Happy Holidays everyone! With all of the festivities coming up in the next two weeks, Kegler’s is going to take a break to join in on the celebrations. So look for the next Kegler’s after the first of the new year. It’s hard to believe 2024 is upon us!
League highlights
Thursday afternoon County: This week will feature the final matches in the first half of the Thursday afternoon County league. It’s a tight race for first place among a handful of teams. Contenders who can still win the first half are: Incredibowls, 26 wins; Split Happens, 24.5 wins; Unbowlievables, 24 wins; The Munsons, 24 wins; Save the Pins, 23.5 wins.
The key match this week, which will probably decide the first-half winner, is The Incredibowls vs. Split Happens. For the other three contending teams to win, they will most likely need to sweep their opponents in this week’s matches. The race for first place got this tight because of last week’s key matches: The Munsons swept the powerful Incredibowls 4-0. Jay Slack was the straw that stirred the drink for The Munsons in this match, logging timely 225 and 200 games. The Munsons took the incredible trio to the woodshed and whipped them in total pins for the three-game match by a whopping 201 sticks! Also, Split Happens beat Holy Rollers 3-1. James Reck was the big gun for the Splitters with a nice 210 game. The Unbowlievables did the same to the BSers, winning 3-1 as Michael Poor had no pity on the pins, rolling a cool 205 game for his now-very-believable crew. And Save the Pins waxed the hot-shot Pins in Low Places trio 3-1, although all-star Melissa Werkheiser tossed a fine 211 game at the pin-savers.
200 average bowlers: Since we’re at about the midpoint in the 2023-24 league bowling season, let’s see who our bowling stars are. Although scoring is easier nowadays due to modern high-tech bowling balls and lane conditions, we will stick with the old gold standard in bowling, a 200 average. It’s like par in golf. Here is a list of our 200 average bowlers who have rolled at least 21 games in league action: 1) Patrick Olson, 228; 2. Jeremy Bloom, 222; 3) AJ Perdue, 220; 4) Chad Mason, 219; 5) Aaron Troxel, 207; 6) Stan Pratnicki, 207;7. Josh Worth, 206; 8) Ken Espersen, 206; 9) Skip Whitley, 203; 10) Mike Parke, 203;11. Bryan Mason, 202; 12) Lynn Spellman, 202; 13) John Helm, 201; 14) Rod Pratt, 200.
Power ball artist Aaron Troxel is the most improved of this elite baker’s-dozen-plus-one. Compared to last season, Aaron has increased his average by nine pins. When you carry a high average like these guys, it’s difficult to improve them, so what Aaron has done is special.
Monday night Industrial: It’s still early in the second round of the Industrial league. We’re only about midway now. The Rollers (Jesse Orr, Paul Dethman, and Kevin Harris) are in first place with 92 points. Pat’s Pro Shop is in second with 82 points. These top teams faced off last week and the Rollers edged Pat’s Pro Shop match 15-10. Kevin Harris was the main man for the Rollers he racked up 220 and 202 games. Patrick Olson and Jenna Hert clicked for the Pro Shop; Patrick tossed a 683 series (Team of the Week), but Jenna Hert saved the day for the pro-shoppers, finishing her outing with an even 200 in the all-important third game.
The big shooter in last week’s matches was pin-buster Aaron Troxel, who shook up the sticks with a terrific 716 three-game series (Team of the Week). Aaron’s pocket-pounding strike ball led his Hood River Supply crew to a 17-8 point win over 3 Fingers Deep. This was his third 700 series in the league and for this outing. He ended up 101 pins over his average.
Tuesday Nite Mixed: Last week’s matches were only in the second week of the second half. Gutter Dawgs sweep Hood River Supply 4-0. Who Gives a Split beat Double A Orchards 3-1 in a donnybrook match where soon-to-be all-star Erin Salisbury rolled a classy 233 game for Double A — but the splitters went even bette,r with big numbers from Bill Morrissey, who logged a super 244 game, and Patrick Olson, who fired a 680 series. Team Nishi took down Take Ten 3-1 behind Stuart Kawachi, who notched a red-hot 258 game, and teammate Jeff Hasegawa, who was the picture of consistency, cranking up 202 and 200 games; Take Ten’s big gun, Ken Espersen, notched an excellent 238 game, but it simply wasn’t enough. And finally, Mad Skilz topped CPR 3-1 as super-smooth all-star pin-buster Jeremy Bloom put 723 pins to sleep with his easy-going style, and resurgent teammate Bob Mason chipped in 213 and 201 games for the Skilz gang.
Wednesday afternoon senior Colts and Fillies: Two Pair (Linda Green, Jim Green, Michael Ross, and Vicki Ross) swept Cousins 4-0 last week to win the first half with 40 points. The Skamaniacs finished second with 38 points. Top scores last week included Dick Sherrell’s fine 211 game for Jesse’s Team, who beat Gutter Gals 3-1 despite the best efforts of the Gals’ Sue Spellman, who found the zone for a flashy 209 game. And Paul Dethman shot a 201 game for Rolling Pins, waxing We Tried 4-0.
Wednesday evening Fraternal: The high-scoring and fast-paced Fraternal is also halfway (five weeks) into its second round. The hotshot Bloom Auto Body trio (Jeremy Bloom, Mark Chabotte, and Bryan Mason) moved into first last week with 87.5 points due to their 18-7 point pounding of Tres Piscos. All-star Jeremy Bloom led his crew to the win with a mighty fine 715 series (Team of the Week) and his anchorman teammate Bryan Mason chipped in a steady 665 set. Skip Whitley did his best for the not-so-crazy threesome with consistent 233, 212 and 202 games for a staunch 647 series, but fell short of Auto Body’s striking theatrics.
Last week’s first-place leader, Orchard Lanes, sunk to second with 80.5 points after a dismal drubbing by Get Hu’sum BBQ, who smoked the Lanes 22-3. Rob Miller paced the barbecuers with a solid 245 game, although the Lanes brought in a super-sub, the two hander rev meister Owen Clemett, back in town for his holiday break from college. Clemett blasted the sticks with a 678 set (Team of the Week) that was capped by a strike-filled 266 game. That’s impressive indeed, but not enough to overcome the grillers this time.
Here’s an example of what often happens in this competitive but fun league: The Red Rockets lit up Mt. Hood BBQ 19-6, yet Mike Bosse and John Riggleman bowled lights out for the barbecuers. Mike fashioned his high series of the season, a dazzling 678 (Team of the Week) that was highlighted by a nearly perfect 278 game, and John contributed a 621 set. Mike was 123 pins over his average!
So how did the Rockets prevail over those big numbers from Mt. Hood BBQ? The answer is, James Youtsey fired an outstanding 670 series for the Rockets which was 97 pins over his average, and his teammates beat their averages by 72 pins. Any team in this league can win on any given day, no matter what they’re up against.
One other notable match took place in the Fraternal: Hood River Athletic Club trounced the normally daunting Bowling Stones 22-3, as the clubbers’ anchorman Josh Worth muscled a lofty 266 game at the Stones.
Team of the week:
1. Jeremy Bloom, 723; 2. Aaron Troxel, 716; 3. Patrick Olson, 683; 4. Mike Bosse, 678; 5. Owen Clemett, 678
Total pins: 3,478
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