October 4, 2005

 Tournament competitors got a surprise at Little's
What a difference a little more oil makes!

Bowlers competing in this past weekend's Coors Light-John Willey Memorial Open got a little surprise Saturday morning — a different Little's Lanes shot.

"It was certainly different than what I was expecting," said two-time defending champion Chuck Groat. "It certainly surprised me."

"It certainly was different," said two-time champion Mark Hodges, of Butte. "You expect one shot and you get entirely different shot than you expected.

"I thought at first I was just throwing the ball badly."

The change in setup certainly was the talk of the day, but it also made for some interesting first-day qualifying scores.

It only took a 188 average over eight games to make the cut, one of the lowest totals in many years of the tourney.

"You usually have to go over a 200 average to make it," said Hodges. "I never thought I'd make it being under."

Calgary's Lorry Ho set the pace with a 1,867 eight-game set for a 223 average, but the totals dropped off sharply from there.

Only 13 bowlers were over the 200-mark, with Rich "I got a check" Crawford coming in at exactly 1,600. That left 18 bowlers making the cut at less than 200 — starting with Butte's Jim MacKenzie, at 7 under, and ending with Bozeman's Hank Illum, who was 96 under.

"That's amazing," said Hodges. "I would never have thought it would have gone that much under."

A midweek malfunction in Little's oil machine set up the situation.

When the oiler was repaired it laid out a little more conditioner than usual.

"I thought it was a good change," said Little's Mel Willey. "It made the bowlers work a little harder to find the shot."

By Sunday's match-play portion, most of the bowlers had figured it out.

Eventual winner Paul Dehn averaged 223.75 over 12 games, while Groat, who struggled on Saturday, rebounded with a 221.25 effort on Sunday.

  • Dehn's victory proved popular to the home crowd gathered at Little's.

    His victory was the first for a Great Falls bowler since Ken Curry's win in 2000.

    "I've always wanted to win this tournament," said Dehn. "I've dreamed about it and it has been a big goal of mind for a long, long time."

    Dehn's victory was no fluke. The hard-throwing lefthander won 11 out of 12 matches, never had a game below 200 and reeled off games of 279, 236, 233 and 232 among his match-play games.

    Asked if he rather bowl in other games of the stepladder, or wait out the finals as the No. 1 seed, Dehn said, "There's no doubt, I like to watch and wait."

     

  • Finally, some kudos go out to Duane Zeier, for his wonderful computer work during the tourney. His work kept everyone up to date.

    Also, bowlers like Steve Howse, Kyle Grossman, Ryan Moody, Brad Harthun, John Kurtz, Mike Christensen and John Balzarini need mentioning. They didn't make the cut, and maybe they didn't bowl as well as they wanted, but they had the courage to give it a try.

    Good luck to all of them.

    Tidbits: This came in from Fred and Belinda Sadler who relayed that 10 years ago this month, Bryon Mullett and Fred, himself, rolled 300s on the same night at Ace's High out at Malmstrom. Last month, Duane Zeier and Wayne Mauer matched Mullett and Sadler's feat rolling perfect games on the same night at the Elks ... Rod Hackett reminds Elks members that the Great Hurrah 2 regional tournament begins this weekend in Great Falls at Elks Lanes ... A pair of youth bowlers collected Western Montana Youth Traveling League stops Sunday in Great Falls at Pin & Cue. Steve Quinby won the 14 and over title with a 226-209 win over Whitefish's Zach Wooten. Eric Crawford claimed the 14 and under title. Great jobs.

    Not much room left, but a few honor scores need at least a mention. First, Donnie Zuhoski put together games of 267, 249 and 256 for a 751 series, the tops around the city last week and one of the better scores of season thus far. Doris Kimmerle's 649 in the MixMasters was high for the women.

    Les Bruner stared down the barrel of a 300 game last Monday in the 535 League at Pin & Cue after stringing the first 11. Bruner, trying to record his second perfect game in three years, threw an awkward 7-count on his final ball for a nice 297 and finished with a 697. Nobi Sirucek's 623 led the women's scores on the westside.

    Lucas Cyr just missed a 700 set during the Wednesday Men's League at Murph's reeling off games of 218, 235 and 245 for a 698.

    Curt Backa, the cause of most oil machine malfunctions, is a Tribune sports and news copy editor and resident bowling mook. Backa, a John Willey Open wannabee, 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 from around the area:

    Murph's

    Christian Intramural — Josh Moody 257

    Wednesday Men — Lucas Cyr 234-245-698, Larry Debolt 225, Jack Hawley 235, Josh Moody 234, Kris Powers 228-247-673, Ed Trujillo 226, Al Debortoli 233, Charlie Pepos 225, Richard Fisher 235, Shane Brown 230

    SkyRaiders — Laura Manzer 200

    Friday Alibi — John Brus 223-232, Al Debortoli 225, Val Scott 231

    Jack's Lanes/Fort Benton

    Dust Bowlers — Blanche Engellant 204, Pat Roddy 214(sr.)

    Tuesday Mixed — Guyla Streit 201-245

    Triple L — Mavis Engellant 204

    Thursday Men — Randy Kerbs 226-227-666

    Pro Alley Bowl/Belt

    Belt Valley Mixed — Betty Rae Warhime 184(+50), Patti Sweeney 220, Rod Schwantes 221(+64), Larry Howes 216(+92), Jeff Arndt 215(+64), Dave Anderson 257-626

    Snowy Lanes

    Women's scores

    Monday Fresh Air — Sue McGuire 207

    Tuesday Trio — Linda Flesner 197(+64)

    Tuesday Skyliners — Mary Duncan 198(+62)

    Wednesday Afternoon Ladies — Kathy Coleman 204, Shirley Degele 203, Liz Lee 164(+50)

    Wednesday Pinetoppers — Verna Fisher 190(+67), Mabel Hill 185(+59), Stacy Robertson 136(+50), Bonnie Soulsby 468 series (+117), Dolly Wells 540(+114)

    Thursday Seniors — Carol Strander 196(+60), Florence Whitfield 182(+49)

    Thursday Money — Cherie Errecart 209

    Men's scores

    Monday Commercial — Mike Keough 222(+78)

    Monday Doubles — John Johnson 173(+62)-450(+117)

    Tuesday Trio — Rod Wesselmann 231, Merl Coats 212(+50)

    Tuesday Skyliners — John Stokken 230, Mike Miller 213(+78) ,Wes Phillips 214(+53)

    Thursday Seniors — Mike Siebenaler 210, Hank Laughlin 202, Hanley McGibboney 188(+61)

    Thursday Money — Rex Coleman 247, Dewey Rosman 233

    Thursday Merchant — John Larson 222(+68)

    Elks

    Women's scores

    Jack & Jill — Hallie Jacobs 186(+52), Vilma Ackerman 176(+64)-171(+59)-461(+125), Marla Meyers 165(+60)

    Elk Seniors — Shirley Christianson 190

    Thursday Ladies — Nina Otter 417 series(+108)

    Friday Mixed — Barb Baumgartner 232, Jane Meyers 209

    Men's scores

    Jack & Jill — James Kothrade 243, Bernie K. Dickman 238-226-655

    Tuesday Men — Al Ridder 256-666, Gale Swanson 240, Bud Lee 228, Rich Ferderer 227, Mike Nixon 183(+51)

    Bull Elks — Gale Swanson 245-243, Randy Guill 244-225, Dale Sterrett 236, Dave Culliton 226, Dan Rollheiser 225, Dave Shadrick 224(+51)

    Elk Seniors — Mel Wardell 226-607, Cal Hering 224, Rod Hackett 200, Fred Rubino 195(+45), Gordy Wardinski 181(+55), Derald Guilbert 178(+47)

    Friday Mixed — Dale Sterrett 245, Chuck Bartels 233, Steve Bush 226, Robert Smith 225

    Sunday Early Birds — Steve Vernon 227, Duane Zeier 225, Rex Rigor 218(+60)

    Pin & Cue

    Women's scores

    Friday Mixed — Janice Zigan 209

    Wednesday Mixed — Nobi Sirucek 232-209-623

    535 — Teresa Solomon 212, Nobi Sirucek 207

    Men's scores

    Friday Men — Mike Bowles 246, Russ McNee 233, Jack Hawley 229

    Friday Mixed — Drew Wanner 227-653, Floyd Bruner 229

    MFCU — Nate Beebe 269

    Wednesday Mixed — Rod Volt 237

    535 — Bob Orham 266, Fred Sadler 247, Joe Skaggs 246-266-902(4), Todd Depping 241, Les Bruner 297-696

    Black Eagle Lanes

    Women's scores

    Friday Fallouts — Brandy Johnson 207, Roxie Foster 200

    Tuesday 55 Club — Charlene Kommers 188, Corinne Squires 182(+65), Julia Stevenson 178

    Men's scores

    Friday Fallouts — Dustin Curtis 211(+63), Ryan Werber 160(+58)

    Black Eagle Seniors — Bob Chesko 215-201, Dale Padgett 205, Elwood Sayler 204, Henry Baker 203(+77), Cal Hering 200, Lee Dunn 148(+51)

    Volunteers — Michael Sullivan 188(+52), Jamie Johnson 181(+59)

    Little's Lanes

    Women's scores

    Teachers Mixed — Sue Harpine 197(+53)-195(+51)

    Monday Ladies Classic — Bonnie Nommensen 152(+60), Crystal Kinman 226, Mary Hagen 185(+52), Mary Reuter 202

    Casino League — Autumn Salveson 235, Rhea Harthun 198(+50)

    Tuesday Afternoon — Jackie Henry 229

    A to Z — Connie Thompson 178(+57), Shirley Shoquist 193(+81)

    MixMasters — Doris Kimmerle 200-257-649, Karin Osborn 225-214-631

    Business House — Marilyn Cleland 195(+63)

    Thursday Night Mixed — Tracy Arndt 227-213-639

    Satellite Mixed — Billie Peterson 182(+54), Paula Guisti 222, Teresa Rimkus 189(+64)

    Men's scores

    Teachers Mixed — Jerry Weeks 192(+65)

    Casino League — Dean Wigger 198(+75), Monte Holtz 235

    Tuesday Night Mixed — Norm Miller 236, Russ Kraenzel 226-227, Scott Thompson 233-672

    Little's City — Joe Alderdice 220

    MixMasters — Brian Christianson 233, Bruce Hruska 232, Donnie Zuhoski 246-249-256-751, Jerry Osborn 227, Jim Akelstad 229, Jim Esther 246, John Dixon 256, Ken Curry 245, Mike Brown 290, Mike Christensen 267-225-227-719, Scott Hirschi 227

    Business House — Steve Howse 265-652

    Classified — Bill Christianson 252, Duane Zeier 257, Mike Carrethers 246-237-234-717, Mike Christensen 226, Rod Hackett 236-665, Tony Gribble 235, Wes Baker 254

    Thursday Night Mixed — Steve O'Brien 235, Russ Zanto 236

    Straight-A-Way — Brad Harthun 248, Jim Esther 244-235-669, Jim Pickering 240, Lynn Taskila 257, Mike Judd 226-276-683, Pat Terry 226, Roger Wirtanen 237, Ron Corkin 234-233-677, Tarl Dixon 237-240, Willie McGee 277-245-727

    Satellite Mixed — Greg Romanchuk 204(+56), Jack Patton 242, Jay Dilley 190(+57), Joe Ovalle 226, Mike Arps 245, Norm Miller 231

    Little's Seniors — Bill Oswald 208, Chet Knab 211, Dave Shadrick 200, Della Johnson 195, Dennis Smrdel 259-204-647, Ed Dobeas 201, Elwood Sayler 203, Gloria Peuschel 190, Mary Orham 204, Rod Hackett 211