It was Aiken's first-career perfect game and he finished the night with games of 237 and 171 for a 708 series.

Aiken, who is from Valier, has been bowling since 1986 and holds a 183 average in the Tuesday Night Men's League.

Aiken's previous high game was 258.

Congratulations, Cole.

Chuck Groat's victory in Sunday's Coors Light-John Willey Memorial Open was one of the most dominating and consistent in the tourney's history.

Groat, out of Kerns, Utah, averaged 228.7 over Sunday's 12 games of match play and along with his bonus points -- 30 for winning a match -- totaled 3,044, which was 162 pins better than second-place finisher Paul Dehn, who had a 2,882. He also averaged a lofty 228.5 in Saturday's eight games of qualifying.

Both Groat and Dehn were almost unbeatable in match play. Both won 10 of their 12 matches for 300 bonus points.

Only two of Groat's 21 tourney games were under the 200 mark and he turned in three 268 games and a 264.

Some other outstanding efforts included Shawn Copeland's qualifying effort. Copeland, a former Montanan currently living in Milwaukie, Ore., finished off his qualifying stint with games of 266, 266 and 280 for an 812. He had 1,973 over the eight games to average a sizzling 246.

The tourney's runner-up, Josh Hale, went one pin better with a 1,974 to take high-qualifying honors.

To correct Monday's story, Copeland collected the $100 bonus for being the high qualifier in Saturday's 8 a.m. shift.

It took an eight-game average of 203.2 or a plus 26 to make the top 32 and Sunday's match play.

Only two women entered the tournament this year. Kristen Egan, a former stepladder finalist, was 60th with a 1,512 total and Fort Benton's Guyla Streit was 74th with a 1,444. Both Egan and Streit started out strong. Egan opened with a 233 game and Streit had a 244.

The tourney drew 90 entries in all.

Some of the names missing from the event were former champions Bruce Steffani, Steve Martin and Greg Thomas.

In the first stop of the Budweiser Traveling League, held recently at Butte's Winter Garden Lanes, Manhattan's Greg Waldon defeated Butte's Nate Gelling, 236-219, to capture the title.

Waldon, who will be inducted into the Montana State Bowling Association Hall of Fame in April, was the top qualifier in the tourney.

Helena's Al Carrette finished third. Bozeman's Trevor Cummings was fourth and Whitehall's Bob Shaw was fifht.

The next stop for league will be Oct. 17 at Bozeman's Country Lanes.

Registration is 8:30 a.m. with bowling to follow at 9:30.

In a quick wrapup of the top scores from around the city, Ken Curry reeled off games of 227, 235 and finished strong with a 275 for a 737 set to lead the men's scores.

Curry was bowling in the MixMasters at Little's.

Lauretta Gifford, bowling in the Ladies Nite Out league at Pin & Cue, registered a 604 series with a 232 game to pace the women.

Also at Pin & Cue, Steven Pettis, in the 535, turned in a 716 series, with games of 269 and 233, for men's honors. Dale Specht deserves mention after 711 set in the Sunday Nite Mixed.

Ray Simonsen's 673, with games of 233 and 234, led the scores at Murph's. Jamie Hieb's 201 game was high for the women.

Frank Thompson's 651 was the high mark at Black Eagle.

Curt Backa, whose streak of 10 straight converted 10-pin spares was snapped last week, is a Tribune news and sports copy editor and sometime columnist. Backa, a proud member of the BWAA, can be reached at 791-6569, (800) 438-6600 or e-mailed at cbacka@greatfal.gannett.com

Here are the rest of last week's honor scores:

Jack's Lanes/Fort Benton

Tuesday Nite Mixed -- Dor Qunell 224, Guyla Streit 215, Jack Willson 225

Wednesday Triple L -- Patty Paulsen 203

Thursday Nite Men -- Tyler May 231, Dick Fisher 244, Jack Willson 278-656

Glacier Lanes/Cut Bank

Women's scores

Sunday Night Mixed -- Leasha Omeasoo 149(+53)

Monday Night Ladies -- Carol Flammond 479(+101), Mona Kennedy 186(+53)-500(+101), Kelly Solberg 181(+58)

Wednesday Nite Mixed -- Miki Suta 214

Friday Night Mixed -- Paula Augare 211

Men's scores

Sunday Night Mixed -- J.W. Eaton 258-719, Leonard Fugle 183(+52), Brian Grainger 221(+86)-560(+155)

Happy Bowlers -- Vern Watson 256

Thursday Night Commercial -- Bruce Johnson 235, Jeff Scribben 185(+50)

Friday Night Mixed -- Darren Arensmeyer 211(+51)

Snowy Lanes/Lewistown

Women's scores

Tuesday Trio -- Fran Coats 500(+100)

Tuesday Skyliners -- Karin Longshore 222, Monika Farr 202

Wednesday Afternoon Ladies -- Joanna Macomber 190(+50), Toni Van Kuiken 485(+107)

Wednesday Pinetoppers -- Arvadel Bodvig 207, P.J. Churchill 206, Annette McNary 201, Cindy Jaynes 200

Thursday Seniors -- Darlene Eichorn 198-516

Thursday Money -- Michelle Howard 155(+55)

Men's scores

Monday Commercial -- Kermit Johnston 233, Bob Hanson 233, Dave Wiewick 225, Tom Rau 225(+76)

Monday Doubles -- Dewey Rosman 266-677, Gary Mane 277-668

Tuesday Trio -- John Johnson 173(+52)

Tuesday Skyliners -- Troy Arthur 242, Dave Pillar 224, Gene Halverson 195(+55)-549(+129)

Thursday Seniors -- Wally Steffes 199(+57), Hank Laughlin 198(+46)

Thursday Money -- Dewey Rosman 244-661, Fred Wood 242, Don Baker 202(+58)

Thursday Merchant -- Dean Pearson 253, Dewey Rosman 247, Rex Coleman 656, Ike Waltari 232, Shawn McQuinn 244-592(+118)

Sunday Mixed -- Wally Steffes 525(+111), Tram Stout 189(+66)-473(+104), John McBurney 199(+51)

Little's Lanes

Women's scores

Teachers Mixed -- Sue Harpine 202

Monday Ladies Classic -- Anna Perry 198(+57), Stella Murray 199(+61), Tammy Cady 200, Robyn England 155(+57)

Tuesday Afternoon Trio -- Caroline McKinlay 219

Casino -- Pam Brendgord 212, Marianne Sepich 244, Terry Tobiness 201

Wednesday A.M. Trio -- Elsie Pankowski 209

A to Z -- Wauneata Gehrke made the 2-5-9-10 split

MixMasters -- Barb Lankford 201, Guyla Streit 237-209, Karin Osborn 214, Kristen Egan 227, Teresa Solomon 209

Littles Classic -- Becky Bortnem 193(+75), Deb Erwin 193(+50), Donna Wingard 204, Jean Bixler 179(+50), Shirley Lennon 187(+50)

Men's scores

Teachers Mixed -- Ray Knott 168(+57)

Tuesday Nite Mixed -- Bill Claassen 240, Norm Miller 2334, Rick Beyer 223(+52)

Littles City -- Fred Bigelow 252, Howard Clodfelter 248, Ron Thronson 233

MixMasters -- Chuck Lull 239-234, Donnie White 206 triplicate, Donnie Zuhoski 268, Joe Levesey Jr. 243, Ken Curry 227-235-275-737, Mike Brown 235, Paul Dehn 225, Pat Terry 263-675, Roger Deitz 221-223(sr.)-656, Rich Crawford 228-258-666, Scott Hirschi 257-675

Business House -- Brad Harthun 254-668, Kyle Grossman 224(+50), Louis d'Antuono 232, Chad Cunningham 226

725 Classified -- Al Pearsall 256, Bruce Hruska 267, Dan Schaaf 234, Doug Yates 227, Glenn Jeffrey III 235-242-653, Hans Schell 231-268-704, Kevin Croft 225-248, Mike Carrethers 248-243-707, Mike Christensen 236, Ron Underwood 228, Tony Gribble 234, Wayne Frerich 236-242-231-709

Thursday Nite Mixed -- Don Tovson 232-596(+101), Ken Curry 235, Jim Rothweiler 253

Utility -- Don Jordan 253-662

Straight-A-Way -- Al Pearsall 245, Bob Orham 234, Bernie Dickman 231, Brian Christianson 237-233-695, Joe Levesey Jr. 247-246, John Balzarini 259, Lynn Taskila 226, Mike Carrethers 237-258-225-236-720, Mike Christensen 241-227, Mike Judd 236-247-226-703-1321(6), Paul Dehn 244-257-269-233-688-724-1412(6), Pat Terry 233, Rich Crawford 224-665, Ron Corkin 230-227-659-1309(6), Willie McGee 227-243-652-1315(6)

Satellite Mixed -- Chuck Stein 198(+51), Duane Zeier 279, James Oliver 224(+59)

Little's Seniors -- Dave Shadrick 245, Della Johnson 201, Lloyd Allee 194, Twila Claasen 158, Wes Martin 255-224-670

Pin & Cue

Women's scores

535 -- Nobi Sirucek 212

Ladies Nite Out -- Yvonne Nation 200, Lauretta Gifford 232-201-604

Wednesday Nite Mixed -- Jean Klundt 211, Sharon Zigan made the 4-7-10 split

Friday Mixed -- Darlene Nyberg 208, Nobi Sirucek 201-233

Sunday Mixed -- Karen Feeler 209, LInda Huddleston 224, Norma Miller 213

Men's scores

535 -- Tim Neuroth 234-235-670-873(4), Joe Skaggs 245, Bob Olson 242, Arnie Judd 254, Tank Judd 237, Steve Pettis 269-716-896(4)

Wednesday Nite Mixed -- Vernon Durand 226, Charly Keltz 236, Al Vukasin 226, Rock Rayl 226

MFCU -- Stephen Bush 231

Friday Men -- Al Decker 210(sr.), Mike Bowles 225, Bill Sybrant 226, Jack Hawley 234

Friday Mixed -- Hans Schell 239, Dale Sirucek 226

Saturday Mixers -- Bill Sybrant 233-259-696, Mike Bowles 236-662

Sunday Nite Mixed -- Barry Fleshman 229, Boomer Bruner 220(sr.), Dale Specht 226-244-241-711

Murph's

Christian Intramural -- Jamie Hieb 201

Wednesday Men -- Stephen James 264, Mark Talbott 231, Ryan Moody 244-233, Terry Williams 235, Ray Simonsen 233-234-673, Mike Chouinard 226

Friday Alibi -- Robert Rioux 202 triplicate; 228, Ron Rose 224, Charlie Pepos 236

Black Eagle Lanes

Women's scores

Clubhouse 55 -- Charlene Kommer 177(+45)

Tuesday 55 Club -- Julie Stevenson 207(+58), Charlene Komers 192(+45)

Men's scores

Black Eagle Seniors -- Frank Thompson 246-213-651, Dick Gipe 232, Don Richards 221, Cle Mann 199(+59)-194(+54)-560(+140)

Tuesday 55 Club -- El Bender 206, Ray Voeller 209

Friday Fallouts -- Bob Chesko 235, Dean Hauer 202(+61)