11-27-2007
City bowlers invited up north for tournament
Park Lanes manager Don Barcus sent in an interesting challenge along with his honor scores this week.
The Browning center will be holding its sixth annual Cooper and Nevins Tire Centre Holiday Scratch Invitational Classic Dec. 29.
"It would be great to see a few bowlers from Great Falls come up," said Barcus. "Cowboy up and come take on the Indians on their own turf."
The tournament, which guarantees $1,000 first prize, is a double-elimination event which starts out with a maximum of 32 bowlers. The $60 entry fee guarantees three games.
"Our house tends to run in the medium to dry oil conditions so most crankers ball up accordingly," said Barcus. "We have wooden lanes with a guardian overlay for the first 20 feet."
"Our average across the house for our best bowlers is about 195. Most 220 average bowlers coming from a big, well dressed house will average only 200 at ours."
Check in time for the tourney is 11 a.m. with drawing for positions at 11:30. Bowling will begin at noon.
Barcus said the lanes are smoke and alcohol free.
There will be a Calcutta, door prizes and the lanes reserves the right to postpone the tourney because of extreme weather.
Browning's Kole Fitzpatrick averaged a hefty 224 to win the tournament last year.
Phone Barcus at 338-7420 to enter or to learn more information about the tourney.
The Browning tourney will be one of many scheduled during the holidays. Keep an eye on this column for others that will be scheduled in the coming month.
For the second week in a row, the bowling community has lost another one of its members.
My friend, my opponent in league and my teammate in many state tournaments, Dennis Bates, passed away from cancer last Tuesday in the Peace Hospice.
Besides bowling, Bates was a true sportsman and loved to watch his children compete in sports.
Bates is survived by his wife, Connie, daughter, Janelle, and sons, Jeff, Jason and Jeremy.
Dennis passed on the love and respect for the sport of bowling to both Jeff and Jason, who continue their father's legacy in the Wednesday Business House League at Little's.
He is already missed.
Duane Zeier quietly — and sometimes not so quietly — continues to post high scores this season and last week led the week with a sparkling 766 set in the Sunday Satellite Mixed at Little's.
Zeier, a lefthander who battles wrist problems on occasion, reeled off games of 278, 232 and 256 in his high set.
Rolling her first-ever 600 series, Jodi Paulson led the women last week tossing a 233 game and 620 series in the Elks' Jack & Jill League.
Leading the men downtown was Don White, who turned a 280 first game into a nice 695 set.
At Little's, Dawn Rambo-Orr tossed a high game of 259 for women's honors.
Bob Orham continued his consistent high efforts at Pin & Cue. Last week, Orham posted a pair of 255 games and a 232 for a 712 three-game set and registered 907 over four games in the Monday 535 League.
Cheri Harlan, also in the Monday 535, was high for the women on the westside with a 587 series, coming on games of 200 and 208.
Tom Croskrey took men's honors at Murph's with a 652 set in the Wednesday Men's Handicap. Croskrey's series included games of 223 and 224.
A 216 game by Lori Aaron was high for the women.
Also at Murph's, Steve Quinby, bowling in the Wednesday Men, picked up the 7-10 split.
Here are the rest of last week's honor scores from around the state:
Snowy Lanes / Lewistown
Women's scores
Wednesday Doubles— Vicki Baumgartner 175 (+52)
Wednesday Pinetoppers— Karin Longshore 203, Robin Kananen 193 (+59), Linda Danielson 188 (+60), Jessica Fisk 169 (+54)
Sunday Mixed— Tina Stokken 201-542 (+125)
Men's scores
Monday Commercial— Fred Wood 233, Merl Coats 214 (+57), Glenn Roberts 208 (+55)-582 (+123), Hank Laughlin 174 (+50)
Monday Doubles— Jim Rasmussen 235, Rex Coleman 225-653
Tuesday Trio— Merl Coats 225, Mark Kucera 219 (+51)
Tuesday Skyliners— Dave Gates 552 (+114)
Sunday Mixed— Dean Person 225, John Stokken 645 (+105), Tom Bersuch 498 (+105), Carl Steele 500 (+104), Doug Arntzen 203 (+60), Ted Knerr 223 (+51)
Murph's / Great Falls
Christian Intramural— Bruce Steffani 233, Gary Tomes 226, Charlie Pepos 227, Richard Fisher 227
Wednesday Men's Handicap— Jerry Wagner 228-225, Mike Brown 247, Jeff Dennen 266, Tom Croskrey 224-652, Steve Quinby made the 7-10 split; Larry DeBolt 233
Friday Alibi— Betty Carlson 208, Monica Furst 205, Richard Fisher 228, Charlie Pepos 224, Melanie Hudiburgh 230, K.C. Watson 237, Lori Aaron 216
Park Lanes / Browning
Sunday Mixed— Neil Fisher 199 (+61)
Monday Trio— Moose Jordan 241, Dan Polk 225
Tuesday Women— Gayle Burdeau 165 (+52)
Wednesday Singles— Tinsey Bird Rattler 213-210-201-781 (4)
Thursday Afternoon Mixed— Sarah Higgins 199 (+63)
Thursday Night Men— Carl Arnoux 247, Joe Bremner 247, Roger "Jones" Gray 233
Black Eagle Lanes / Great Falls
Golden Seniors— Dan Ruff 207, Lois Gudatis 200
Friday Falldowns— Andrea Eide 161 (+65)
Wicked Wednesday— Cindy Caffrey 181 (+63)
BECC Seniors— Red Johnson 185 (+45), Mary Reuter 232, Stretch Richards 204, Dave Harris 210-203
Tuesday 55 Club— Dan Ruff 203
Monday Volunteers— Syliva Tuss 175 (+55), Jeanne Smeins 156 (+52)
Glacier Lanes / Cut Bank
Monday Ladies— Carolyn Barnes 223-584 (+164)
Wednesday Ladies— Stacey Roush 222, Miki Suta 211, Beth Fugle 188 (+55)
Thursday Commercial— Allen LaPlante Jr. 245-566 (+116)
Tuesday Housewives— Robin Bradley 121 (+51)
K-Lines / Rudyard
Women's scores— Laurel Walker picked up the 2-7-8 and 2-7 splits; Dorel Anderson 211
Men's scores— Terry Grant 236, Barry Crowder 224-649, Monty Groth 231-231, Greg Spinler 265, Dan Redding 226, Rick Melby 235
Little's Lanes
Women's scores
Monday Ladies Classic— Cristy Snider 214
Tuesday Afternoon Trio— Donna Schroeder 199 (+50), Kathleen Kaluza 155 (+51)
Casino— Pam Brendgord 210
Tuesday Mixed— Laurie Ueland 214
A to Z —Ellie Finlayson 173 (+64), Judy Christensen 182 (+55)
MixMasters— Dawn Rambo-Orr 259
Business House— Sharon Kunz 224, Anita Christianson 223
Straight-A-Way— Kristen Egan 203-236, Guyla Streit 209
Satellite Mixed— Paula Guisti 209, Jackie Graham 202, Sabrina Olson 215 (first 200)
Men's scores
Little's Seniors— Pat Terry 226, Darwin Reeve 206, Rod Hackett 205, Dennis Smrdel 220-226-635, Bob Chesko 200, Al Decker 236, Dale Sirucek 202, Steve Lyczewski 268-223-212-703, Pete Pueschel 234
Casino— Bruce Hruska 261-242-727, Gary Hooks 255, John Dixon 228
Tuesday Mixed— Tony Degele 247, Shane Brown 226, Dave Schwertfeger 199 (+51)
Littles City— Steve Howse 229-244-244-717, Steve Krattiger 225, Mike Sharp 227
MixMasters— Ken Curry 228, Steve Volk 268-246-706, Don White 266, John Balzarini 228, Ross Rambo 237, Al Fenner 242, Terry Pearsall 226-235-666, Bob Orham 234, Mike Carrethers 225, Lucas Cyr 236-243-693, Gary Bestwina 237, Fred Sadler 235, Doug Yates 226, Sean Howard 234, Brian Brown 257, Mike Christensen 235, Jody Bastas 278-253-722, Brian Lee 278-712, Rich Crawford 228
Business House— Ervin Crumley 233, Ron Nelson 242-220-642 (sr.), Bernie K. Dickman 233-254-694, Lucas Cyr 236-259-698
Straight-A-Way— Mike Christensen 232-230, Darrell Ross 262, Rich Crawford 221 (+54), Lucas Cyr 233, Jerry Wagner 230, Mike Judd 242, Mike Carrethers 233-228
Utility— Todd Trovatten 202 (+73), Rick Martinez 257, Jeff Dennen 267-673, John Peters 226, Ron Brown 239, Mike Crawford 225, Adam Thoroughman 221 (+54), Bill Bury 232
Satellite Mixed— J.T. Coughlin 227, Kyle Grossman 257, Brian Guisti 208 (+52), Hank Rimkus 226-259-702, Roger Deitz 226, Mike Arps 255-227-687, Duane Zeier 278-232-256-766, Andy Schindele 233-233-679
Elks / Great Falls
Women's scores
Jack & Jill— Connie Dickman 237-200, Jodi Paulson 233-620 (first-ever 600); Dawn Vernon 203
Friday Mixed— Jean Ostlie 233, Heather Vukasin 212, Barb Baumgartner 219, Lisa Dunn 212, Nobi Sirucek 201, Janet Green 179 (+65), Robbie Korte 188 (+65)
Early Birds— Kay Kinzinger 224, Dawn Vernon 212-205, Jamie Harpole 200 (+65), Dorothy Vukasin 189 (+56), Brenda Carpenter 186 (+51)
Men's scores
Jack & Jill— Bernie Dickman 226, Fid Fitterer 233-209-627 (sr.), Steve Vernon 226-655, Ed Trujillo 202 (sr.)
Tuesday Men— Bob Standley 242-203-625 (sr.), Josh Lyle 240, Ken Ferguson 234-201-610 (sr.), Gary Willits 226-223-214-663 (sr.), George Odore 225, Joe Summers 219 (+56)-203-591 (sr.), Mike Beggs 213 (sr.), Arnold Schlagel 209 (+65)-559 (+127), Rod Hackett 209-205-609 (sr.), Chuck Martin 204-203 (sr.), Jack Anderson 204 (sr.), Al Debortoli 203, Bob Symms 195 (+69), Fred Preble 190 (+51), Ron Harris 194 (+50)
Bull Elks— Don White 280-695, Shane Brown 269-668, Randy Guill 257-233-645 (sr.), Dan Rollheiser 246, Scott Rodger 238-652, Bob Meyers 236, John Toenyes 234, Dave Keil 234, Tim Levandowski 233, Harry Berg 216 (sr.), Ron Meyers 210 (sr.), Rod Hackett 209-209 (sr.), Dave Shadrick 205 (sr.), Ed Mattix 204 (sr.), Doc Basta 204 (sr.), Byron Morse (sr.) 203, Fid Fitterer 203 (sr.)
Friday Mixed— Mike Baumgartner 242, Mike Jones 226, Tim McCune 215 (+60)-573 (+108), Dale Sirucek 212 (sr.), Vince Goecke 212 (+62), Josh Lyle 209 (+53)-585 (+117)
Early Birds— Rod Hackett 236-200-628 (sr.), Gordon Weninger 234, Chuck Martin 202-201 (sr.), Lee LeVeque 216-214-606 (sr.), Bob Standley 223-618 (sr.), Vern Durand 218-212-605 (sr.), Josh Wuertz 171 (+55)-476 (+128), Gary Willits 214-208-201-623 (sr.), Ken Beck 210 (sr.), Ron DeBerry 202 (+52), Ray Keatts 185 (+51), Gerald Leigh 412 (+106)
Pin & Cue / Great Falls
Women's scores
Sunday Mixed— Linda Huddleston 201, Lisa Dean made the 3-7-10 split
Monday 535— Linda Michel 206, Mary Orham 210, Teresa Solomon 234-202, Terri Nall 202, Cheri Harlan 200-208, Betty Peterson 205
Wednesday Mixed— Chris Dittus 202, Lisa Voss 214
Morning Glories— Emma Pengilly 5-6-10 and 2-7 splits; Barb Bessler 4-5 and 5-7 splits, Darrel Rummell 2-7 and 5-6 split; Betty Wandke 5-9-10 split
Men's scores
Sunday Mixed— Leonard Peterson 201-219-611 (sr.), Dan Woodcock 204-236-609 (sr.), Harley Huddleston 207 (sr.), Jerry Ferderer 226, Don White 243
Ag League— Lynn Freeman 224-228-627 (sr.)
Monday 535— Joe Skaggs 246-229-669, Joe Smith 6-7 split; Larry Johnson Jr. 248, Curby Dennis 226, Les Bruner 247-656-865 (4), Chuck Lull 206 (sr.), Arnie Judd 211 (sr.), Tank Judd 234-247, Bob Orham 232-255-225-712-907 (4), Don White 243, Josh Buchanan 237, Dan Woodcock 218-225-634 (sr.), Randy Guill 246-210-612 (sr.)
Wednesday Mixed— Ducky Faler 219 (sr.), Kevin Hieb 230, Jim Vukasin 256, Curt Raymond 214 (sr.), Rock Rayl 231-649, Coley King 244
Friday Mixed— Bill Sybrant 200 (sr.), Mike Bowles 279-235-695, Bruce Skaggs 231, Ducky Faler 204-212-599 (sr.), Gene Gladue 202 (sr.), Darrin Davenport 234, Jack Gillispie 228
Curt Backa, a bowling enigma, is a Tribune sports and news copy editor and resident kegling junkie. Backa, when not going Hogwild on Friday afternoons, can be reached at 791-6569, 800 438-6600 or e-mailed at cbacka@greatfallstribune.com