“Diamond Flush” was getting 55 pins per game from Team 10, but still could only win the first game, and that with the help of an 11 in a row 290 game from “jbungard.” My virtual team now sits in a tie for 5th in points with “Mooseknuckles,” 11 points behind “Ordinary Average Guys,” who are two points ahead of both “Executionists” and “Got Wood?”.

My teammate’s 290 was not the only honor score of the week, however, as “General Pounder” also had a 290 game, and “Norm3v” submitted what was his first ever 300 game.

“Pinfall Wizards” slipped into a tie in points for second place with “The 5 G’s” after splitting with “Bottoms Up!”, but did gain ground on the lead, as the deficit between 2nd and “Dee’s Boys II” in first was reduced to four points. “The Mustangs” await my team in the coming week.

My Week 26 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to BowlSK sheet)

Given my average this year, this was a bad night within reason, but I’m used to averaging 180+. This night was my season in a microcosm, with bad shots at inopportune times. If I wasn’t turning early, I was missing with the fingers, and it was my lane play keeping it within reason.

Result: 166-147-159=472
Average (78 games): 172
Average for last 9 games: 159
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 592

Brian pre-bowled, and two members of the other team were absent, so it was a mercifully quick night. The three bowlers present on the other team did well enough to take the second game by what turned out to be more than enough for total. Brian’s good third game proved instrumental in us saving our second point.

“Diamond Flush” only managed to win the second game against “Executionists,” but did hold position to remain in 5th, 11 points behind “Got Wood?”, who are now four points ahead of the aforementioned “Executionists.”

The good news for “Pinfall Wizards” in the latest standings is that we’re now all alone in second place in the second half standings. The bad news is that we’re still 5 points behind the leaders, “Dee’s Boys II.” “The Mustangs” are coming up on the schedule this week.

My Week 25 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to BowlSK sheet)

Last night was another sort of a mixed bag, but at least I felt like I was making better shots overall. The night could’ve started off horribly, but I actually converted the 4-7-10, for the first time in my memory and possibly for my first time ever.

Result: 169-177-180=526
Average (75 games): 172
Average for last 9 games: 166
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 545

Team took the first two games, but then had to hold on to save total. Carl and Berta were good in the first two games, and Pat was 40 pins over his average in the third game to support me for total.

“Diamond Flush,” despite low second and third game scores, got out of Week 6 with four points against “Kingpins,” and now stand alone in 5th place, six points behind “Got Wood?”, who lead by two points over “Executionists.”

“Pinfall Wizards,” after our winning week against “Warren’s Girls,” are now tied for 5th in points with “Deadwood,” four points behind “Dee’s Boys II,” who lead “The Incredibowls” and “The 5 G’s” by three points. We have the aforementioned “Deadwood” this week in a duel for position.

Individually, Brian had the high handicap series for the men this week, and Berta the high scratch and handicap series for the women.

My Week 24 bowling, frame-by-frame (Linked to BowlSK sheet)

This was a night I’d prefer not to think about, though I finally had a decent game to start it. In the other games, however, it seemed I was either turning too early, making the ball go high or into the nose, or I didn’t get my fingers in the shot, causing balls that just wouldn’t flip. My spare ball was also seeming to back up when I threw it at my left side, and Ray thought this might have been because there was more conditioner in the middle of the lane tonight.

Result: 178-128-132
Average (72 games): 172
Average for last 9 games: 161
Next week’s AVG+1 score: 552

Berta finally cracked the 500 barrier, and we’ve been expecting that for a while, but the surprise was that Brian also did so, and the combined performance from those two was needed to take the three points we won. It should also be said that Carl also had one of his better nights.

“Diamond Flush” had another good week, taking all seven points from “2-bit Bandits” and moved up into a three-way tie in points for 5th with the latter team and Team 10, five points behind “Got Wood?”, who are two points ahead of “Ordinary Average Guys.”

“VampyreBowler” submitted a 300 game last week, which helped his team, “Dark Side 2.0,” set new league five-man records for game and series. It happened to come against the then-leading “Ordinary Average Guys.”