WATCH: LI Teen wasn't thinking too much about anything as he played a perfect game

Joseph Caliendo has been bowling since he was 11 years old.

June 20, 2024, 11:42 a.m. EDT

ROCKVILLE CENTER, N.Y. — A Coram teen had a perfect game at a recent tournament.

Joseph Caliendo, 17, won the elusive 300 match in the Peter J. LaSpina, Sr. Memorial Scholarship Tournament at Maple Lanes RVC.

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“I’ve been doing it for the last six years of my life,” Caliendo told Patch.

Although he had participated in many tournaments, this was the first time he had 12 consecutive strikes. It's also the first perfect match in the tournament's 38-year history.

“I was very surprised when I heard that,” he said. “I do not believe it.”

Caliendo said he remained calm as the strikes continued. It wasn't until the ninth frame that nerves started to play a role.

“When you start to feel nervous, you want to distract yourself,” he said. “Talk to someone about something other than bowling, or focus on someone else's bowling. That's what I did.

He managed to control his anxiety. “I didn’t think too much about anything,” he said.

Caliendo has come close to 300 on several occasions, with his average before perfection hovering around 220.

Although he thought about turning professional, “the level of dedication it would take to become a professional, like what you see on TV, is very difficult.”

Instead, the Longwood Central School District junior is focusing on his college life with an emphasis on math.

Watch the entire “Patch Weekly Spotlight” with Caliendo below.