The Tenth Board

…it was no-tap.

My team, counting the extra money, received almost $40/bowler, and I entered the no-tap tournament following payout. After a first-game 192 in which I had 3 8-counts, making only one of the spares, I got things going in the second game with a 244, with six in a row natural in the middle. It was the last game that really did it for me tonight, however, as I had the first ten, with six of those natural, before leaving a baby split on the 11th ball, which I then whiffed for a 286 (and a no-tap 722 series). I entered the side pots this year, unlike last year, and I knew I had Sean Richard beat, but only got third place in the third game side pot because of a 300 by Harry Thibeault Jr. and a 297 from someone else (I want to say it was Carl Nordstrom, but I’m not sure). Third in the side pots was still worth $6, so I got about half of my money back on the night. With my confidence growing again, I’m looking forward to next week’s no-tap tournament, which will be the one after the Brunswick Mixed League meeting.

“Trip N Shred” ended up in 13th place, four points behind “Wyld Stallyns,” but two ahead of “Hocus Pocus.” The 2010 Wednesday Summer Mixed League champions are Team 13, consisting of Harry Thibeault Jr., Debbie Butler, and Jane Welch, with a vacancy due to the fact that Derick Thibeault had surgery following the winter season and spent the summer recuperating; we hope Derick is ready for the new fall/winter season.

My Week 13 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to series page on BowlSK)

This was not only my best set of the summer tonight, but my most consistent one, as well, especially in the 210 second game, which was my only clean game of the summer. The Fast was not ready to use after surface repair, so the attack plan with the Hy-Road was to throw it fast and with as little axis rotation as possible, and the plan largely succeeded. I also got my spare game figured out: I need to go at the second arrow on all of my spares with my spare ball, and when I hit that mark on my second ball, I didn’t usually miss.

Result: 202-210-181=593
Final average (39 games): 174
Average for last 9 games: 173

Rob backed up my 210 with a 250, so we won the second game’s points; unfortunately, those were our only points of the night.

Although this was a summer I’d largely like to forget, I did feel I got things figured out toward the end, so I’m looking forward to the start of the fall/winter season with a renewed sense of confidence.

My Week 12 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to series page on BowlSK)

I felt I bowled better than my score tonight, and they might have matched if I had made more of my spares. I’m finding the Fast very effective for playing the deeper inside on this shot…just decrease the axis rotation, throw it fast, and give it some room.

Result: 204-156-161=521
Average (36 games): 172
Average for last 9 games: 172
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 545

It was a team effort for the sweep tonight, with my contribution coming not so much from having good games, but making clutch shots near the end of games. Eileen continues to contribute in a big way, having a 177 second game, which I believe was her second best ever. John and Rob were also both over their averages for two of the three games.

The six-point night the other night allowed “Trip N Shred” to remain in a tie in points with “Awesome Sox,” but “J.E.M.S.,” at one time the second-place team, is now the team at the bottom, so the tie in points with “Awesome Sox” is for 14th position with two weeks left. At the top, Team 13 holds a two-point lead over “Lounge Lizards” and “Phase 10 Pins,” and, if the position round was next week, my cousins would be the ones bowling Team 13, as they hold the pinfall advantage. As for my team, the opposition next week is “Sweetballsochili,” who are in the middle of the pack.

As an aside, Rob tied Sean Richard for men’s high scratch game this week with that 277.

My Week 11 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to series on BowlSK)

I had thought, especially after the first game, that I was either throwing the ball too fast or too slow, and not “just right”, and that largely led to the splits and washouts I had. I also gave one too much room, and missed some makeables, all adding up to a horrible night overall.

Result: 173-135-137=445
Average (33 games): 172
Average for last 9 games: 171
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 547

My teammates had to pick me up tonight, and boy, did they ever! In the first game, Eileen had a personal best 183 game, and could’ve had 200 if she didn’t have bad count on one of her spares and leaving something more reasonable. After missing the first game, John got into the act with a 199, but it was Rob who stole the show that game, and in stellar fashion…he had a personal best 277, with the front 9 before sending the first shot in the 10th wide, leaving a 2-5 (if I remember). We just missed a sweep in the third game, so we had to settle for the first two games and total.