Last week saw a hatful of big scores in league action at Orchard Lanes, bowling’s big daddy up on the heights in Hood River. Just check out the bigly numbers below that were posted by our latest elite fivesome:
TEAM OF THE WEEK:
Patrick Olson 735
Bill Pullum 714
Ken Espersen 704
Mike Weaver 680
Bill Whetstine 680
3,513 total pins
Folks, to reiterate, the numbers you see above are for scratch three game outings in certified USBC leagues. They count. These big five stars rolled the rock to a 234-plus average! That is mighty fine bowling in anyone’s book. It boils down to racking up at least 15 strikes and probably more in a session. It takes a bowling maestro to accomplish success of this magnitude because, even though the lanes always look the same, conditions change with every toss. The oil put on the lanes moves around since at least 100 balls are rolled on each lane during league. Every time a ball rolls on a lane, it removes oil and displaces some down the lane toward the pins. This causes erratic ball reaction. If a ball hits oil it slides and if it finds a dry spot it hooks. So, to conquer those continual changes good bowlers, like these five, must make the right adjustments. They alter speed, angles and even change balls. A modern bowling arsenal contains balls that hook more and some that hook less. Good bowlers usually hook the ball because that increases strikes but you must be able to control that hook. It’s not easy.
Let’s take a quick look at our fab five. Four of them impart up to 18 mph speed on the ball, which is a lot. Ken Espersen is the exception. He has modest ball speed because he has the game to let the ball do the work. Ken plays the lanes down and in between the first and second arrows. He is as smooth as silk and doesn’t crank the ball up with big revs. Does Ken’s style work? Take note everybody, you better believe it, he is currently carrying a huge 229 average which is tops at Orchard Lanes! Orchard Lanes proprietor Pat Olson and staffer Bill Whetstine play the lanes similarly around the third arrow using sharp breaking hooks that seem to produce unending strings of strikes. Electronics Assemblers main man, Bill Pullum, who has long been one of the best bowlers in the Gorge, hooks the ball big-time from way left out to way right and back into the 1-3 pocket. Bill’s game epitomizes the modern power player, his big bending hook simply crushes those hapless pins. Lefty Mike Weaver fires a powerful hook, mostly down and in, which he controls with sound breaking speed. Watching him bowl, it almost seems his ball is airborne and never touches the lane!
We’re closing in on two months of league action now so let’s see who’s hot.
In the Industrial league The Dalles all-star Jeff Miller is averaging 223 and White Salmon grocer Kevin Harris is carrying 214. Last week orchardist Joey Sheirbon topped everybody by beating his average by 130 pins with a nifty 670 series. Retired deputy sheriff Carl Casey cuffed the sticks one better with a fine 671 set that was 122 pins over his average. Hood River’s gregarious man about town, lefty John Miller also found the range, putting a hurt on the pins, beating his average by 129 sticks that keyed his Mid-Columbia Diesel team to an 18-to-7 point shellacking of the MTS trio. With three weeks left in round 1, Collins Aerospace enjoys an 8-point lead in first place.
In the Tuesday Nite Mixed league Ken Espersen is the No. 1 guy with that gaudy 229 average. Patrick Olson is carrying 224 and former award winning HRVHS bowling star, Chad Mason has that speedy down and in sphere of his right on target as he is carrying a cool 215 average. Joey Sheirbon is really enjoying a fine start to the season as his sharp breaking hook is knocking the pins down to the tune of a solid 206 average.
In the Senior Colts and Fillies our local HR bowling association manager Sue Spellman notched a beautiful 219 game last week and finished her session 104 pins over her average. Ageless wonder, the feared doomsday striking machine, The Dalles lefty Mike Parke never ceases to amaze as he is rolling along beautifully with a great 205 average. That’s a darn good average for a senior.
The Fraternal league is packed with big boys with big averages: Patrick Olson 224, Jeff Miller 219, Bill Pullum 216, staffer Josh Worth 215, Mr. Smooth Jeremy Bloom 212, Bill Whetstine 211, retired sarge Roger Montavon 205, Washington’s orchardist extraordinaire John Riggleman 204 and Mike (Dream) Weaver 204. Ron Ward topped them all last week as he climbed above that magical 600 series mark for the first time this season with a nice 606 set. The Electronics assemblers mainstay ended up 108 pins over his average. The race in this high-powered league is mighty tight. With only three weeks to go in the first round, the 3 Pendejos are only 3½ points in first place ahead of the BB’s. These final matches are going to be critical; this is when league bowling is intensely fun and exciting! Let’s go bowling everybody!
LEAGUE REPORTS, HIGH SCRATCH GAMES AND SERIES:
Monday night Industrial:
Carl Casey: 245, 671
Joey Sheirbon: 255, 670
Aaron Troxel: 247,246, 661
Kevin Harris: 253, 653
Patrick Olson: 258
Kyle Van Cleave: 245
Woody Eskildsen: 238
Nancy Asai: 203
Tuesday Nite Mixed:
Ken Espersen: 255, 704
Joey Sheirbon: 255
Jeremy Bloom: 243
Patrick Olson: 236
Ciena Brittle: 211
Shaiyan Wolf: 204,201
Wednesday afternoon senior Colts & Fillies:
Mike Parke: 257, 626
Dick Sherrell: 234, 610
Paul Dethman: 226
Sue Spellman: 219
Lynn Spellman: 209
Robert Godard: 200
Wednesday night Fraternal:
Patrick Olson: 254,244,237, 735
Bill Pullum: 255,248, 714
Mike Weaver: 257,236, 680
Bill Whetstine: 279, 680
John Riggleman: 657
Jeff Miller: 247, 650
Jeremy Bloom: 257
Mark Chabotte: 239
Josh Worth: 235
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