured Bowman a berth in the state tournament.

Horseheads is the alma mater of Ryan Shafer, one of the most accomplished bowlers in PBA Tour history. Shafer, valedictorian for Horseheads' class of 1984, attended the school before it had a bowling team.

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