I was on hand for my league’s roll-off tonight, and I can report that “The Badgers,” the first-half winners, won the league championship in a three-game, total pinfall match against “MT Bed” by a score of 2991-2868 (with handicaps). It was actually looking good for “MT Bed” after one game, taking a 70-pin lead into the second game. “The Badgers,” however, woke up to take a 23-pin lead after the second game and just cruised from there. I told the winners to expect a photo-op at the banquet, which is a week from Saturday.

We may have avoided the basement, but we also failed to gain ground on “8 Is Great,” the 8th place team, because they won their match with “The Handicaps,” 3-1. Overall, we’re in 9th place, but whether that has any bearing on payouts remains to be seen.

Individually, my 730 handicap series from opening night has held up in my average class with only the roll-off left. Of the roll-off participants, only Bobby Geddes, carrying a 4 handicap, has a chance to knock me off for the men’s A lead, meaning Bobby would have to bowl better than a 718 to take the spot from me. Elsewhere, Rob Dickens may have had his first-ever 200 game with a 208 first game; it’s definitely his first 200 game award of the season (as he has an average low enough to qualify for it)…I’m definitely looking forward to bowling with him this summer. 😀

I forgot to note in last night’s post that “MT Bed” won the 3 points required to take first place in the second half, so they will roll off against “The Badgers” next week for the Brunswick Mixed League championship. I’d like to watch, but I would like to also go out for a karaoke night in my week off, so we’ll see what happens.

My Week 33 bowling (BowlSK)

I would’ve liked to have had a better set to end the season, and it was looking like I would have a good one after one game, but I lost it in Game 2 and never really recovered. As the 223 first game featured one of my longer strike runs on the season, I guess I’ll take that out of the end of the season and be happy. I will consider my first winter season back to be a success, as the average given below represents the highest average I’ve ever booked (my last winter league average before this year was in the 160s). Here’s hoping next winter season finds me improving now that I have some idea of what to expect.

Result: 223-151-146=520
Final average (99 games): 183 Last 9 games average: 173

As for the team, we won the first game by 100+ pins, and that held up for total, so we managed to avoid the basement again. I don’t know what the prize fund looks like, but it doesn’t look like I’ll get much back based on team standings (though I don’t know if they give out team prizes in this league). My best hope for payment comes if my 730 series with handicap holds up for the best in the men’s A average class.

With “DNFTD” sweeping us this week, my team fell to 9th place, meaning we will be bowling “The Backyard Bowlers” next week in an attempt to avoid the second-half basement. Two teams are still alive for the second-half title, “The Dynasty” and “MT Bed,” who must take at least three points from the former team in order to win the second half. As “The Badgers” cannot win the second half, there will be a roll-off between “The Badgers” and the second half winner on May 6 for the league championship.

With my winter league winding down, I checked with my brother a couple of weeks ago about my financial status, and he indicated that I would be able to bowl summer league again this year. Having obtained the green light, the question then shifted to which league it would be in. When I talked to my cousin Debbie around the winter holidays, there was some doubt about whether she and the rest of her crew would be bowling in the Wednesday Summer Mixed League again. However, calling her again this week, she indicated they would be bowling in that league, as usual, so my mind about the league was made up at that point.

My team is less set in stone, however. I had hoped to hook up with Brian Shea and Ralph Marple again, but they informed me last night that both would like to bowl with their sons, and, as the four-man teams in that league don’t necessarily have to include a female member, that would likely constitute their full team. Wanting to bowl with people I know, and knowing she bowled in the Wednesday Summer Mixed League last year, I asked Bonnie MacDonald of the “MT Bed” team in the Brunswick Mixed League what her plans were. She told me she was trying to get a team together with Grace Heath and Rob Dickens of “The Handicaps.” I was also informed that Grace wanted one of her friends on the team as the fourth person, but, as I was told that that person wasn’t definite, I left the option open with them for me to join the team if the friend backed out. Given my in-limbo status, though, I am on the sign-up board for the league for now as having no team.

As a final aside, I was hoping for a good break between seasons (the summer league didn’t start until after Memorial Day last year), but, checking the Westgate Lanes site, I was informed that the league starts on May 13, giving me only a one-week break.

My Week 32 bowling (BowlSK)

I should’ve taken the hint about tonight this morning when I stubbed a toe on my left (slide) foot on one of my kitchen chairs when I woke up. After a couple of ibuprofen before dinner, the toe felt good enough to bowl, but it turned out to be one of those nights when I couldn’t get out of my own way. When I wasn’t missing my mark, it seemed something else wasn’t right, and I seemed lost most of the night. The second game actually could’ve been disastrous, but I saved some semblance of respectability with good 9th and 10th frames.

Result: 165-158-166=489
Average (96 games): 183 Last 9 games average: 171
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 585

It was a bad night for the team, too, with only my finish in the second game making that game look respectable; we were crushed in the other 2, with Shawn only missing Ed Godino’s high scratch series of the season by a few pins with a 704. The bright moment for my team? Carl, facing the 4-6 split in the third game, got the 4 pin to bounce and converted the split.

There was not much change in the standings overall this week, as the only match not to split points was “8 Is Great” going up against “The Badgers” (who won the match 3-1), so the margins at the top and bottom remain where they are. My team has “DNFTD” next week, then we bowl the second-half position round the following week.

Individually, Ed Godino of “The Dynasty” had the first 700 series of the season in the league with a 708, paced by a 257 first game. Rob Dickens of “The Handicaps” also continued his hot bowling, repeating for 3 USBC awards (2 180 games and a 500 series)

My Week 31 bowling (BowlSK)

What I failed to mention in my league night post last week was that my left foot was bothering me, and that continued tonight, so that might have been in my head these last couple of weeks. Unlike last week, however, I did manage to grind out an over-average night, thanks in large part to a clean 213 last game. Also, I only missed three non-split spares (two in the first game) out of 21 opportunities tonight, so that kept my night respectable.

Result: 166-177-213=556
Average (93 games): 184 Last 9 games average: 189
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 618

The team really only had one bad game, the first one, but it was bad enough (and “The Mustangs” were good enough) to allow “The Mustangs” to take total after we won two close games. Carl, with a turkey in the 7th, 8th, and 9th frames, was a big part of the last game win, as it helped keep the margin high enough to withstand a late charge by our opponents.

The good news is that, despite being swept by “Backyard Bowlers” this week, we remained in 8th place in the second half standings. The bad news is that the gap to last place is now only 2 points. At the top of the standings, “The Dynasty” swept “The Mustangs,” who are now in 2nd place, trailing by that 4 point margin. My team faces “The Mustangs” next week.

Despite what the standings sheet says, there are only 3 weeks left in the season.

My Week 30 bowling (BowlSK)

Although I had some moments, this was just an overall bad night. I didn’t have the speed control I had last week, and I missed my target a few times, to boot. Add to that the fact that I missed 4 single pins by not very much, and you get an idea of how bad it was. I’m just fortunate that my average stayed at 184, but that means (as I note below) I need another 600 next week to get near 185.

Result: 161-160-175=496
Average (90 games): 184 Last 9 games average: 196
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 619

The bad night carried over to my team, as we lost all 3 games by 50+ pins. “Backyard Bowlers” are still the last place team, but they significantly closed the gap to us tonight. Mark Boerman set the tone for them early with a four-bagger, and they did little slowing down the rest of the way.

There are only three weeks remaining in the season.

It’s rare that a standings update is a week late, but Shawn didn’t get them posted on LeagueSecretary.com until last night.

I had hoped my team won the last game last week by enough to take total, but that didn’t happen, so we only took 1 point. However, my team remained in 8th place for the second half, but we are now 13.5 points off the pace (set by “The Mustangs” and “The Dynasty”) with time running out in the season.

Individually, I tied with Bobby Geddes (ironically enough) for second high scratch game this week with the 247, and (also ironically) that was in the game Bobby had his 247 in. I’ve already noted Rob Dickens’ 256 game, but Shawn Coles, the league’s secretary (and holder of high average at this point), almost had the first 700 set in the league this season with a 696.

We face “Backyard Bowlers” tonight, who are 5.5 points behind us in the basement. The “marquee” match-up tonight is on lanes 39 and 40, where the aformentioned teams, “The Mustangs” and “The Dynasty”, will have at it for the second half lead.