Strikes and Spares
How about Homecoming for bowlers? It is Homecoming at our high school this weekend. The students are all pumped up, alumni returns and the hotdogs are roasting on the grill.
High school football does not get much better than that. I wonder if we have ever thought about Homecoming in the bowling community.
All of us can remember the lane that we rolled our first ball down. The house was probably one that was close to home and we passed often. Even if you are just a casual bowler like me, I am sure you can remember who first introduced you to the sport.
Call that bowler up this week, visit the lane and have your own Homecoming week.
Many a high score has called a local lane home this week. As we start our weekly jaunt around the counties bowling houses, we will visit many familiar names and find where some of the top bowlers call home.
Debbie Hill of the Highlanders League scored a 206 game as part her run down the lanes to a 535 series.
John Buhovecky raised the bar with his 234 game, leading to a 665 series, and Sonny Yowler pushed the pins out of the way for a 566 series.
Last week at Klondike lanes, Tom Rhodes’ 692 and Bobby Umbel’s 686 placed them in high series standing for Monday men’s scores. High games go to Umbel with a 258, Jim Shipley with a 258, Bobby Rohland with a 255 and Rich Burnsworth with a 252.
The Monday night ladies at Klondike did not just sit and watch. Joanne Sahady tackled a 529 series, and Marilyn Riggen smoothed the way to a 527. Susan Schiffbauer rolled a high game for the ladies highlights with a 216 and Marilyn Riggen had a 195.
Other standout scores for the Klondike bowlers go to Mikie Vinch with a 561, Cathy Christopher’s 476 and Tracy Roebuck’s 474.
Mary Jo Kelecic had high game honors on Tuesday night with a 180.
Jimmy Wilson’s 735 and Al D’Andrea’s 712 led the way for the Wednesday night men with Bill Crum’s 296 and Paul Guthrie Sr.’s 278 shaking the pins.
Friday night brings Earl Guthrie satisfaction with his 702, and Tom Rhodes shares the spotlight with a 691. Mashawn Durst scored a solid 500 and Tammie Williams was climbing up with a 491. Mashawn also walked away with high game honors at 203, and Tammie followed with a 191.
The Manor Lanes’ Rockwell League sent the ball home to the pit by way of some impressive scoring. Mike Reese and Tom Ryczek both shared 245 games, and Warren Hardin had the reported high series with a 677.
The P & P League brings Sandy Chapman to the front with a 268/612 and Spencer Metts a 221/611.
Dick McKnight’s score came to me with only a 29( ). Now there are only so many numbers left to fill the hole, any of which would rate a good score, so we cannot let it pass by.
In the Majors, John Campbell’s 697 series and Allen Chrise Jr.’s 695 series take high honors. Luke Bryner and Bob Anthony with 687 and 694, respectively, maintained their roles as true players.
The Thursday nighters of Manor Lanes brings Brandon George back home to us with a 278/678, and Al D’Andrea again shows his style with a 246/685.
I cannot go back to my original lanes. Where it is once stood is now a modern drug store, selling everything from pain relief to photo supplies.
I will however, spend some time thinking about the night “the guys” decided to stop into the street level lanes located just off the main drag. We found comfort from the hot humid Nebraska night and discovered a new sport that bonded us together for a few more weeks before we all went our separate ways.
Hope you have a chance to go home, wherever that may be.
Brian Casey can be reached at brianwcasey@hotmail.com