After the split with Team 8, “Ebony And Ivory” sits in 4th place after two weeks. Three teams have taken 14 of the possible 16 points after two weeks: “Top Cheddah,” Team 3, and “2nd To None” (listed in pinfall order). Team 12 will be the opposition for my team this week.

I’m posting this late due to severe weather in the Brockton area last night (I never liked being online during thunderstorms).

My Week 2 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to BowlSK sheet)

Last night was more like it: a consistent 600 series with no game under 190. My new teammate, Lou, also got to see why I like bowling anchor so much…I punched out 9th and 10th frame in two of the three games, the second of those with the game on the line.

Result: 198-213-191=602
Average (6 games): 197
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 597

The team lost the first game by 110 pins, but Lou, and Rob in particular, woke up in the last two games to help support me. I still had to “earn my pay” in those two games, but we got out of there with a split of four points apiece.

I usually make my annual house-wide league recap post on June 1, but, where I’m supposed to bowl on that date, I have more time for it today.

Anyway, with all of the winter leagues finished for the season, I devote an annual post to a recap of what happened during the season by listing the highs for the men and women (including youth bowlers if they otherwise qualified) during the season. As far as high series, for the leagues that bowl four games in a series (Tuesday Scratch Sportsmen and Boston Bowl Invitational Singles), only the first three games of a series was considered, following the USBC rule on series awards. High average is based on a minimum of 72 games in the league in question.

Men

Average: 235.1; Sean Richard (Brockton Ten Pin, 96 games)*
Series: 845; Gerry LaTremouille (Westgate Mixed)
Game: 300; Matt Yandek (2), Mike Major, Kevin Sheehy, Chris Mark, Ryan Evans, Devon McGregor (Coke Classic), Brad Silva, Michael Monteiga (Brockton Ten Pin), James Scales (His & Hers), Alex Aguiar, Ralph Dahlgren, Trey Coy, Rai Doblmeier (Tuesday Scratch Sportsmen), Gerry LaTremouille, John Kunan, Ed Alfieri, Rich Walker Jr. (Westgate Mixed), Richard Mines (TNBA)

* As noted in a previous post, this is a new Westgate Lanes house record.

Women

Average: 211.4; Shirley Major (Thursday Handicap Doubles, 93 games)
Series: 740; Shirley Major (Thursday Handicap Doubles)
Game: 289; Jessica Lowe (TNBA)

Congrats to everyone named above. 😀

Readers interested in a particular league should check the individual standings sheets on either BowlerExpress or LeagueSecretary.com (links to both sites are in the sidebar on the main blog page).

Although I wanted something of a “change of scenery,” I ended up on a team with Eileen and Rob (with John not bowling), joined by Lou Larry. We christened the team “Ebony and Ivory” as a reference to the racial mix on the team.

My Week 1 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to BowlSK sheet)

My team was thrown into the fire against a team led by Dan Esdale, and I thought I hung in well against him, and actually beating his score scratch in the first game. I threw a clunker in the last game, but I was only 6 pins worse than Dan on the night, so I’ll definitely take that.

Result: 234-203-146=583
Average (3 games): 194
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 587

Lou, leading off in our lineup, was the only bowler on our pair over 600, and we had the best scratch score in all three games, but we’ll see how the first week standings shake out.

I’m keeping this post simple because I never did get the group picture of “The Incredibowls.” As I figured, I won division high scratch series, and that was worth $10 more than my game prizes the last two years were. The highlight of the banquet itself was a “home video” produced by Alex Frisbie of “Bowling Stones,” which I thought was pretty slick. The bowling center and pro shop also donated gifts as door prizes, and I happened to get the last gift certificate to the pro shop; I’ve been looking at getting a Tropical Storm or similar ball drilled pin-under (weak for most bowlers), and will likely put the gift certificate toward that.

“The Incredibowls” won tonight’s three-game, total pins roll-off for the Brunswick Mixed League championship over “The 5 G’s” by a score (with handicaps) of 3135-3131. Brian Snow had a 203 game and Pat Trombley had a four-bagger in the later stages of a 180 first game for “The Incredibowls” to take a six pin lead. “The Incredibowls” then increased their lead to 67 pins after two games, with Trombley pacing the team with a 194 game. “The 5 G’s” won the last game by 63 pins in large part due to a 241 from Dwayne Gomes and a 256 from Dana Gomes, but Pat Trombley finished the third game with six strikes for a personal best 234 game of her own to help her team hold off the late charge. Trombley ended with a personal best 608 series, the first 600 series by a woman in the league this season.

My Week 35 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to BowlSK series sheet)

My second game gave me a chance at the +1, but I just made too many mistakes in the middle of the last game, with a couple of balls skidding through the break point and leaving tough spares. Missing a 3 pin in that game didn’t help matters, as well.

Result: 174-225-171=570
Final average (105 games): 185
Average for last 9 games: 185

Team took all four points, but “Pairs and Spares” took their first two and were comfortable for total when we left, so our position in last for the second half was cemented.

Despite my struggles at times this season, I did feel I learned a few things this season. I’m hopeful for the summer and next fall/winter season to come. 😀

My Week 34 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to BowlSK sheet)

From my BowlSK comment:

The lanes were dry tonight, and matters were worse with two high-rev bowlers on the other team chewing the lanes up, but my scores belie the fact that I adjusted to them better. In the second game, I found some room next to the front of the return on the right lane, but, by the end of the third game, I couldn’t stand in front of the return without pulling the ball, so I went to my plastic ball on that lane. Indeed, I loved the shot I made with my plastic ball in the 8th frame of that game; I just couldn’t repeat that shot in the 10th frame.

Result: 179-169-145=493
Average (102 games): 185
Average for last 9 games: 187
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 580

My team only took one point, sealing the fact that we will be bowling the vacant in the second half position round next week. “The Incredibowls” took two points tonight against “Fire in the Hole,” meaning that they are the second half winners and will bowl against “The 5 G’s” in the roll-off in two weeks.

After taking three of four points from “Bowling Stones,” “Babe and Balls closed the gap to 10th place, as my team now sits just two points behind “Pairs and Spares.” At the top of the standings, “The Incredibowls” have clinched at least a tie for the second half title, as they’re now eight points ahead of “The Mustangs” with two weeks left.

“Dee’s Boys” provide my team’s opposition this week. Looking at the contenders, “The Incredibowls” look to clinch the second half against “Fire in the Hole,” while “The Mustangs” are bowling against the vacant.

My Week 33 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to BowlSK sheet)

Tonight should’ve been better based on “feel,” as I said in my BowlSK comment, and, indeed, my strikes the first two games felt so good that I remarked to my teammates that I wished those were on the video I posted today rather than the one I got. I’m happy because tonight squared me back up with last season’s average and then some, and I’m bowling well enough now that I feel I can raise it another pin by the time the league ends.

Result: 222-214-174=610
Average (99 games): 186
Average for last 9 games: 191
Next week’s AVG+1: 617

Team was also short Patrick for the first game, but Carl did well to back my 222 up; everyone contributed in the second game, but we were all under average third game, so the result was three points.

As happened in the first meeting, “Crazy Eights” were swept by “High Five,” and, this time, the sweep meant that the latter team won enough points to clinch the league championship with a week to spare. My team now finds itself three points behind “2 X 6 Pack” in last place, meaning we can force a tie for 9th place by taking five points against them, and get into 9th outright with a better performance.

Even though we took all four of our points against the vacant this week, “Babe and Balls” still couldn’t make any headway on getting out of 11th place, as we still stand four points behind “In It To Win It” and “Pairs and Spares.” At the top, “The Incredibowls” now lead “The Mustangs” by nine points with three weeks left in the half. Individually, all I can tell everyone is that I had the high scratch game of the week with my 259.

“Bowling Stones” are my team’s opponents next week.

My Week 32 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to BowlSK sheet)

Everything felt really good in the first game, and, indeed, through three frames of Game 2, when I almost had the “Varipappa 300.” Then, I wasn’t getting the breaks, with five splits and two washouts. Not counting those, however, I didn’t miss anything easy. The first game was my third of the season of 250+, going over a personal season-long mark I established last season.

Result: 259-173-156=588
Average (96 games): 185
Average for last 9 games: 194
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 567

The only problem we had taking points from the vacant was in Game 2, when we were just a pin over what we needed to take the point. My other three teammates present picked me up in the third game, with all three going over average.

“Crazy Eights” managed only two points against “Pinfall Wizards,” meaning we dropped back behind the latter team by a point in the race to stay out of last place with two weeks left. At the top, “High Five” now lead “10 in the Pit” by six full points.

As my team forfeited all three games last week, the lack of points meant that “Babe and Balls” are now five points behind both “In It To Win It” and “Pairs and Spares” in 11th place. “The Mustangs” won three points in the forfeit situation (a team can lose forfeit points, but the team forfeiting cannot win points), and only managed to keep pace with “The Incredibowls,” who are now 9 points in front in the second half standings with four weeks left. My team bowls the vacant team next week.

My Week 31 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to BowlSK sheet)

Tonight, I adopted a warm-up routine I’ve seen Ed Roberts follow where he shoots his 10 pin on his first ball during practice time, then throw for a strike on second ball. It seemed to pay immediate dividends, as I did not miss a single 10 tonight. However, that did not mean my night was good: I had 6 splits on the night, and my single 2 pin now seems to be a problem, as I missed it both times I had it.

Result: 165-184-179=528
Average (93 games): 185
Average for last 9 games: 187
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 597

My team will be missing John for the rest of the season, as he’ll be having knee surgery. That, combined with Carl and Patrick both being absent, meant we were bowling in a forfeit situation, and my bowling only counted for average purposes. Eileen, for what it’s worth, was well over 400 again.

I have one more post about tonight in my league, but that has to go in a separate post.

“Crazy Eights” had a great week last week…a record-breaking week, in fact. My teammate “B Fury” threw a 298 last game in the process of posting an 824 set, which now stands as the virtual league’s record individual series. The rest of the team did well, as well, and, as a result, we now hold the record team game (1,214) and series (3,324).

The effort was rewarded with all 7 points, coming at the expense of “2 X 6 Pack,” and my team crawled out of last place, now standing two points ahead of “Pinfall Wizards.” The week saw a new leader at the top, with “High Five” now standing two points ahead of “Wrecking Balls.” With three weeks left, only 7 points separate the top half of the standings.