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 34th 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 13th 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 4th 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 11th 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 3rd 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.
