Larry French column: Three bowlers chase 800 at Crystal Lanes. See the latest high scores
Closing out the 2023 portion of the current 2023-24 bowling season at Crystal Lanes saw three fellows take a run at that elusive 800 series, only to come up one or two strikes short.
Two of those shots at 800 took place in the Tire World of Corning Men’s League with Jim Sjoblom (my job is to spell it, yours is to pronounce it — rhymes with problem) and Joe Crown taking up the chase.
Jim came the closest to the goal when he opened the night with a 246 game and then simply moved permanently into the 1-3 pocket. He chased that opener with a 279 game that could have been perfect and closed the night with a 267 game to finish with a 792 series. And, yes, good guess; that 792 set was good enough for weekly honors.
Joe was crowned the strike king with his performance. He opened the first game with strike, spare, strike, spare before going on a strike rampage. Joe finished that first game with the last eight for a 269 game and then packed the first ten in the second game before a light ten pin refused to fall. That’s 18 strikes in a row. With 558 going into the third game, only a couple of bad breaks would keep Joe out of the 800 level. And, of course, that’s just what happened. He lost a couple of pocket shots and that’s all it took. He finished with a 221 final and a 779 series.
In that same league, five other guys reached the 700 mark. Kevin Donovan took what is now becoming his annual holiday sojourn from North Carolina to visit family and sub at the lanes where he blasted a 278 opening game on his way to a 758 series. JR Fleming rode a 276 game to a 748 series while the hot as pistol on the firing range, Adam Madigan, rolled a 728 and Bruce Stanton capped a 708 series with a 288 game. Ron Gunn fired 700 on the nose to complete that quintet.
That other run at an 800 series took place in the Joey’s Contracting Mixed League. Jamie Kennedy blasted a 781 series to grab runner-up honors for the week. Losing a couple of hits in the first game, a 234 effort, proved to be more costly than first thought when he finished the session with a 258 game a 289 final. This guy has flirted with 800 a few times this season. Maybe the new year will be kinder.
Two other guys in Joey’s League also registered sevens. Tim DeGraw highlighted a 712 set with a 267 game while Brandon Butler was a mark of consistency on his way to a 703 series with games of 235, 236 and 232.
Wrapping up the seven shooters for the men this week is a quartet of guys in the Hatfield Real Estate Men’s League. Doug Madison mowed down a pair of 246 games on his way to a 727 while Derik Lisi capped a 724 series with a 266 game and Mike Kosinski hit a Ruthian 714. Nick Dobson’s 705 series completed the foursome.
Bain, Rice lead ladies leagues
Scoring honors for the ladies this week came down to a single pin. Gwen Bain and Cheryl Rice took two very different paths to the top of the mountain but Gwen took the honors. Barely.
After opening with a 170 game in the Joey’s Contracting League, Gwen was looking for answers. It didn’t take long to find them as she went on a strike tear on her way to a 286 game. With the ship righted, Gwen closed the night with a 216. Not only did she save the night with her comeback, her 672 series was good enough for scoring honors for the gals.
Taking a different route to the top, Cheryl Rice topped the Giardina Building & Remodeling Ladies League in scoring with a 671 series, one pin behind Gwen for weekly honors. Cheryl got off to a rousing start when she blasted a 267 game and followed that effort with a 237. Needing just a deuce for seven, Cheryl encountered her fair share of trouble and came home with a 167 for her 671. Next time she will be taking a different route at the end.
Two familiar names carded six in Giardina’s League. Deon Frost opened with a 234 game and closed with a 225 effort for a 649 series while Anita Gennosa rode a 257 game to the 633 mark. In other ladies league action, Hailey Blencowe topped the Savona Storage Ladies League with a 651 series that was highlighted by a 233 game.
Goltry tops seniors
It was a tough week for the seniors trying to get to the 600 mark with only a half-dozen guys getting there.
In the usually high scoring Chilson-Wilcox Senior Men’s League, two 600s were thrown. Harry Goltry was far and away the top dog this week. He pounced on the pins early with a 267 game and then added scores of 212 and 209 for a 688 series; easily the top set for the seniors this week. The only other six in the C-W League was the 609 tossed by Tim DeGraw.
Half of the six 600s for the seniors this week came out of the Striking Seniors Mixed League. Ken Crozier led the way for this trio with a 618 series while Gary Gustin came away with a 617 and John Olson rode a 258 game to a 611 series.
Runner-up honors for the seniors this week goes to Don Pierce. He paced the Go-Getters Mixed League when he capped a 640 series with a 267 game.
Five juniors top 600
Wrapping up the 2023 part of the junior season were five youngsters over the 600 mark.
Cameron Kennedy led this quintet in the CIBA Jr./Sr. Mixed League when he capped a 693 series with a 287 game. Zack Crown got the runner-up nod with a 648 series while Dante White tossed a 617 and Zachery Sturdevant rolled a 611 set. Camryn Stefanini made it a quintet with his 602 series.
Goodbye 2023. Hello 2024.
Other top scores for the week:
BOWLING AT CRYSTAL LANES
TIRE WORLD OF CORNING MEN
Eric Donovan 695, Rick Stewart 269-684; Chad Farr 681, Bob Putman 681.
CIBA JR./SR. MIXED
Madilyn Jerzak 581, Brianna Evans 562.
GIARDINA BUILDING & REMODELING
Lori Calkins 598.
HATFIELD REAL ESTATE MEN
Paul Brion 699, Joe Cronin 691.
JOEY’S CONTRACTING MIXED
Chad Matcic 684, Aiden Kosinski 675, Deon Frost 587, Anita Gennosa 581.
ADDISON MEN
Brandon Harrington 690.
SEASON HONORS
300 GAMES
Nick Dobson (2), Tim DeGraw, Meghan Sturdevant, Jamie Kennedy, Jason Sowersby, Derik Lisi, Mike Brewster (2), Ron Bush, Brandon Far, Adam Madigan, Chad Farr, Johnny Miller, Jim Pitts, Jake Blanford, Dwight Sands.
MEN’S 800
Jeff Crawford 808.
LADIES 700s
Anita Gennosa 732-731-721; Meghan Sturdevant 731, Jean Blauvelt 707, Heather Farr 706, Hailey Blencowe 703.
SENIOR 700s
John Stermer 786-782-738-735-735-724-717; Tim DeGraw 779-718-701; Al Farr 762-759-721; Bruce Stanton 740-740; Steve Shattuck 740, Don Pierce 727-720; John Olson 721, Mike Hughson 717.
JUNIOR 800
Zachery Sturdevant 807.
JUNIOR 700s
Camryn Stefanini 764-752-749-741-722-719-716; Cameron Kennedy 760-758-725-722-715-702-701; Zachery Sturdevant 754-729-724-717-700; Zack Crown 726, Bentley Goodier 709.
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Three bowlers chase 800 series at Crystal Lanes in Corning
