Bowling

Thinking about twice leaving the split known as “bedposts” undoubtedly made the Professional Bowlers Association’s brightest star lose some sleep Sunday night.

Australian Jason Belmonte, seeking his record 11^th career PBA major tournament crown, was derailed in the championship match of the PBA Players Championship at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl in heartbreaking fashion – leaving pocket 7-10 splits in both the fourth and 10^th frames – in a 232-212 loss to fellow two-hander Anthony Simonsen of Little Elm, Texas.

The finals were televised live on FS1 (Fox Sports).

So, instead of Belmonte breaking a tie with Pete Weber and Earl Anthony for the most major championships in PBA Tour history, it was the 22-year-old Simonsen who became the youngest player to win two PBA majors.

The top-seeded Belmonte never missed the 1-3 pocket during the match but, uncharacteristically, he was victimized by poor carry.

Simonsen, following Belmonte’s 7-10 split in the 10^th frame, rolled a strike on his first ball in the 10^th for his fifth consecutive strike to lock up the match and take home the $50,000 first prize.

The week before, it was Belmonte who captured his 10^th major, also as the No. 1 seed, by defeating E.J. Tackett, 225-196, to earn $50,000 at the PBA Tournament of Champions.

Simonsen broke the “youngest ever” mark set by PBA Hall of Famer Billy Hardwick, who was 23 years and 259 days old when he won the 1965 T of C for his second major title.

PBA Players Championship stepladder finals:

Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, S.C, def. Tackett, Bluffton, Ind., 255-245; Troup def. D.J. Archer, Spring, Texas, 194-193; Simonsen def. Troup, 259-202; Simonsen def. Belmonte, 232-212. Prize money: $50,000, 1^st; $25,000, 2^nd; $13,000, 3^rd; $11,000, 4^th; $10,000, 5^th.

The finals of the PBA Indianapolis Open will be televised live on FS1 at 3 p.m. this Sunday.

ROCHESTER’S GUSTKE POCKETS $1,500 TOP PRIZE

Rob Gustke of Rochester, a 48-year-old right-hander, captured the $1,500 first prize at the 41^st annual Mount Morris Pepsi Open on Feb. 10 at Mount Morris Lanes.

Gustke, a 220-plus average bowler, defeated Ken Ball of Avon, a PBA Regional senior tour player, by a score of 202-192 in the title match of the tournament, which was contested on a difficult “Sport” oil pattern.

Previously, Gustke downed high qualifier Brian Hall of Macedon, 189-171, and two-hander Mark Scuderi of Rochester, 169-138, to reach the finals.

Ball took home $750 for his efforts, while Scuderi and Kevin Donovan of Painted Post each earned $250.

Perry’s Brady Weber was the lone Genesee Region USBC bowler to cash, winning $120.

PLENTY OF EVENTS SCHEDULED OVER NEXT MONTH

Genesee Region bowling centers are hosting several tournaments in February and March.

Feb. 22-24, Le Roy Legion Lanes – The 17^th annual Ron Riggi Memorial 4-person handicap tournament offers a $1,000 first prize, based on 40 entries. Squad times are 6:30 p.m. Friday, noon and 3:30 p.m. Saturday and noon and 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

The entry fee is $100 per team and one in six teams will cash. Handicap is based on 80 percent of the bowler’s average and 210, using last year’s highest average. If a bowler’s average is 10 pins or more higher this season, he or she will have to use this season’s average.

An optional singles tournament will available, with the entry fee set at $5.

To reserve a spot, contact Mark Brown at 716-474-7960.

March 2, Oak Orchard Bowl, Albion – The 4^th annual NY Gamerz/Smash It Sports 3-person handicap no-tap event lists squads at 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30 p.m., and one in six teams will cash. The entry fee is $60 per team.

Handicap is based on 90 percent of 225. The fundraising event will feature prize drawings and 300 game jackpots.

To sign up, call or text Bill Hickman at 585-590-6717 or call the bowling center at 585-589-6900.

March 8-10, 15-17, Mount Morris Lanes – The 20^th annual Bob Bertram Memorial 5-person handicap no-tap tournament once again is offering a $1,000 first prize – guaranteed – with an entry fee of $125 per team.

Squad times are 9 p.m. on Fridays, 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. A light buffer will be served on all full squads.

Handicap is based on 100 percent of 210, using the highest USBC average from 2017-18 season for a minimum of 21 games. If a bowler does not have a 2017-18 average, he or she will use the highest current average for at least 21 games. The 10-pin rule will apply.

The tournament also features an optional singles event with a $10 entry fee.

To enter, call the bowling center at 585-658-2540 or send an email to bobsantini@frontiernet.net.

March 9, Mancuso Bowling Center, Batavia – T.F. Brown’s Restaurant and Budweiser once again will be sponsoring the King & Queen mixed doubles handicap tournament that offers a guaranteed top prize of $500. The entry fee is $50 per team.

Squad times are noon and 2 p.m. The top three teams from each squad along with six more teams (based on their totals) will advance to the head-to-head finals. Handicap is based on 80 percent of a team average of 420.

For more information or to enter, call Brown at 716-474-7960 or the bowling center at 585-343-1319.

March 9-10, Le Roy Legion Lanes – The 13^th annual GRUSBC Youth Doubles tournament lists squads at 12:30 and 3 p.m. on March 9 and 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (during the GR Travel League).

Entry fee is $36 per team, with competition in three divisions based on team average. Handicap will be 90 percent of 200 for all divisions, using GRUSBC youth members’ highest current averages for this season.

Trophies will be awarded to the first three spots in each division and first place team bowlers will win $100 scholarships.

Entry forms can be downloaded from the GRUSBC website – www.bowlgr.com. To enter, contact Tom Fluker at 585-284-2637.

March 15-16, Mancuso Bowling Center – Some of the best scratch bowlers in Western New York will be in Batavia for the T.F. Brown’s Scratch Eliminator, which offers a $1,500 first prize (based on entries).

Squad times (four games) are 6:30 p.m. Friday and 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, with a last chance round and finals to follow. One in five from each squad will advance.

The top senior (50-and-over) and woman not making the cut will advance to the finals.

The entry fee is $65 and re-entry is allowed.

To enter, call the bowling center at 585-343-1319.

March 16, Medina Lanes – The 10^th annual KIWA Memorial 3-person handicap no-tap tournament lists a $500 first prize (based on entries) and an entry fee of $75 per team.

Squad times are 1 and 3 p.m.  Proceeds will go to benefit the Medina High School Scholarship Fund.

To enter, call the bowling center at 585-318-4474.

ROSE GARDEN TEAM MOVES INTO FIRST PLACE

Brendan Pimm’s 222 game and 612 series sparked Rose Garden II to a 17-7 victory over Oak Orchard Bowl II and into first place in the Genesee Region Youth Travel League.

The win raised Rose Garden II’s record to 105-63, a point better than Oak Orchard I, which topped Mount Morris, 19-5. Oak Orchard II is in third place, five points back.

High scores for the week:

Dennis Van Duser, Perry, 199 game, 574 series; Trent Willis, Mount Morris, 203 game, 569 series; Devon Zinter, Rose Garden I, 211 game, 514 series; Ben Lennox, Oak Orchard II, 195 game, 505 series; Samantha Hyde, Le Roy, 181 game, 498 series.

The league bowls again on March 3 at Mount Morris Lanes, and wraps up the regular season on March 10 at Le Roy Legion Lanes.

For complete standings and statistics, go to www.bowlgr.com and click on the Jr. Travel League tab at the top of the home page.

60-AND-OVER IS THIS WEEKEND, NYS MASTERS ON MARCH 2

Scratch bowlers have a couple of choices over the next two weeks – the Tommy Kress 60-and-Over Tour stop this Sunday and the New York State Masters Championship on Saturday, March 2.

AMF Gates Bowl is hosting the 60-and-over tournament, which is being sponsored by A Better Choice Pro Shop. First place is $1,000 for this “special” event and the entry fee is $70.

Check-in begins at 10:30 a.m., with the bowling to start at noon.

Some of the state’s best bowlers will be at Dixie Lanes in Elmira on March 2 for the 29^th NYS Masters, which offers a $2,500 first prize and paid entry to the 2020 USBC Masters.

Two Genesee Region USBC members, Brian Green and James Townsend of Batavia, are among those signed up for the 12:30 p.m. squad, and more local bowlers are expected to compete.

For more information or to enter, call 585-343-3736 or send an email to bowlny300@yahoo.com.

REMEMBERING ROGER MUEHLIG – A TRUE PROFESSIONAL

I first met Roger Muehlig in November 1971, when he was assigned to write a story about the 300 game I rolled as a 16-year-old 11^th grader in the Batavia High afterschool league at Mancuso Lanes.

Less than six years later, I found myself sitting at a desk near him as a fledgling sports/general news reporter for The Daily News, and we remained colleagues for the next 15 years.

Even after I left full-time employment there, I continued to see Roger frequently in my role as a free-lance reporter and columnist, and I am glad to have been able to spend a few minutes with him around Christmas time last year.

A soft-spoken gentleman, Roger passed away last Friday at the age of 73.

He spent 42 years as a staff (and senior) reporter at The Daily News, retiring in 2012, and served the company and the community as a true professional – inquisitive, dedicated, compassionate and accurate in his reporting.

He also was a long-suffering Chicago Cubs fan, and we would talk about their futility, not having won a World Series since 1907 and 1908.  When the Cubs finally won the World Series in 2016, my thoughts immediately went to Roger – his lifetime dream had become a reality.

My thoughts today are with his wife, Donna; children, Mitchell, Brittany and Drew, and family. May God keep you and strengthen you.

Rich Wagner, center, is congratulated by tournament director Mark Brown and runner-up John Wolff after his victory in the "Super Sunday" handicap singles tournament at Mancuso Bowling Center.

“Odds-on favorite” Batavian Rich Wagner won the first Super Sunday handicap singles tournament this past weekend at Mancuso Bowling Center. But it wasn’t easy.

Wagner, the 36-year-old left-hander dubbed the “house pro” by Beat the Champ commentator Paul Peck when he competed on the Buffalo-based TV show last in 2017, captured the $280 first prize by turning back 78-year-old John Wolff (also of Batavia and also a lefty), 247-217, in the title match. Wagner spotted Wolff 40 pins due to the difference in their averages.

Prior to that match, Wagner upended high qualifier Geoff Harloff of Batavia, 246-238 (all scratch), in the semifinals, and ousted Josh Elliott of Attica, 247-198, in the opening round of match play.

The top six out of the 24 entrants made it to match play and, for a while, it didn’t look as though Wagner was going to advance.

He opened with games of 234 and 207 – much less than his 248 average at Mancuso’s – before firing a 279 to get back in contention. In the fourth and final qualifying game, he struck out in the 10^th frame for a 226 and a 946 total.

As it turned out, he needed those three strikes in the last frame to move past three bowlers for the fifth spot.

Harloff spun 267-233-279-215 for a 991 total and Rodney Jopson of Belfast took the second seed with a 986 score. Mike Hackett of Pavilion was third at 971, Elliott fourth at 967 and Wolff sixth at 940.

Wolff, who beat Hackett and Jopson in the finals, earned $160 while Harloff and Jopson won $110 each and Elliott and Hackett pocketed $90 apiece.

MASTERS, MOUNT MORRIS TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEKEND

The 58^th annual Genesee Region USBC Masters Tournament is scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday at Scopano’s Lanes in Oakfield.

Kevin Gray Jr. of Warsaw is expected to defend his title in the scratch singles event, which lists four-game qualifying rounds at 10 a.m. and 1p.m. Saturday.

The top 16 bowlers will advance to the semifinals at 4 p.m. and, from there, the top eight will return at 1 p.m. Sunday for an eight-game head-to-head Peterson Points final round.

First place, based on 80 entries, is $525 plus a champion’s ring. One in five will cash. The entry fee is $50.

To enter, contact Paul Spiotta at 585-202-6458.

The weather-delayed 41^st annual Mount Morris Pepsi Open is set to conclude this Sunday with a pair of four-game qualifying squads (10 a.m. and 1 p.m.), followed by a last chance one-game squad for bowlers not making the cut and the eliminator finals.

First place is guaranteed at $1,500 and one in five is guaranteed to cash. The entry fee is $70.

To enter, call Mount Morris Lanes at 585-658-2540.

Medina Lanes is hosting the Valentines Luv’em or Hate’em handicap mixed doubles tournament on Saturday, Feb. 16, with three-game qualifying squads at 4 and 6:30 p.m.

First place is a guaranteed $500 and the entry fee is $55 per team.

Handicap is based on 80 percent of 440 using a bowler’s highest average for the 2017-18 season (unless this season’s average is 10 or more pins higher).

Twelve teams will advance to the match play finals – the top three from each squad and the next six high scores.

To enter, call Medina Lanes at 318-4474.

The 23^rd annual Betty Ellison Memorial “Strike Out” for Crossroads House fundraiser is scheduled for Feb. 15-17 at Mancuso Bowling Center.

Squad times are 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 15; 3 and 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16, and 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 17.

The entry fee is $110 through Friday and increases to $125 after that. Teams are comprised of five persons, any combination, and bowl three games on the same pair of lanes. Online registration can be completed at www.crossroadshouse.com.

For more information, call 585-993-0584 or 585-409-0136.

OAK ORCHARD BOWL TEAM LEADS YOUTH TRAVEL LEAGUE

A 219 game and 578 series by Paige Snook and a 211 game and 546 series by Tyler Brett sparked the Oak Orchard Bowl II team to a 14-10 win over Oak Orchard Bowl I in recent Genesee Region Youth Travel League action at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

Ben Lennox added a 539 series for Oak Orchard II, which maintained its 3.5 point lead over Rose Garden Bowl II, which also won, 14-10, over Mount Morris.

Cameron Ecker had a 508 series for Oak Orchard I, which is in third place.

The league bowls again on Feb. 17 at Mount Morris Lanes. For complete standings and statistics, go to www.bowlgr.com and click on the Jr. Travel League tab at the top of the home page.

BISIG TEAM TAKES TOP HONORS AT HELP-R-HERO’S EVENT

The team of Ian Elliott of Le Roy, Joe Durzewski of Batavia, Mike Hackett of Pavilion and Mark Bisig of Le Roy rolled 3,247 with handicap for three games – a 270 average per man – to place first in the Help-R-Hero’s no-tap tournament at Legion Lanes in Le Roy.

The fundraiser to benefit wounded soldiers returning home took place on Jan. 25-27.

The Bisig team won $800.

The Rochester-based team of Freddie Blair, Rob Carles, Amanda Schwartz and Kenny Maurer finished in second place, winning $540, while the Le Roy team of Scott O’Neill, Jeff Freeman, Dave Elliott and Bill Van Alst was third, good for $420. The top six teams cashed.

PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS IS UNDER WAY

AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn, Ohio, is hosting the 2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tournament of Champions this week, and the finals of this PBA major event will be televised live at 4:30 p.m. Sunday on FOX.

Sixty-five former PBA National, Regional and International champions are competing in the tournament, which enters round robin match play (top 24) tonight. Participants include Brad Angelo of Lockport, Ryan Ciminelli of Clarence, Ryan Shafer of Horseheads and Anthony Pepe of Long Island.

After two qualifying rounds Wednesday, Australian Jason Belmonte holds the lead with a 2,824 total (235 average) for 12 games while Matt Ogle of Louisville, Ky., is next at 2,727, and Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., is third at 2,698.

The TOC will be followed by the PBA Players Championship, Feb. 12-17, at Wayne Webb’s Columbus (Ohio) Bowl. The finals of the Players Championship, also a major, will be telecast live on FS1 at 1 p.m. Feb. 17.

Preliminary rounds of both events will be live streamed by FloBowling (www.flobowling.com).

Reports from the 2019 Bowling Proprietors Association of America Summit in New Orleans, La., last week – a three-day event that I had the good fortune to attend -- painted an optimistic and evolving picture of the sport’s current and future state of affairs.

Executives from the BPAA, United States Bowling Congress, Professional Bowlers Association, Go Bowling!, Strike Ten Entertainment and the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas, presented an industry update to the 250 or so proprietors/managers and representatives of affiliate organizations who gathered at the New Orleans Marriott on Canal Street.

Recent developments, such as a new PBA contract with FOX Sports that features more live telecasts and an increase in collegiate and high school bowling, give the powers-that-be reasons to feel encouraged about “the future for the sport.”

Chad Murphy, USBC executive director, reported the completion of a nationwide initiative for local associations to become “merged associations” – bringing men, women and youth together under one local umbrella. The result is that there are now 1,100 merged associations and another 500 affiliate (limited) associations in the U.S.

Beyond that, Murphy said, 343 local and state association directors and managers have attended USBC Leadership Training classes in Arlington and at other selected sites (paid for by the USBC) and that these classes will continue in 2019.

Genesee Region USBC board members Tom Fluker, Gary Kuchler and John Wood are among those who have taken the course and all said the information provided has helped them in their local roles.

The USBC has been conducting extensive research into bowling balls, lane conditions and lane surfaces in recent years, and are taking steps to even the playing field, so to speak.

Murphy said changes to bowling ball specifications (the cleaning of a ball, pending elimination of balance or weight holes and the rate of oil absorption) and to lane certification requirements are planned.

As of Aug. 1, 2019, bowlers will not be able to clean balls with any liquid substance during competition (unless there are marks from the pinsetter), and as of Aug. 1, 2020, balance holes will be eliminated.

This means that any holes in the ball (up to five will be allowed) must be used for gripping purposes on every delivery. Additionally, no-thumb bowlers will have to mark the intended grip center of the ball.

The USBC also is implementing a new standard for the rate that balls absorb oil, with the baseline set at a maximum of 2 minutes, 15 seconds.

“We have tested more than 1,200 bowling balls,” Murphy said, “and found that bowlers are starting deeper inside on the lane and moving more often, which deteriorates the lane condition quicker.”

He said that the amount of oil being put on lanes has increased dramatically over the years (in response to balls that hook more and more), which warrants a “universal system to measure oil absorption.”

On the subject of lane certification, Murphy said that data collection continues and will result in the USBC certifying all centers for 2018-19 regardless of whether they are 100 percent compliant. For 2019-20, USBC is extending the study but all centers must have proper inspections and three signatures will be required for certification.

Other highlights from the New Orleans summit:

-- Bowlers across the nation in 2018 donated more than $1.4 million to the sport’s primary charity -- Bowlers to Veterans Link.

-- BPAA membership gained 193 new members this year and saw 300 proprietors and managers graduate from the BPAA “Bowling University” course.

-- The Professional Women’s Bowling Association had 150 members in 2018 and tournament entries were up by 10 percent over 2017. Nearly $1 million in prize money is being offered this year and seven tournament finals will be televised live.

-- Tom Clark, CEO and commissioner of the Go Bowling! Professional Bowlers Association, reported that the PBA has signed a multi-year contract with FOX Sports, including a provision to add the USBC Masters and U.S Open to the network’s sports schedule.

FOX Sports will televise the U.S. Open live on FOX from 2020 through 2022 and the USBC Masters live on FS1 from 2019 through 2022.

-- Gary Brown, IBC Youth managing director, reported that there are now 221 colleges (with 3,825 members) with bowling programs and that high school bowling saw a 6 percent increase in bowlers last year.

Brown noted that IBC Youth offers coaching seminars, USA leagues and tournaments, Pepsi Youth Championships, the bowling.com youth open and Junior Gold – resulting in opportunities for thousands of youth bowlers and more than $800,000 in scholarships.

SLOCUM FAMILY SHINES AT GRUSBC ADULT-JUNIOR

Perry's Matt Slocum bowled with his daughter and son at the 2019 Genesee Region USBC Adult-Junior Tournament at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen and both of them went home smiling.

Slocum and Allie Faryna posted 1,390 to take first place and he and Gavin Slocum registered 1,342 for second place in the 12-and-Under Division. As a result, Allie's scholarship account is $220 richer and Gavin's increased by $180.

Two other duos cashed in that division of the Jan. 11-13 tournament -- Albion's Reid Cole (adult) and Kyle Brett, 1,341, for $140, and Mount Morris' Chad (adult) and Dominic LaPiana, 1,301, $100.

In the 13-and-Over Division, Jerry Menzie Jr. teamed with his little sister, Jillian, for a remarkable 1,575 score to take the $240 first place prize.

Other cashers were Dave DiSalvo (adult) and Trent Willis of Mount Morris, 1,493, $210; Paul Baney (adult) and Gavin Baney of Holley, 1,416, $180; Dan Santini (adult) and Alexis Patterson of Mount Morris, 1,394, $150, and Tom Fluker (adult) and Tony Sprague of Batavia, 1,361, $120.

Adults were entitled to their prize money unless they opted to have it placed in the youth's scholarship account through USBC SMART.

The tournament drew 44 teams.

NEWS  & NOTES FROM THE GENESEE REGION

-- With help from her bowling friends, Byron-Bergen High School junior Jillian Menzie spearheaded yet another tremendous fund drive in support of the Arc of Genesee Orleans.

Menzie, along with Megan Jarkiewicz, collected more than $3,900 in donations (cash and gift certificates) from the Bergen-area community through the Arc Bowl-A-Thon at Rose Garden Bowl.

It is a tradition started over 40 years ago by her grandmother, the late Ellen Menzie, a longtime youth bowling coach and director.

All told, the Bergen youth bowlers raised $4,266.40, with John Gabalski, Evan Phillips and Landon Kent also contributing by getting pledges. Without a doubt, a superb effort by all!

-- The team of Amanda Swartz, Rob Carter and Kenny Maurer combined for a 2,611 no-tap score with handicap to take the top prize of $600 at the 7^th annual Scott Whittier Memorial Tournament at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

More than $1,100 was raised for the Albion Alumni Association to support graduating seniors and youth scholarships. Sixty-five teams competed.

Batavia teams placed second and third – John Wolff, Ron Lawrence and Marshall Merle, 2,522, $300; and Josh Elliott, Mike Lambert and Matt Balduf, 2,513, $240. Martin Beadle, Rob Brown and Jim Stymus of Albion were fourth with 2,495, good for $195.

-- Bowlers, friends and businesses donated $2,800 as a result of the Jim Pursel Benefit Tournament at Mancuso Bowling Center.

Forty-three teams entered the event, which was held to assist Pursel with expenses incurred after he suffered serious injuries in a fall at work.

The Batavia-based team of Jeremy Vallance, Eric Kraus, Jerry Harding, Tom Baker placed first with a 3,398 no-tap with handicap score.

-- The final two qualifying squads of the 41^st annual Mount Morris Pepsi Open scratch singles tournament will take place on Feb. 10 since they were cancelled last Sunday due to a winter storm.

Squad times are 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., with the entry fee at $70. A last chance one-game squad for bowlers who didn’t make a squad cut is set for 4 p.m., prior to the eliminator finals.

To enter, call Mount Morris Lanes at 585-658-2540.

-- The next 60-and-Over scratch singles tour event is scheduled for this Sunday at Parkview Bowl in Rochester with squads at 10 a.m. (sold out) and 12:30 p.m.

To see if openings remain on the second squad, contact Kevin Martin at 355-7590.

The ability to come through in the clutch is the mark of a champion. Kevin Gray Jr. of Warsaw has that ability.

Gray, 37, once again showed that he is among the elite Western New York tournament bowlers by rallying past fellow left-hander Rich Wagner of Batavia, 226-187, on Sunday to capture the 65^th annual Genesee Region USBC Scratch Memorial at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo.

The two-day tournament was held in Geneseo due to a fire that has temporarily closed Perry Bowling Center (see below).

The Scratch Memorial championship game was a rematch of last February’s decisive battle at the GRUSBC Masters, which saw Gray defeat Wagner, 213-204, also at Livingston Lanes.

This time around, Gray trailed by 16 pins in the sixth frame but came up with four strikes in frames seven through 10 to close out Wagner.

The win was worth $650 for the University of Rochester medical access center employee, while the 36-year-old Wagner, a corrections officer, took home $350.

“This feels good,” Gray said. “The field was strong, and you had to stay focused at all times if you wanted to advance.”

Gray earned the No. 1 seed in the five-person stepladder finals with a 1,750 eight-game total (four qualifying round games and four semifinal round games) – one pin more than Wagner’s 1,749.

Bowling on the same pair with Wagner in the semifinals, Gray prevailed by rolling a strike on his fill ball in the 10^th frame.

“That was a tough match where we both struggled on that pair (lanes 15-16),” Gray said, referring to the fact that he shot 174 and Wagner 179.

By grabbing the top seed, Gray was able to wait in the wings to see who would emerge in the stepladder finals.

In the first match, Batavia lefty and pro shop owner Brian Green edged right-hander Nathan Tackentien of Arcade, 216-215, and in the second match, Green ousted two-time defending champion and high-revving righty Scott Culp of Honeoye Falls, 218-216.

Green then faced Wagner and held a lead into the 10^th frame before dropping a 192-181 decision.

For his third-place finish, Green won $260, while Culp pocketed $215 and Tackentien earned $160. The 21-year-old Tackentien, another emerging "power player," rolled a 300 game in the last game of the semifinals to reach the stepladder round.

Other cashers were Brian Weber of Perry ($130), Bob Santini of Mount Morris ($120), Matt Slocum of Perry ($110), Matt Balduf of Batavia ($100), Brett Van Duser of Perry ($100), Ryan Smith of Perry ($100), Mike Pettinella of Batavia ($85), Brady Weber of Perry ($85) and Jeff Wolinski of Perry ($85).

Gray now has won two GRUSBC Scratch Memorials (the first came in 2016) as well as the GRUSBC Masters, and scratch tournaments in Bradford, Pa.; Medina, and Erie, Pa.

Wagner was the high qualifier with a 919 four-game total and Gray was second at 898. Both averaged 218 for the tournament, which was contested on two challenge oil patterns – a 40-foot pattern in the qualifying round and a 45-foot pattern in the semifinals and finals.

Fifty-six bowlers entered.

The next Genesee Region USBC scratch tournament is set for Feb. 9-10 – the Masters at Scopano’s Lanes in Oakfield.

GRUSBC Scratch Memorial finalists -- Kevin Gray Jr., left; Rich Wagner, Brian Green, Scott Culp and Nathan Tackentien.

THREE LEAGUES RELOCATE FOLLOWING PERRY FIRE

A trio of Perry Bowling Center leagues have found new homes for the remainder of the 2018-19 season in wake of a New Year’s Eve fire at the Covington Street two-story building that houses the eight-lane establishment.

The Monday and Thursday night leagues have relocated to Letchworth Pines in Portageville and Livingston Lanes in Geneseo, respectively, while the Wednesday afternoon ladies league has switched to Mount Morris Lanes.

Unfortunately, the Friday night league and the youth program are being cut short by the electrical fire that started in a wall of one of the two upstairs apartments. Fortunately, flames did not spread to the bowling lanes and pinsetters, and owner Brett Van Duser hopes to be up and running sometime this spring.

Damage – the apartments were destroyed -- is estimated at $200,000-plus.

The Van Dusers have owned and operated the business for 16 years, and bowling has been part of the Perry community since 1940.

PBA HALL OF FAME INDUCTS FOUR NEW MEMBERS

Tour standouts Mika Koivuniemi of Finland and Patrick Allen of South Salem, N.Y. have made it to the Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame.

Koivuniemi and Allen were inducted on Jan. 5 at the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame in Arlington, Texas, along with Jim Doty, respected bowling center general manager, and Bob Johnson, longtime bowling writer and editor.

“Major Mika,” as he is known, won 14 PBA tournaments, including the 2000 USBC Masters, the 2001 U.S. Open and the 2011 PBA Tournament of Champions. The latter featured a first prize of $250,000.

He now lives in the United Arab Emirates where he coaches the UAE national bowling team.

Allen is a 13-time PBA Tour title winner and 2004-05 Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year. During that season, he finished in the top five in all four PBA majors – placing second in the USBC Masters and U.S. Open, fifth in the PBA Tournament of Champions and winning the PBA World Championship.

At the ceremony, he thanked PBA Hall of Famer Doug Kent of Newark, who served as Allen’s presenter.

 “Doug was responsible for two careers: his own and mine,” Allen said. “He told me I had to learn the technical side of the sport, and then he taught me.”

Doty is general manager of Royal Pin Leisure centers, the Indianapolis chain that includes long-time PBA host Woodland Bowl. Under his leadership, Woodland Bowl has hosted PBA events over a span of 20 years, including the U.S. Open, PBA Touring Players Championship, USBC Masters, PBA World Championship, PBA Tournament of Champions and PBA League Elias Cup finals among other events.

Woodland Bowl is the only center to host all five PBA major Championships.

Johnson is an award-winning writer and has served as editor of four national bowling magazines, including Bowlers Journal International.  He is a recipient of both the International Bowling Media Association’s Luby Hall of Fame Award and the Mid-America Bowling Writers Golden Quill Award.

He and his wife, Michelle, exhibited their love of the game and generosity by purchasing a commemorative brick for the sidewalk outside the IGM/HF, wrote a check to a breast cancer charity and donated the cost of his Hall of Fame ring to the Bowlers to Veterans Link.

SEVERAL TOURNAMENTS SCHEDULED IN JANUARY

-- Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen is the setting for the fifth annual GRUSBC Adult-Junior Doubles Tournament this Friday through Sunday.

Squad times for the handicap tournament are set for 7 p.m. Friday, noon and 3 p.m. Saturday and noon and 3 p.m. Sunday (the last squad on Sunday is full).

Genesee Region youth bowlers will be paired with adults in two divisions – 12 & under and 13 & over.  Entry fee is $45 per team and at least one in five teams will cash.

To enter, contact Tom Fluker at 585-284-2637.

-- Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion is hosting its seventh annual Scott Whittier Memorial three-person handicap no-tap tournament this Saturday, with squads at 1, 3, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. The entry fee is $60 per team and one in six teams will cash.

Proceeds from the event, which includes squad drawings, will go to the Scott Whittier Scholarship Foundation.

To enter, call Oak Orchard Bowl at 585-589-6900 after 6 p.m.

-- Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia is hosting a four-person handicap no-tap tournament on Sunday to benefit Batavia bowler Jim Pursel Jr. Squad times are 1:30 and 4 p.m.

One in eight teams will cash, with the winning team receiving $700 (as long as 48 teams are entered). Entry fee is $120 per team.

Part of the entry fee will go to help pay medical expenses for Pursel, who was seriously injured in a work accident on Dec. 7.

To enter, contact Mike Johnson at 585-297-6040 or Mark Brown at 716-474-7960.

-- The 41^st annual Mount Morris Pepsi Open scratch singles tournament will take place Jan. 18-20 at Mount Morris Lanes.

First place is guaranteed at $1,500, and one in five is guaranteed to cash. The entry fee is $70 (with a $50 re-entry fee).

Squad times are 7 and 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 18; 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19, and 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 20. A last chance one-game squad for bowlers who didn’t make a squad cut is set for 4 p.m. on Sunday, prior to the eliminator finals.

The tourney has a 55-and-over incentive and is open to youth bowlers with any money winnings going to their SMART scholarship account.

To enter, call Mount Morris Lanes at 585-658-2540.

-- Legion Lanes in Le Roy is hosting the Help-R-Heroes four-person handicap no-tap tournament on Jan. 25-27, with squad times at 7 p.m. on Friday, and noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

First place, based on 40 entries, is $1,000, and the entry fee is $100 per team.  One in six teams will cash.

A chicken BBQ will be offered on Saturday night and an all-you-can-eat breakfast will be featured on Sunday (both at $10 per person).

To enter, call Scott O’Neill at 585-409-0459.

Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than good.

While four-time Professional Bowlers Association Tour champion Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash., is very “good,” he also was more than a bit “lucky” en route to capturing the PBA Clash -- a made-for-TV, winner-take-all event that aired on FOX Sports over the Christmas holiday.

Kent left the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla., with $25,000 more in his bank account after surviving two elimination roll-offs and catching a huge break late in the title match, a 218-215 win over Dom Barrett of England.

The PBA Clash featured eight of the world’s best players – Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich.; Anthony Simonsen, Austin, Texas; Jakob Butturff, Chandler, Ariz.; Jason Belmonte, Australia; Stuart Williams, England; EJ Tackett, Bluffton, Ind., Barrett, and Kent -- in a unique format that included an opening 10^th frame round, five one-ball, low-man-out rounds, and a full-game final match.

Kent began in fine style with three strikes in the first round and struck in the first one-ball round to advance to round three. In that round, the 2014 PBA Rookie of the Year crossed over to carry a strike and advance.

In round four, the right-hander’s delivery sailed wide right, leaving the 1-2-4. He managed to survive, however, when Simonson left the 2-8-10 on his shot to set up a roll-off between the two. In the roll-off, Kent struck, and then Simonson broke for six pins.

In the fifth round, Kent went to the “Brooklyn” side again, leaving the 9-pin, but advanced as Butturff left the 4-7.

Barrett, Williams and Kent all struck in round six and in the ensuing roll-off, Kent and Barrett struck while Williams left a pocket 7-10.

So, it was Barrett versus Kent for the title.

Trailing by 19 pins heading into the ninth frame, Kent tripped the 9-pin for a strike and then got the biggest break of all by taking out the 4-6-7 split on a shot that went right to the nose. He finished with two more strikes, which meant that Barrett needed the first strike in the 10^th to win.

When Barrett left a weak 10-pin, it was Kent who wound up hoisting the trophy.

FOX is broadcasting the PBA Tour in 2019, with most of the telecasts on FS1.  Go to pba.com for the complete schedule.

BATAVIAN LEADS QUALIFYING AT 60-AND-OVER

Batavia right-hander Paul Spiotta has found a “home away from home” in Bowl-A-Roll Lanes.

For the second straight 60-and-Over Tour event at the 32-lane center on Jefferson Road in Rochester, Spiotta led the qualifying round – topping the field of 57 bowlers with a 761 three-game series – in a tournament on Sunday (Dec. 23).

Spiotta rolled an 802 series last November in taking high qualifier honors at Bowl-A-Roll.

This year, after the 761, he rolled a 225 game to advance to the second round of the finals, before bowing out in the third round with a 202 game. He earned $110 for his effort.

Kevin Gray Sr. of Honeoye Falls also qualified with a 700 series, before being eliminated in the first round of the finals.

The next 60-and-Over Tour event is set for Jan. 27 at Parkview Bowl in Rochester.

PERRY TO HOST SCRATCH MEMORIAL SINGLES JAN. 5-6

Scott Culp of Lima is prepared to defend his title at the 65^th Genesee Region USBC Scratch Memorial Tournament on Jan. 5-6 at Perry Bowling Center.

Culp, a high-revving righty, actually has won the tournament, which features two different oil patterns, the past two years.

Qualifying squads (four games) are set for noon, 3 and 6 p.m. on Jan. 5 and 10 a.m. on Jan. 6, and will be contested on a 40-foot oil pattern. The semifinals and finals will start following the 10 a.m. squad on Jan. 6 and will be bowled on a 45-foot oil pattern.

The winner will receive $1,000 (based on 80 entries) and one in five will cash. The Genesee Region USBC is adding $400 to the prize fund.

The entry fee is $55 and re-entry is permitted.

To sign up in advance, send an email to mikep@bowlgr.com.

OAK ORCHARD BOWL TEAMS CLIMB TO THE TOP

The two Oak Orchard Bowl teams in the Genesee Region Youth Travel League stand atop the standings at the mid-season break, with Oak Orchard II in first at 78.5-41.5 and Oak Orchard I close behind at 75-42.

Rose Garden II (Bergen), which has led for much of the season, is in third place at 74-46.

In action from Dec. 16 at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo, Ben Lennox (178 average) rolled a 545 series Tyler Brett (143 average) rolled a 524 series to lead Oak Orchard II to a 19-5 win over Mount Morris.

Individually, Dennis Van Duser of Perry Bowling Center took top honors for the week with a 602 series, while Trent Willis of Mount Morris had 558, Samantha Hyde of Le Roy Legion Lanes 540 and Madelynn Pimm of Rose Garden I 518.

The league bowls again on Jan. 20 at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

NEWS & NOTES FROM AROUND THE GENESEE REGION

-- Chris Haigh of Canandaigua, a former Turnbull Heating Junior League member and Batavia native, recorded his first USBC-certified 300 game on Nov. 21 while competing in the Canandaigua Merchants League at Roseland Bowl.

Haigh, 27, cut his teeth at Mancuso Bowling Center under the guidance of his father, Gary, an avid bowler, and participated in the youth program there for many years. He and his dad also bowled in the adult-child league in Batavia.

Now a financial advisor for Northwestern Mutual, Chris averaged 197 in league play last season.

A call to him had not been returned by the time this column was posted.  

-- The Sunday Rolloffs League at Medina Lanes resumes with its second 10-week season on Jan. 6, with those interested having to sign up by Jan. 4.

Bowlers roll three games against others from the same average group and advance to a semifinal and final round each week. For more information, call Medina Lanes at 318-4474.

-- Entries are filling fast for the fifth annual GRUSBC Adult-Junior Doubles Tournament on Jan. 11-13 at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen.

The Jan. 13 squad at 3 p.m. is already full. Other squad times are 7 p.m. Jan. 11, noon and 3 p.m. Jan. 12 and noon Jan. 13. The entry fee is $45 per team and at least one in five teams will cash.

Competition will take place in two divisions – 12 & under and 13 & over. To enter, send an email to tfstrikeforce@smn.com.

-- Mancuso Bowling Center is hosting a four-person handicap no-tap benefit tournament for Jim Pursel Jr. on Jan. 13, with squads at 1:30 and 4 p.m. First place, based on 48 teams, is $700 and one in eight spots will cash.

The entry fee is $120 per team with a third of that going to support Pursel, who is recovering from injuries suffered in a work accident on Dec. 7.

To enter, contact Mike Johnson at 585-297-6040 or Mark Brown at 716-474-7960.

-- Word out of Caledonia is that Raider Lanes (formerly Cal Bowl) is open for business and actively recruiting league bowlers.

Owner John Kabrovsky said that efforts are being made to start a Wednesday women's league and weekend mixed leagues over the next couple weeks. Currently, the 12-lane center is being managed by Devin Doolittle of Rochester and is open from Wednesday through Sunday.

-- Rob Stefani of Batavia put forth a better effort with a 202 game but went down to defeat during his Beat the Champ TV show appearance that was aired on Dec. 22-23 on WBBZ-TV (MeTV).

Stefani lost to Pat Brick of Buffalo, who rolled 247 and, by the way, will be inducted into the New York State Hall of Fame on June 1, 2019 in Syracuse.

North Stars -- Members of the North team, which continues to domilnate the Karl Marth Cup challenge match, are from left, Mike Allis, Jake Rosenbeck, Rob Sease, captain Tom Allis, Alex Allis, Hayden Allis, Scott Gibson, Jason Mahnke, Rich Culver, Aaron Verheyn, Mike Lavender and Roger Allis. Scott Shields also is on the squad.

The North’s blowout of the South on Saturday, Dec. 1 at Medina Lanes has brought the Karl Marth Cup series to a crossroads.

With its seventh win in the past eight years, Captain Tom Allis’ squad held onto its grip of the annual competition between bowlers from the Medina-Albion and bowlers from the Batavia area and points south and east of the city.

Sparked by 22-year-old Hayden Allis -- who averaged 240 and won all four of his matches -- the North rolled to a 76.5-46.5 victory. For his efforts, Allis was named the Scott Wright Memorial Outstanding Bowler.

The North’s dominance (it won five of six doubles matches and eight of 12 singles matches) left Paul Spiotta of the South team, the only bowler to participate in all 25 tournaments, wondering where to go from here.

The North leads the series, 15-10.

“I was watching some of their rev rates, especially the younger kids, and they we’re throwing pins all over the place,” said Spiotta, the only bowler to participate in all 25 tournaments. “Some of our guys just don’t have the rev rate and were leaving weak 10-pin after weak 10-pin.”

Tom Allis concurred with Spiotta’s assessment, adding that ball speed is a major factor in today’s game.

“Speed, even more than rev rate, is the key factor when bowling on lanes with a lot of backend,” said Allis, a bowling ball driller for many years.

Spiotta also noted that the North has infused its lineup with younger, stronger players, such as Hayden Allis, 19-year-old Alex Allis, and “thirty-somethings” Jake Rosenbeck and Mike Allis (who subbed for Scott Allis).

In fact, the average age of the North squad this year was 41, compared to the South’s average age of 51 ½.  The only South bowler under the age of 40 was Matt Slocum.

“We’re at a point where we have to decide whether this is a serious thing for bowlers who want to represent Batavia and points south or a casual thing where the losers buy dinner (for the winners),” Spiotta said. “The initial concept was that it was a competitive thing, and personally, I would like to keep it that way.”

For the latter to happen, the South may have to look to some of the up-and-coming younger bowlers in Batavia, Bergen, Le Roy and even to the Wyoming and/or Livingston county bowlers (as in the case of recent additions Slocum and Brett Van Duser, both of Perry).

With the competition set for Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia, which has become a left-hander’s paradise in recent years, the South would be wise to recruit Rich Wagner (245 average) and some of his southpaw mates such as Jason Gallo (233) and Tom Baker (224).

Mike Johnson, another lefty who is averaging 215 at Mancuso’s, was on the South team this year.

Other Mancuso bowlers deserving of consideration include Mike Sputore (214), Nate Cordes (213), Matt Balduf (213), Steve Krna (213), Rob Stefani (211) and Alex Morris (211) and lefty Brian Green (208).

Chris Bardol has been tearing it up in Bergen for the past few years – and has fared well in tournament play at Mancuso’s – while Frank Jarkiewicz, Jerry Menzie Jr., Jason Heimlich and Rob Husted are among others who could be considered.

Just how to weave in some fresh faces into the mix is something that Ed Doody, the current South captain, and Spiotta will have to figure out.

Summarizing this year’s event, Alex, Roger and Hayden Allis won all four of their matches (two doubles and two singles), averaging 221, 216 and 240, respectively, for the North. Rob Sease, Mike Lavender and Mike Allis each went 3-1, with Sease averaging 231 and Lavender 223.

Other members of the winning team were Rich Culver, Scott Gibson, Aaron Verheyn, Scott Shields and Jason Mahnke.

Johnson led the South with a 227 average while Spiotta averaged 220, Slocum 218 and Gregg Wolff 216. Slocum had the high game of the day – 289.

Other members of the South team were Todd Mortellaro, Rick Saunders, Geoff Harloff, Steve O’Dell, Joe Trigilio and Jim Pursel.

On a sad note, Pursel, a self-employed contractor, suffered broken ribs, neck fractures and bruises last Friday when he fell from a ladder while working.  The 51-year-old Batavian returned home yesterday after several days at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

Speaking (writing) for the bowling community, we all wish “Jimbo” a speedy and full recovery and hope to see him back on the lanes before the end of the season.

YOUTH ROUNDUP: YBT AT MANCUSO’S, GR TRAVEL LEAGUE

Some of the best young bowlers from upstate New York converged upon Mancuso Bowling Center on Sunday, Dec. 2 for a Youth Bowlers Tour event and five of them traveled home knowing they had qualified for Junior Gold competition.

Earning spots for the national Junior Gold tournament in Detroit next July were Anella Tillman of Keuka Park (U12 Girls), Kenny Haslip of Hilton (U15 Boys), Nicholas Santacroce of Utica (U17 Boys), Kaylee Hodson of Auburn (U20 Girls) and Zack Day of Victor (U20 Boys).

YBT champions for the day were Kenny Muhleisen of Arkport, handicap division; Edward Pietrasz of Dryden, scratch division, and Connor Brink of Penfield, classic division.

In Genesee Region Youth Travel League action on Dec. 2 at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion, Oak Orchard I moved into first place with a 20-4 win over Rose Garden Bowl I as Dallas Ecker notched a 507 series – well above his 136 average.

Perry Bowling Center went into second place with a 16-8 win over Rose Garden Bowl II behind Dennis Van Duser’s 227 game and 565 series.

High series: Trent Willis, Mount Morris, 621; Ben Lennox, Oak Orchard II, 619.

The league bowls again on Dec. 16 at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo.

GRUSBC LISTS TWO TOURNAMENTS IN JANUARY

The 65^th Genesee Region USBC Scratch Memorial Tournament is scheduled for Jan. 5-6 at Perry Bowling Center.

The singles tournament features qualifying squads (four games) at noon, 3 and 6 p.m. on Jan. 5 and 10 a.m. on Jan. 6. Semifinals and finals will follow.

First prize, based on 80 entries, is $1,000, and one in five bowlers will cash. Re-entry is allowed. The entry fee is $55.

Two oil patterns will be used – a 40-foot pattern during qualifying and a 45-foot pattern during the semifinals and finals.

Scott Culp of Lima won the tournament in 2017 and 2018.

To enter, send an email to mikep@bowlgr.com.

The fifth annual GRUSBC Adult-Junior Doubles Tournament is set for Jan. 11-13 at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen.

Squad times (three games) are 7 p.m. Jan. 11, noon and 3 p.m. Jan. 12 and noon and 3 p.m. Jan. 13. The entry fee is $45 per team and at least one in five teams will cash.

Competition will take place in two divisions – 12 & under and 13 & over.

To enter, send an email to tfstrikeforce@smn.com.

Entry forms for both tournaments can be downloaded from www.bowlgr.com.

TONAWANDA BOWLERS CAPTURE LE ROY SCRATCH EVENT

Pete Maduri of North Tonawanda and Kevin Volker of Tonawanda posted a wire-to-wire victory Saturday in the Le Roy Scratch Doubles tournament at Legion Lanes.

Maduri and Volker shot 980 in the two-game qualifying round to lead the field of 30 entries, and went on to win three single-game matches for the $800 first prize.

Rob Sease of Brockport and Ryan Kretchmer of Rochester placed second, good for $400, while Rochester’s Sarah Germano and Dan Vick, and Sam Capizzi and Shannon Chapelsky took the third-fourth spots for $200 each.

In the Brian Morasco Memorial tournament last month at Mancuso Bowling Center, the trio of James Townsend, Matt Temple and John Wolff took the $640 top prize with a 2,351 no-tap score.

They won by a single pin over Dennis Maid, Tim Maid and Chase Cone ($320), and 16-pins over third-place Leon Hurd, Recco Jewell and Tony Gallo ($210).

The event drew 43 entries and raised more than $2,000 for Genesee Cancer Assistance.

MORE THAN THEIR ‘FAIR’ SHARE OF GREAT BOWLING

To say that bowlers in the Fairview Juniors and Fairport High varsity bowling programs have a bright future wouldn’t do them justice because for these talented individuals, the future is now.

A quartet of teen bowlers from the Rochester suburb had been nothing short of amazing thus far this season.

-- Alex Linnenbrink, 16, has games of 298, 299 and 300 with high series of 834 and 829 since the start of the high school campaign just a few weeks ago.

-- Bentley Hilbert, 15, and Stefano Cittadino, 17, notched their first perfect games during high school competition.

-- And Michael Eichner, 16, rolled a 300 last Friday in the junior league.

The success of these boys – and of boys and girls in our area as well – gives me hope that there truly is a “future for our sport.”

Batavia’s Rob Stefani has made it back to the Beat the Champ TV show, and will be on the small screen almost a year to the day after appearing on the WBBZ-TV (MeTV) broadcast that emanated from Mancuso Bowling Center.

This year, the scene of the action is Brad Angelo Lanes in Lockport and that’s where Stefani, a 34-year-old right-hander, edged fellow Batavian Brian Green on Sunday for the ninth and final berth, which qualifies him to be on the last of three shows in December. Taping is set for Dec. 3 at the Lockport bowling center.

“I was able to grind it out,” said Stefani, who rolled the last five strikes in his third game to post a 683 score – one pin more than lefty Green’s 682.

Stefani started with a 269 in the 24-bowler finals but fell to 199 in the second game.

“It didn’t look good but fortunately I was able to finish strong,” Stefani said, as his 215 third game barely held off Green, who posted 224-211-247.

Stefani, who earned $150, is the only bowler outside of the Buffalo area to reach this month’s show – where he will have an opportunity for more prize winnings.

He will appear in the third show -- which airs on Dec. 23 -- and will go up against Tyler Molina of Buffalo, Pat Brick of Buffalo and whoever the “champ” is.  Currently, Chuck Jagodzinski of Lancaster rules the roost.

Tim Frenz of Depew, Tony Dolan of West Seneca and Ryan Kress of Cheektowaga will battle against Jagodzinski on the first show (Dec. 9), and Tom Sorce of Blasdell, Tim Finken of Depew and Gary Kinyon of Lockport, who rolled a 300 game in the finals, will compete on the Dec. 16 telecast.

Mancuso Bowling Center opted not to participate in the program this year due to a decrease in the number of entries.

KARL MARTH CUP RIVALRY RENEWS ON SATURDAY

The North squad, led by non-playing captain Tom Allis, has the “home court” advantage as it looks to extend its dominance in the Karl Marth Cup series at 1:30 p.m. this Saturday at Medina Lanes.

In 2017, the North defeated the South, 64.5-58.5, at Scopano’s Lanes in Oakfield for its sixth victory in the past seven years. Overall, the North holds a 14-10 edge.

The teams compete in Doubles, Singles, Baker-style Doubles and Baker-style Team.

Rosters are as follows:

North – Alex Allis, Hayden Allis, Roger Allis, Scott Allis, Richard Culver, Scott Gibson, Mike Lavender, Jason Mahnke, Jake Rosenbeck, Rob Sease, Scott Shields and Aaron Verheyn.

South – Ed Doody (captain), Geoff Harloff, Mike Johnson, Todd Mortellaro, Steve O’Dell, Jim Pursel, Rick Saunders, Matt Slocum, Paul Spiotta, Joe Trigilio, Brett Van Duser and Gregg Wolff.

SPIOTTA, LOGAN CASH AT 60-AND-OVER TOURNEY

Make it six out of eight “cashes” for Batavian Paul Spiotta in Tommy Kress 60-and-Over Tour competition.

The 61-year-old right-hander led the qualifying round with 727 before bowing out in the second round of the finals Sunday at Brad Angelo Lanes in Lockport. He took home $95 for his efforts.

Bill Logan of Albion also cashed, posting a 584 to qualifying in the 65-69 age group, before being eliminated in the first round.

Ed Mousseau of East Amherst made a successful debut on the Tour by defeating Fred Back of Clarence Center, 196-182, in the title match. Mousseau, former director of the Amateur Bowlers Tour, earned $300.

The tournament attracted 47 entrants.

The next event is set for 12:30 p.m. (check-in starts at 11L30 a.m.) on Dec. 23 at Bowl A Roll Lanes in Rochester.

ANDERSON CAPTURES PBA PLAYER OF THE YEAR

The Professional Bowlers Association last week announced that second-year member Andrew Anderson of Holly, Mich., has been selected as the 2018 Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year, while 20-year-old Kamron Doyle of Brentwood, Tenn., has been selected as the 2018 Harry Golden PBA Rookie of the Year.

Other honorees were Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, Mich., who captured the 2018 Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award, and 2018 PBA Hall of Fame inductee Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, who earned the PBA Tony Reyes Memorial Community Service Award.

Anderson, 23, and Doyle will be recognized on national television during the PBA Clash telecast that on FOX on Sunday, Dec. 23. Smallwood and Barnes will receive their awards during the PBA Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Saturday, Jan. 5, from the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame in Arlington, Texas.

Anderson won two titles in 2018 -- the United States Bowling Congress Masters (his first major) and the Xtra Frame Greater Jonesboro Open on his way to winning the 2018 Harry Smith PBA Points Leader award. He cashed in 16 of the 19 events he entered and had five top-five finishes, including a third-place finish in the PBA Tournament of Champions.

ALBION’S SNOOK QUALIFIES FOR JUNIOR GOLD

Sixteen-year-old Paige Snook of Albion will be heading to Detroit this summer to compete against some of the best youth bowlers in the nation.

Paige, daughter of Paul and Kelly Snook, placed second at a Youth Bowling Tour event on Nov. 18 at Doug Kent’s Rose Bowl Lanes in Newark to earn a spot in the Girls U17 Division at Junior Gold.

The national tournament, sponsored by the Brands of Ebonite International, is scheduled for July 13-20, 2019 at several bowling centers in the Detroit area. Competition is in eight divisions -- U12 Boys, U12 Girls, U15 Boys, U15 Girls, U17 Boys, U17 Girls, U20 Boys and U20 Girls.

Snook, a 160-plus average bowler, rolled games of 167, 178, 169 and 155 in the four-game qualifier on a Sport (difficult) oil pattern to advance to match play. She won her first match with 183 before losing in the final match with a 133.

She is a member of the youth bowling program at Oak Orchard Lanes in Albion and the Genesee Region Youth Travel League.

HATS OFF TO CHRIS HUNTZ FOR 247 TRIPLICATE

We previously reported – in the weekly league high scores roundup – that Perry’s Chris Huntz spun a 247-247-247 triplicate in the Monday Nite 5 League at Perry Bowling Center on Nov. 12.

It wasn’t until last week that I found out what the 35-year-old right-hander needed in the 10^th frame of the third game to roll another 247.

Huntz said he had to have a strike on the first ball and nine more pins on the final two rolls to do it. He got the strike then left the 6-7-10 split. He then knocked down the 6 and the 10 for the 247.

Rose Garden Bowl proprietor Tom Sardou, left, congratulates Jeff Dewar and Kevin Donaghue following Sunday's 11th annual Triple O Mechanical Singles Handicap Tournament. Dewey, center, defeated Donaghue in a title match decided in the 10th frame.

Rochester’s Jeff Dewar has been knocking on the door for the past two years, but in this year’s Triple O Mechanical Singles Handicap Tournament at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen he decided to kick it in.

The hard-throwing right-hander, who turned 49 earlier this month, had reason to celebrate again on Sunday when he fired two strikes in the 10^th frame to defeat Kevin Donaghue of Depew, 245-238, in the title match.

The victory was worth $500 for Dewar, a sales rep for Wright Beverage, while Donaghue pocketed $250 for placing second. Donaghue struck out in the 10^th frame to force Dewar to get two strikes in his 10^th frame to win.

Donaghue, a wealth management advisor for TIAA-Cref in Buffalo, is the son of former Batavian Pat Donaghue, who also cashed in the tournament.

“I finally broke through,” said Dewar, who qualified with 730 in 2016 and 736 in 2017, losing in first round and second round of the eliminator finals, respectively.

This year, he tied Frank Fitzmaurice of Rochester as the high qualifier with a three-game score of 769, all scratch since he averages higher than 220. From there, he posted 229, 279 and 248 to reach the final match.

A once-a-week league bowler, he said this is his first tournament win, and he did it using a Storm Intense on the Rose Garden Bowl house shot.

Kevin Donaghue qualified in the fourth position – 16 bowlers advanced – with 748 and proceeded to roll games of 259, 248 and 278 in the eliminator rounds. 

Fitzmaurice of Rochester and Bob Wiley of Fairport were ousted in the third round and took home $125 apiece. Fitzmaurice’s day was highlighted by his first 300 game, coming in the middle of a 769 series, which included 12 pins handicap.

Other cashers:

Rochester residents Steve Meyer, who also had a 300 game during qualifying; Scott Dingman, 83-year-old Charlie Gfeller, and defending champion John Martorella Sr., $90 apiece;

Kevin Gray Sr. of Honeoye Falls, A.J. Allenbrandt of Le Roy, Pat Donaghue of Honeoye Falls, Gary Kinyon of Lockport, James McCormick of Churchville, Frank Jarkiewicz of Byron, Geoff Harloff of Batavia and Kara Mangiola of Rochester, $65 each.

Two-hander Mark Scuderi of Rochester picked the 7-10 split.

The tournament drew 70 entrants, two short of a full field. It took a score of 725 to make the top 14, with Mangiola taking the women’s spot with 713 and Kinyon earning the Super Senior spot with 709.

WARSAW’S RON BACON CAPTURES GR SENIOR MASTERS

Ron Bacon, left, Genesee Region USBC Senior Masters champion and Jim Pursel, runner-up.

Ron Bacon of Warsaw defeated Batavian Jim Pursel in the title match to claim the Genesee Region USBC Senior Masters crown on Saturday at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo.

The victory – Bacon’s first singles tournament win -- was worth $230 plus a free entry into the GRUSBC Masters and a plaque from Joe's Awards & Trophies.

Bacon, a 54-year-old right-hander, defeated Pursel 204-132, to cap a day that saw him post 673 in the three-game qualifying round, 455 in the two-game second round and 214 in the one-game third round prior to the three-person step-ladder finals.

“I had a really good look from the start,” said Bacon, noting that his seven games ranged from 204 to 244. “Normally I play up the boards, but here I moved left a bit to the 12^th board and had a great line to the pocket.”

He said he used a Track Alias to conquer the Livingston Lanes house shot.

A mill operator at Markin Tubing in Pearl Creek, Bacon bowls in a Monday night league at Perry Bowling Center and in a Friday night league with his sons, Kyle and Jeff, at Letchworth Pines in Portageville (where he averaged 216 last season).

Pursel made it to the title match by rolling two strikes in the 10^th frame to edge Roger Allis of Medina, 189-185.

Scott Kern of Basom was the high qualifier with 717, followed by Batavians Scott Shields and Paul Spiotta, who posted 710 and 701, respectively.

Other qualifiers were Allis, 697; Al Vlietstra of Geneseo, 683; Bacon, 673; Mike Kime of Honeoye Falls, 671; Matt Balduf of South Byron, 668; Don Parrott of Warsaw, 666; Pursel, 649; Doug Johnston of Livonia, 636, and Joe Trigilio of Attica, 627.

Six of the 12 bowlers advanced from the second round – Balduf, 491; Kern, 469; Pursel, 458; Bacon, 455; Allis, 414, and Shields, 404. In the one-game third round, advancing were Pursel, 222; Bacon, 214, and Allis, 183.

Pursel earned $150 for his runner-up finish, while Allis won $100. Kern, Balduf and Shields made $60 apiece, while the other qualifiers pocketed $45 each.

The tournament drew 38 entries.

GLADYS FORD SENIOR WOMEN TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Bowlers from Mount Morris Lanes, Letchworth Pines and Perry Bowling Center claimed age group titles Saturday at the Gladys Ford Senior Women’s Tournament conducted by the Genesee Region USBC.

Winners of the various age classifications and their three-game scores with handicap are as follows:

Class AA -- Bonnie Wass, Perry 674.

Class A -- Jeanne Rosa, Perry 674.

Class B -- Nancy Freelove, Mt Morris 616.

Class C -- Diana Bucknam, Mt Morris 658.

Class D -- Cathi Fournier, Mt Morris 651.

Class E -- Christy Hume, Letchworth 607.

BRIAN MORASCO MEMORIAL TOURNEY IS SATURDAY

Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia is hosting the 3rd annual Brian Morasco three-person handicap no-tap tournament this Saturday, with proceeds from the event and basket raffles going to Genesee Cancer Assistance and the Arthritis Foundation.

Squad times are 1 and 3 p.m. To sign up, call Mark Brown at 716-474-7900 or Mancuso Bowling Center at 585-343-1319.

First place, based on 48 teams, is $750. The entry fee is $75 per team.

VAN DUSER, SNOOK MAKE YOUTH BOWLING HEADLINES

Dennis Van Duser of Perry and Paige Snook of Albion, a pair of 16-year-olds, fared well in youth bowling action recently.

Van Duser, a two-hander, rolled his first USBC-certified 700 series – 706 – in the Genesee Region Youth Travel League at Legion Lanes in Le Roy.

His big series helped his Perry Bowling Center team defeat Mount Morris, 19-5, and move into third place in the seven-team league.

Rose Garden Bowl II continues to lead with a 52-20 record, while Oak Orchard Bowl I is in second at 45-24.

The league bowls again on Dec. 2 at Oak Orchard Bowl.

Snook competed in the Youth Bowlers Tour at Bowl-A-Roll Lanes in Rochester and finished in the 3^rd-4^th spot in the handicap division.

She bowled games of 200 and 202 in match play.

The U.S. Open wasn’t kind to PBA legend Pete Weber, who was forced to withdraw on Friday due to a hip injury and, in an interview with Lucas Wiseman of FloBowling (flobowling.com) afterwards, added some insult to the situation by blasting the United States Bowling Congress.

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Dom Barrett of England triumphs as No. 1 seed Butturff falters again
See story below
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Weber was upset about the USBC’s practice time format, which allocates 14 lanes not being used during the tournament and gives each squad (48 bowlers) about 20 minutes of practice time. After that, the bowlers get one practice ball on each of their starting lanes.

During the interview, Weber made his feelings very clear. This is what he said:

“One ball on each lane when you start, I’m sorry but I don’t know what the USBC is trying to do to us, but to me it’s kind of stupid. I’m sorry, I’ve always been straight forward, but I think what they’re doing to us right now is very stupid.”

He said it wasn’t a matter of him not being physically able to compete.

“No, I went down to the practice, and we’ve got 20 minutes of practice on the pairs down there. But when there are five, six guys on a lane, you only get three, four or five shots, maybe. I’m sorry, I’m 56 years old and I need more than five or six shots. And then when they make us move to our pair and I only get one shot on each lane, I think that’s just totally wrong, I think that’s just totally wrong.”

He acknowledged his disappointment with having to withdraw for the second straight year.

“My hip hurt. The conditions were stupid. And even this year … I know we’re bowling on fresh (oil) every squad, but they’re not giving us anything to work with. And I am up to here with the USBC. I’m almost ready to quit.”

He said he is thinking about retiring from the regular tour but sticking with the senior tour (PBA50).

“Now I got two months off. I’ve got my new doctor here. He made me feel really good. But when I have to go and stand straight up when I throw a shot, that doesn’t help me. And when you can’t get the ball to go 30 feet down the lane before it hooks, it’s – like I said – stupid, it’s really stupid.”

He said his dissatisfaction is directed at the USBC.

“I’m not frustrated with bowling -- I’m frustrated with the USBC and what they’re trying to do to bowling right now. I don’t mean any disrespect to the USBC, but I think that what they’re doing is not right – and I think they’re just hurting bowling right now, especially professional bowling.”

Wiseman, a former USBC staffer, wrote a column related to Weber’s rant, properly noting that the USBC is trying to retain the integrity of the oil pattern by limiting practice on tournament pairs.

He also wrote that 48 bowlers on 14 lanes for 20 minutes means there are “too many players practicing on too few lanes.”

BATAVIA YOUTHS OFF TO GOOD START IN ROCHESTER LEAGUE

Mancuso Bowling Center’s entry in the Rochester NY USBC Youth Travel League Handicap Division is off to a flying start, winning 20 of its first 30 points over three weeks of competition.

Coached by Tom Fluker, the team is tied for second place with AMF Dewey Gardens II and AMF Gates Bowl III – six points behind AMF Fairview Lanes I. Gates has four teams in the league while Fairview and Dewey Gardens each have two teams.

Other teams represent Bowl-A-Roll, Brockport Bowl, AMF Empire Lanes, Radio Social and Miller Lanes (Honeoye Falls).

Individually, Tony Sprague rolled 247—659 and Emma Miller 187—513 last week to lead the way. Sprague leads the league with a 195 average while Miller is second among the girls with a 164 average.

Other Batavia team members are Corinne Saluste, Ben Sputore, Zach Wester and Haylee Thornley. Four of the six are selected to compete in the weekly league, which ends in late March.

Mancuso’s is hosting the league at 2 p.m. this Saturday.

ROSE GARDEN TEAM RED-HOT IN GR TRAVEL LEAGUE

The Rose Garden II team defeated the Rose Garden I team, 20-4, in recent Genesee Region Youth Travel League action at Mount Morris Lanes and now has a 13-point lead over second-place Perry Bowling Center.

Evan Phillips set the pace with a 667 series with handicap, while teammates Sawyer Zinter, Megan Jarkiewicz and Brendan Pimm each topped the 600 mark with handicap.

On the scratch side, Samantha Hyde (Le Roy Legion Lanes) had the high series for the week with 207—578, followed by Dennis Van Duser (Perry Bowling Center) with 193—533.

The league bowls again this Sunday afternoon at Legion Lanes.

NEWS & NOTES FROM AROUND THE GENESEE REGION

-- Several Genesee Region USBC members have signed up to compete in the 2^nd NYS Senior Masters this Saturday at Cort Lanes in Cortland. Qualifying squad times (four games) are 9 and 11:30 a.m., with the top 16 advancing to head-to-head match play.

To enter, call 585-343-3736 or send an email to bowlny300@yahoo.com. A list of bowlers and more information can be found at www.bowlny.com.

In Tommy Kress’ 60-and-Over Tour action last Sunday, John Masiello of Kenmore won his second straight tournament, rolling 265 to defeat Keith Garceau of Rochester (263) and Don Perrault of Rochester (243) in a high-scoring final match. No Genesee Region bowlers cashed. The next tournament is set for Nov. 25 at Brad Angelo Lanes in Lockport.

-- Employees at Scopano’s Lanes in Oakfield were informed last week that the sale of the Oakfield Hotel and bowling center to a couple from New Jersey is nearly complete. According to co-owner “Jonesy” Scopano, the establishment will change hands once the state approves a new liquor license.

USBC Press Release

WICHITA, Kan. – England’s Dom Barrett won four matches Wednesday on his way to claiming the 2018 U.S. Open, including a thrilling one-pin victory over top-seed Jakob Butturff of Chandler, Arizona, in the title match, 207-206.

The 33-year-old right-hander became the third foreign-born player to win the U.S. Open, joining Finland’s Mika Koivuniemi (2001) and Canada’s Francois Lavoie (2016). He earned the $30,000 top prize and coveted green jacket presented to the champion.

Wednesday’s stepladder finals at Northrock Lanes were televised live on CBS Sports Network.

The title match swung back and forth as both players tried to figure out the 43-foot oil pattern. An open in the fifth frame from Barrett gave Butturff a slight advantage, as both competitors headed into the final frame working on doubles.

Butturff, finishing the match first, nearly left a 7-10 split on his first shot before the 7 pin tumbled late. He converted the spare and struck on his fill ball, forcing Barrett to strike on his first shot for a chance at the title.

Barrett rolled the strike he needed to start the 10th frame, but a 4-6 split on his second shot left him needing to convert just one pin for the victory. His spare attempt was left of target, but it was enough to push over the 6 pin to give him his seventh Professional Bowlers Association Tour title and second major championship.

“For me, it’s about slowing everything down as much as I can in those situations,” said Barrett, who won the 2013 PBA World Championship. “I threw the one in the 10th really well, and I thought the 11th shot was OK, but I must have grabbed a lot of that one. On the spare attempt, I told myself that I didn’t want to miss it right, and I certainly didn’t do that.”

Barrett credited his run through the stepladder to his aggressiveness. He made a big move to the left to start the third game and made multiple ball changes over the course of his final two wins. In all, he averaged more than 238 on his way to the title.

As exciting as the win is for Barrett, he looks forward to everything awaiting him across the Atlantic Ocean. Barrett and his wife, Cassie, recently welcomed son, Colby.

“This means so much,” said Barrett, the runner-up at the 2015 U.S. Open. “Especially for my family at home, too. My wife has hardly had any sleep for the last 10 weeks with a newborn baby, so I think it’s now time for me to take care of my dad duties and take care of my family.”

Butturff led the U.S. Open for the second consecutive year by a sizeable margin to earn the No. 1 seed for the TV show. The 24-year-old left-hander led this year’s field by 552 pins after leading by 617 pins in Liverpool, New York, in 2017.

He joined PBA and United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Earl Anthony as the only bowlers to earn the top seed in consecutive years at the U.S. Open since 1971. Anthony also was defeated in each title match, dropping the final game in 1979 and 1980.

“It definitely hurts, especially losing by one, but at least I can say I led this tournament two years in a row, by a lot,” said Butturff, a four-time PBA Tour champion. “It’s about the only thing I can take out of it, but it’s definitely an amazing feeling.

“I threw a couple of bad shots but threw one good when I needed to and (left a) 10 pin. At least I forced him to show up. You know, Dom bowled phenomenal this week, too; we all did on the TV show. It’s rough, but at the same time, I always think of it as another learning experience.”

Barrett also delivered in the 10th frame to advance to the championship match, beating Kristopher Prather of Plainfield, Illinois, 226-222.

Prather had built an early lead, striking on six of his first seven shots but missed a 6 pin in the eighth frame to allow Barrett, who had been struggling with carry, to tighten the match.

Prather missed the opportunity to shut out Barrett in the 10th. Given the chance to fill 26 pins in the 10th to advance, Barrett rolled a double and got nine pins on his fill ball to secure his spot in the championship match.

Barrett defeated EJ Tackett of Bluffton, Indiana, 264-248, to advance to the semifinals. Barrett finished the game first and delivered a double to force Tackett to do the same, but the 12-time PBA Tour champion was unable to get the 10 pin out on his first shot.

Tackett was hoping to become the seventh player to complete the PBA’s Triple Crown. He had claimed the 2016 PBA World Championship and 2017 PBA Tournament of Champions.

In the opening match of the stepladder, Barrett bested Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington, 258-203. Barrett delivered 10 strikes on his way to the win, while Kent was unable to recover from opens in the third and fifth frames.

All competitors at the 2018 event bowled 24 qualifying games over three days to determine the 36 players advancing to a cashers’ round. After eight additional games, the field was cut to the top 24 players for round-robin match play.

The five finalists were determined by total pinfall, including bonus pins, for 56 games.

The U.S. Open is the fourth and final major championship on the 2018 PBA Tour schedule and is conducted jointly by the United States Bowling Congress and Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America.

Each round of the 2018 U.S. Open leading up to the stepladder finals was broadcast live on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame on FloBowling.

2018 U.S. OPEN
At Northrock Lanes, Wichita, Kan.
Wednesday’s results

FINAL STANDINGS
1, Dom Barrett, England, 955 (four games), $30,000
2, Jakob Butturff, Chandler, Ariz., 206 (one game), $15,000
3, Kris Prather, Plainfield, Ill., 222 (one game), $12,000
4, EJ Tackett, Bluffton, Ind., 248 (one game), $10,000
5, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 203 (one game), $8,000

STEPLADDER RESULTS
Match No. 1 – Barrett def. Kent, 258-203
Match No. 2 – Barrett def. Tackett, 264-248
Semifinal – Barrett def. Prather, 226-222
Championship – Barrett def. Butturff, 207-206

After almost 45 years of league bowling – and several “near misses” – Basom’s Scott Kern has finally etched his name into the annals of bowling perfection.

“My kids always asked me if I was going to bowl a 300 game tonight (before heading out to his league at Scopano’s Lanes in Oakfield),” Kern said. “Well, I finally can say yes.”

Kern notched his first 300 game last Wednesday night (Oct. 10) in the County Line Stone League on lanes 7-8 at Scopano’s.

His games were 265-162-300 for a 727 series.

His previous high game was 299 (twice) and he also had games of 298 and 297. His high series of 812 was bowled at Scopano’s in April 2006.

Using a Roto-Grip No Rules ball, the 63-year-old right-hander said he made an adjustment after being victimized by “oil transition” in the second game.

“I made a move on the approach, got lined up around the second arrow and tried to stay smooth with the shot,” said Kern, owner/operator of Kern’s Farm Market on Route 77 in Basom.

He succeeded in doing that, putting all 12 balls in the 1-3 pocket.

On the final ball, Kern raised his hands in the air, yelled out, “I finally … did it,” and proceeded to hug his teammates Roy Chamberlain, Larry Gibson and Marc Wilder, and fellow bowlers, including this writer who happened to be bowling on the pair next to him.

He said he almost got a sub for him due to the fact that beans needed to be picked on the farm. However, when a piece of equipment broke, he decided to bowl.

Kern said he dedicates the 300 game to his wife and “biggest fan”, Karla, and to longtime standout and pro shop owner Joe Mortellaro, who Kern has looked up to all these years.

By the way, Scott and Karla teamed up to win the King & Queen Tournament at Mancuso Bowling Center back in the 1990s.

Kern also credited his late father-in-law, Jack Schlagenhauf, and his father, Ronald, a teammate at Allegany Lanes in Corfu, for getting him involved in bowling in the early ‘70s.

ORGANIZED YOUTH BOWLING IS A VIABLE OPTION

The United States Bowling Congress has developed a first-rate – and affordable – youth bowling program for boys and girls of all skill levels.

From weekly in-house junior leagues all the way to national Junior Gold competition, kids have numerous opportunities to excel on and off the lanes.  Organized youth bowling can boosts a young person’s self-esteem, underscores the benefits of teamwork and provides scholarships along the way.

In fact, the bowling industry offers more than $6 million in scholarships, including about $60,000 in New York State.

Parents should know that the registration fee for youth leagues in the Genesee Region is only $10 per person, with $4 of that going to the USBC in Arlington and $6 going to the Genesee Region USBC for awards and other perks.

The GRUSBC also offers youth tournaments where scholarships can be earned, and encourages youth bowlers to enter New York State USBC events for a chance at additional grants. All scholarships earned by USBC youth bowlers go into the bowler’s SMART account as a college fund.

Youth bowlers who become proficient at the sport could become collegiate bowlers – as more than 250 colleges offer bowling and about half of them give out scholarships.

Junior programs are starting now at bowling centers in our area, and it’s not too late for kids to join. It’s true that many students are involved in other school sports, but more aren’t doing anything for recreation and social interaction.  Bowling can provide that outlet.

Here is a list of Genesee Region USBC bowling centers and their phone numbers for parents wishing to learn more about youth bowling (all 585 area code):

-- Le Roy Legion Lanes, 768-8597.
-- Letchworth Pines, Portageville, 468-2166.
-- Livingston Lanes, Geneseo, 243-1760.
-- Mancuso Bowling Center, Batavia, 343-1319.
-- Medina Lanes, 318-4474.
-- Mount Morris Lanes, 658-2540
-- Perry Bowling Center, 237-6358
-- Oak Orchard Bowl, Albion, 589-6900.
-- Rose Garden Bowl, Bergen, 494-9900.

GR YOUTH TRAVEL LEAGUE OFF AND ROLLING

Seven teams are competing this season in the Genesee Region Youth Travel League – two from Rose Garden Bowl, two from Oak Orchard Bowl and one each from Legion Lanes, Perry Bowling Center and Mount Morris Lanes.

The league, which is being coordinated by Genesee Region USBC Vice President Frank Jarkiewicz and Director Joann Van Duser, bowls on Sunday afternoons.

The 2018-19 schedule is as follows:

-- Oct. 28, Mount Morris Lanes.
-- Nov. 4, Legion Lanes.
-- Dec. 2, Oak Orchard Bowl.
-- Dec. 16, Livingston Lanes.
-- Jan. 20, Oak Orchard Bowl.
-- Feb. 10, Perry Bowling Center.
-- Feb. 17, Mount Morris Lanes.
-- March 10, Legion Lanes.
-- March 17, Rose Garden Bowl.

Competition began last weekend at Rose Garden Bowl, with the Rose Garden Bowl II team winning 19 of a possible 24 points. Team members are Katelyn Ball, Evan Phillips, Sawyer Zinter and Megan Jarkiewicz.

High scores for the day: Austin Hawker (Mount Morris), 627 series; Dennis Van Duser (Perry), 257 game; Jillian Menzie (Rose Garden Bowl I), 204 game and 586 series.

Rosters of the other teams:

Oak Orchard Bowl I – Kyle Brett, Jesse Keller, Dallas Ecker, Cameron Ecker.

Perry Bowling Center – Josh Sprague, Brook Jurek, Tony Sprague, Dennis Van Duser.

Le Roy Legion Lanes – Tyler Klein, Felicity Wieseltier, Samantha Hyde, Aaron Leone.

Oak Orchard Bowl II – Tyler Brett, Bailee Snook, Paige Snook, Ben Lennox.

Rose Garden Bowl I – Jillian Menzie, Devon Zinter, Michael Sardou, Brooke Jarkiewicz.

Mount Morris Lanes – Austin Hawker, Trent Willis, Joshua Morris, Brad June.

It’s unfortunate that the GR Youth Travel League doesn’t include any teams from Mancuso’s in Batavia, especially considering that there were three Batavia squads in the league last season. But a group from the Batavia program is participating in an “elite” travel league this season in Rochester.

TOURNAMENTS IN AND AROUND THE GENESEE REGION

November is a busy month for tournaments in the Genesee Region.

-- The 34^th Gladys Ford Memorial Women’s Senior Singles is scheduled for Nov. 3-4 at Letchworth Pines in Portageville.

Entrants (GRUSBC women 50 and over) are divided into six different age groups and roll three games on either Nov. 3 (noon) or Nov. 4 (1 p.m.). One in five in each classification will earn prize money from the handicap event.

The entry fee is $30. To enter, contact Jan King at 585-335-7474 or 585-704-1401 by Oct. 28. Entry forms can be downloaded from the GRUSBC website – www.bowlgr.com.

-- The 13^th annual Genesee Region USBC Senior Masters will take place on Nov. 10 at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo.

Association members (men and women) who are at least 50 years old as of Dec. 31, 2018 are eligible to compete. Qualifying squads (three games) are at noon and 1:30 p.m. and re-entry is allowed. The entry fee is $30.

First place, based on 48 entries, is $300 plus a free entry to the GRUSBC Masters in February at Scopano’s Lanes in Oakfield. The top 12 qualifiers advance to the finals at 3 p.m.

To sign up, contact Paul Spiotta at 585-202-6458.

-- The 4^th annual PAWS Triples No-Tap Tournament to benefit the Albion PAWS Animal Shelter is set for Nov. 10 – with squads at 1, 3, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. – at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

The entry fee for the handicap tourney is $75 per team, with one in six teams cashing. Teams can cash more than once as long as one bowler is changed.

For entry and donation information, contact Oak Orchard Bowl at 585-589-6900 or Curtis Foss at 585-590-0804.

-- The 11^th annual Triple O Mechanical Singles Handicap Tournament returns to Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen on Nov. 11, with qualifying squads (three games) at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

First prize, based on 48 entries, is $500, and the entry fee is only $30. The top three qualifiers from the 10 a.m. squad and the top two from the 12:30 p.m. squad will earn guaranteed spots in the eliminator finals that begin at 5 p.m.

The finals will include a senior (55-and-over), super senior (65-and-over) and woman not making the cut as long as there are at least five entries in each category. If a senior, super senior or woman make the cut outright, then the incentives would not apply.

To enter, call 585-343-3736 or 585-861-0404. The event is limited to 24 bowlers per squad.

-- The 3^rd annual Brian Morasco three-person handicap no-tap tournament is scheduled for Nov. 17 at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia. Proceeds from the event and basket raffles will go to Genesee Cancer Assistance and the Arthritis Foundation.

First place, based on 48 teams, is $750. The entry fee is $75 per team. Squad times are 1 and 3 p.m.

Teams can sign up by calling Mark Brown at 716-474-7900 or Mancuso Bowling Center at 585-343-1319.

The folks at Medina Lanes aren’t letting October slip away without offering another fundraising event.

A three-person handicap no-tap tournament is planned for Oct. 27, with squads at 5 and 7 p.m. The entry fee is $60 per team. Call 585-318-4474 to sign up. All bowlers are invited to stay for the Halloween party afterwards featuring Marnie K and the 4 Non-Blondes.

And, for tournament bowlers age 60 and up, the next 60-and-Over Tour scratch singles event is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 28 at Doug Kent’s Rose Bowl Lanes in Newark. Check-in starts at 11 a.m and competition gets under way at noon.

Several Genesee Region bowlers competed on Sunday in the season’s first 60-and-Over Tour event at Brockport Bowl but only one – Batavian Paul Spiotta – advanced out of the three-game qualifying round. Spiotta shook off a 159 start, finishing with 257, to claim the last berth to the second round. Unfortunately, his 165 game wasn’t enough to keep him in contention; he pocketed $50. John Masiello of Kenmore placed first, winning $200. The next tournament in the series directed by Tommy Kress is set for Oct. 28 at Doug Kent’s Rose Bowl Lanes in Newark.

Speaking of tournaments, the Genesee Region USBC had to cancel an Invitational Match Play handicap singles event that was scheduled for last weekend due to a lack of entries. The concept is fine – three-game matches throughout until a winner is determined – but I think the $50 entry fee may have scared bowlers away (especially since it could be a case of “three games and out”).  With advance promotion and maybe a $25 entry fee, I believe it could work.

Brockport’s Chris Bardol opened the league season with a 299 game and 814 on Sept. 11 in the G&W Vending League at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen, and, two nights ago, he added another 300 game to his resume en route to a 761 series. Bardol said he’s not sure of the exact count, but estimates that he now has 30 perfect games and 15 800 series. He continues to own and operate The North Pole restaurant on Swan Street on Wednesday through Saturday for dinner.

Also on Tuesday night, Scott Bliss of Batavia just missed perfection – firing 279-299-177—755 in the Antique World Coed League at Mancuso Bowling Center.

While the ownership situation at Scopano’s Lanes is yet to be settled, it’s business as usual at the Oakfield facility.  That includes the continuation of a solid Saturday morning youth program, which gets under way on Oct. 13. Director Carrie Monachino said parents of children 4 years of age and up are welcome to sign their kids up from noon to 2 p.m. this Sunday. A pulled pork BBQ fundraiser is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 3 at Caryville Inn.

Medina Lanes caught lightning in a bottle last season by hosting the Sunday Rolloffs League and (no surprise) is planning for another two-round campaign in 2018-19. The handicap singles league, where bowlers are placed in divisions according to their averages, will consist of a pair of 10-week slates -- Oct. 7 through Dec. 9 and Jan. 6 through March 10. The league is limited to 30 bowlers. To enter, call Medina Lanes at 318-4474.

Genesee Region USBC President Gary Kuchler and Director John Wood will be attending a USBC Association Leadership Academy session on Oct. 20-21 at the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel in Erie, Pa. The USBC paying all costs associated with the seminar, including hotel, mileage and meals. The purpose of the seminars (I was able to attend one in Arlington, Texas a couple years ago) is to assist state and local association leaders in building their organizations and effectively communicating the USBC brand.

The Greater Buffalo USBC will be inducting nine people into its Hall of Fame on Nov. 24 at Samuel’s Grande Manor in Williamsville. The list includes professional bowler Brad Angelo of Lockport in the outstanding ability category.  Others slated for induction are Ray Bellet, Holly Parrish, Dave Williamson, Mary Grace Williamson and Ruth Wooliver, outstanding ability, and Mary Chase, Cindy Kosanovich and James Wangler Jr., meritorious service. Tickets are $50 per person and can be secured by calling the association office at 716-668-4222 by Nov. 8.

Tonawanda Bowling Center (which is managed by Mary Chase) is hosting the BL Challenge #18 at 9 a.m. Oct. 13. The scratch singles event attracts the top bowlers in an area well beyond WNY, and offers a guaranteed top prize of $6,000. The entry fee is $240. Side events include the Columbia Doubles at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 and the Turbo 2N1 Marathon at 10 a.m. Oct. 14.  For more information, go to www.budlightchallenge.com.

It’s not too late for USBC-certified bowlers age 50 and over to enter the NYS Open Senior Championships – a doubles, singles and six-game combine handicap tournament – on Oct. 13-14, 20-21 at Sunset Bowl in Waterloo. Squad times are 12:30 and 3 p.m. on Oct. 13-14 and 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Oct. 20-21. For an entry form and more information, go to www.bowlny.com.

Local tournaments in the near future include the Camp Rainbow 3-person no-tap event at Medina Lanes on Oct. 13 and the Gladys Ford Senior Women’s tourney on Nov. 3-4 at Letchworth Pines in Portageville.

The Professional Bowlers Association emailed my Hall of Fame ballot a couple weeks ago and I am glad to report that both of my selections – Patrick Allen of Elmwood Park, N.J., and Mike Koivuniemi of Finland – received enough votes to ensure their induction on Jan. 5 at the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas, as part of the PBA Hall of Fame Classic tournament. The finals of this event, the first on the 2019 Go Bowling! PBA season, will be televised live at 11 a.m. Jan. 6 on FS1 (Fox Sports 1). Allen is a 13-time PBA title winner and was the Chris Schenkel Player of the Year in 2004-05, while Koivuniemi has 14 PBA tournament wins, including the PBA Tournament of Champions in 2011 – where he claimed a $250,000 first prize.

It didn’t take Matthew Hurlburt of Perry very long to feel comfortable bowling in an adult league for the first time.

On Sept. 5, Hurlburt, a 17-year-old left-hander, recorded his first United States Bowling Congress-certified 300 game on the opening night of the Wednesday JCI League at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo.

Hurlburt made his mark in the youth bowling program at Perry Bowling Center and as a member of the Genesee Region Youth Travel League, where he averaged 198 last season.

“I really wasn’t nervous until after I let go of the ball in the 12^th frame,” said Hurlburt, who noted that everyone else in the league stopped to watch him roll the final shot on lane 6 – a ball firmly in the 1-2 pocket, touching off cheers, applause and hugs.

The perfect game eclipses his previous high game of 279 and his 755 series (his games were 247-300-208) is his best ever.

An employee of Hendrickson’s Hooftrimming in Perry, Hurlburt said he is filling in for his mother, Diane, on Wednesday nights. He also bowls with her and dad, Jason, in the Monday Nite 5 League at Perry Bowling Center, and with some of his friends in the Thursday Night League in Perry.

He said he patterns his game which features a high backswing after his “idol,” Scott Culp of Lima, one of the best bowlers in the area.

Culp, who averages in the 240’s, isn’t bowling in the Wednesday JCI League this season, but is competing in the Monday Ontario-Livingston League, where he converted the 7-10 split earlier this week.

GENESEE REGION OFFERS HANDICAP MATCH PLAY TOURNAMENT

Genesee Region USBC members – men and women – are invited to compete in the 2^nd Invitational Match Play tournament on Sept. 29-30 at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia.

The handicap singles event is open to the first 64 association members who sign up by contacting Tom Fluker, tournament director, at tfstrikeforce@msn.com or at 585-284-2637.  An entry form can be found at www.bowlgr.com.

First prize (based on a full field of 64) is $750. The entry fee is $50.

The top 16 will cash. The GRUSBC is adding $250 to the prize fund.

The tournament format is as follows:

-- Best-of-three matches throughout with the first round set for noon and the Round of 32 at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.  On Sunday, the Round of 16 is at noon, Round of 8 at 2 p.m., Semifinals at 3:30 p.m. and Championship Match at 5 p.m.

-- Handicap is 80 percent of the top average in the tournament.

-- Bowlers will use their highest USBC league average for the past three seasons (at least 21 games).

-- The bowlers with the top eight averages will be seeded 1-2 across the four brackets while the remaining bowlers will draw for their seeding.

-- It is open to current GRUSBC members (men and women), including youth bowlers with SMART accounts.

Other local tournaments in the near future:

-- Oct. 13 – Camp Rainbow 3-person no-tap, Medina Lanes.
-- Nov. 3-4 – Gladys Ford Senior Women, Letchworth Pines, Portageville.
-- Nov. 10 – GRUSBC Senior Masters, Livingston Lanes, Geneseo.
-- Nov. 11 – Triple O Mechanical Handicap Singles, Rose Garden Bowl, Bergen.
-- Nov. 17 – Brian Morasco 3-person no-tap, Mancuso Bowling Center, Batavia.

BENNINGTON LANES JOINS GREATER BUFFALO USBC

The GRUSBC has been informed that Bennington Lanes will be joining the Greater Buffalo USBC for the 2018-19 season.

Last season, the GRUSBC serviced two leagues at Bennington Lanes -- a women's league on Wednesday night and a men's league on Thursday night.

That leaves the GRUSBC with 11 bowling centers, including Raider Lanes in Caledonia (formerly Cal Bowl).

Raider Lanes has not hosted any USBC-certified leagues for the past few years but is attempting to revive league bowling this season.

Last night I spoke with 28-year-old Devin Doolittle of Fairport, who has several years of experience as a pinsetter mechanic under his belt, having worked at a few centers in Rochester.

He said that he is running Raider Lanes for owner John Kabrovsky of Rochester and that the synthetic (overlay) lanes and the pinsetters are in “great shape.”

“We’re getting leagues started and we’re open for birthday parties,” said Doolittle, who also is working two or three nights a week at Scopano’s Lanes in Oakfield.

Scopano’s continues to be owned by the Scopano family but everything points to it being sold to a couple from New Jersey over the next several weeks.

Currently, Scopano’s hosts a women’s league on Monday, a men’s league on Wednesday, a no-tap league on Friday and a Saturday morning youth program.

In other bowling center news, Mike Kime of Honeoye Falls is the new general manager at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo.

Ironically, Kime started off as a pin-chaser in 1985 at Livingston Lanes, and now has returned, in his words, “to repair the pinsetters and hopefully bring back some of the bowlers who were there a few years ago.”

In between, Kime managed Cal Bowl in Caledonia for 18 years and Brongo Bowl (now Miller Lanes) in Honeoye Falls for 15 years.

TOMMY KRESS’ 60-AND-OVER TOUR TO START NEXT SUNDAY

The 60-and-Over Tour coordinated by NYS Hall of Famer Tommy Kress of Hilton kicks off its season next Sunday (Sept. 30) at Brockport Bowl.

Check-in for the noon event starts at 11 a.m. The entry fee is $45.

Entrants roll three games (scratch). After that, the top nine bowlers plus three bowlers with the highest scores from each age group will advance to the match play finals. If there are 48 or more entries, the top 10 overall scores -- plus the top two from each of the three age groups -- will advance.

The tournament schedule confirmed thus far is as follows:

-- Sept. 30, Brockport Bowl.
-- Oct. 28, Doug Kent's Rose Bowl Lanes, Newark.
-- Nov. 25, Brad Angelo Lanes, Lockport.
-- Dec. 23, Bowl-A-Roll Lanes, Rochester.
-- Jan. 27, Parkview Bowl, Rochester.
-- Feb. 24, Gates Bowl, Rochester.
-- March 31, Domm’s Bowling Center, Rochester.
-- April 28, Pleasure Lanes, Hilton.

‘WELCOME BACK’ TO THE BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT PIN POINTS

Pin Points, which runs 17 times over the course of the bowling season, on The Batavian, would not be possible without the continued support of our sponsors.

Your support of the following businesses is deeply appreciated:

-- Turnbull Heating & Cooling.
-- Rose Garden Bowl, Bergen.
-- Oak Orchard Bowl, Albion.
-- Mount Morris Lanes.
-- Letchworth Pines, Portageville.
-- Genesee Region USBC.
-- Al Vlietstra Masonry.
-- Perry Bowling Center.
-- Sheelar’s Automotive Repair, Batavia.
-- Medina Lanes.

The Batavian offers special pricing for businesses that sponsor the bowling column. Contact me at mikepett2002@yahoo.com for more information.

UNUSUAL LEAVE: Scott Shields of Batavia rolled the first six strikes in the T.F. Brown's League last Thursday night at Mancuso Bowling Center before being stopped by a rare split -- the 5-7-10 on lane 9. The right-hander took out the 5-pin on his spare shot, and finished with a 221 game.