Heading into his freshman year at Barnegat High School four years ago, Joe Spagnola had no interest in bowling.

“I was a wrestler. I thought bowling was dumb,” said Spagnola, who on Sunday returned home from a long stay in Grand Rapids, Mich., after placing 21st overall in the United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships. “My mom forced me to bowl with my sister that winter, and I learned how to make the ball curve, which I thought was cool.”

While sister Lily already had established herself with the Bengals’ girls squad, Ocean Lanes instructor Tony Belillo…