"My team was the last one bowling. Only two lanes were on. The only thing you could hear was the pin machine working and I was working on a 300," said Michel. "It was a little nerve-racking to say the least."

"Last Monday, when it was close, I was definitely nervous."

Turned out Michel had nothing to worry about. He stroked the last three balls into the pocket to roll the second 300 of the season and the second of his career, with both of them coming at the westside facility.

"This one was a lot different. I had to swing it out on the lane a little bit more," said the lefthander. "The first one I threw four years ago there was more oil and I had to throw much more down and in."

Michel, who lives in Dutton, finished with a 952 for four games after 237 and 245 efforts had given him a 652 for three.

"I really haven't been bowling very well," said Michel. "I got my name in the paper for the first two games of the night for the first time this season, I wasn't really expecting a 300

"But, when you get something going in this house, you can put up some big numbers."

I've heard a lot more buzz around town about the up coming John Willey Memorial Open, which will be held Oct. 6-7 at Little's Lanes.

Last year, local bowlers were shut out of the stepladder finals, although Great Falls bowlers occupied nine of the top 32 spots, with Mike Carrette's eight-place finish leading the way.

Look for the local sharpshooters to rebound this year, but they will be facing some top-level talent in the likes of defending champion T.J. Calera, from Calgary, and two-time winner Chuck Groat, of Salt Lake, along with Billings' Ted Bertrand and Butte youngster Nate Gelling.

Groat, a 193-174 loser to Calera in last year's finals, has been in the final two the last four years, including victories in 2003 and 2004. He lost to Great Falls' Paul Dehn in the 2005 finals.

Qualifying times on Saturday, Oct. 6, are 8 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., with the final two shifts also re-entry shifts.

The top 32 qualifiers advance to Sunday's eight rounds of match play. The field is sliced in half and the top 16 roll four more rounds of matchup play, with the top five making the stepladder finals. The finals usually start between 3:30 and 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

Entry fee is $150, and the high qualifier in the first shift Saturday earns $100.

Phone Little's, 452-4116, to reserve a spot or to get a little more information.

Bowlers are reminded about a few upcoming tournaments.

First the Montana State Seniors will be held the three weekends in Oct. (6-7, 13-14, 20-21) at Bigfork's Northshore Lanes.

The Montana State Mixed Tournament, which will be held at Billings' Town and Country Lanes, will run three weekends starting Oct. 20-21 and ending Nov. 3-4.

Also, the 21annual GFUSBC City Mixed Championships will run Oct. 20-21 and Sunday, Oct. 28 at Little Lanes. A four-person — two men and two women — team event and mixed doubles will be held. Entry fee is $72 for the team event and $36 for the doubles.

Entry forms for all three tournaments can be found at all local lanes or go to bowlmontana.com

Michel's 300 game certainly was the highlight of the week, but there were a few other scores worth mentioning.

Bob Jackson fired the high set of the week last week, tossing games of 233 and 258 on his way to a 715 in the MixMasters at Little's. Jack Hawley's 702, with games of 236 and 278, in Murph's Wednesday Men's Handicap League, also gets a nod.

Dawn Rambo-Orr, also bowling in the MixMasters, set the high mark for the women with a 234 game and 623 series, edging out Chris Dittus, who had a 227 and 622 series in the Wednesday Mixed at Pin & Cue.

Kelsey Klunt rolled the top three-game set for the men at Pin & Cue with a 683, featuring a 257 game.

Putting three top games together seems to be a problem at the Elks, and Dave Shadrick's 247 was the high game for the men. Barb Baumgartner's 202 in the Friday Mixed paced the women.

Dave Harris strung together games of 221, 200 and 200 for a 621 to set the pace at Black Eagle.

Karolee Pearson's 215 was the high effort for the women at Murph's.

Curt Backa, who watched as a cocktail party broke out during his Wednesday night league, is a Tribune news and sports copy editor and sometimes writer when they let me. The leggy Backa, when not subbing as a cocktail waitress, can be reached at 791-6569, 800 438-6600 or e-mailed at cbacka@greatfallstribune.com

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

Pin & Cue / Great Falls

Women's scores

Sunday Mixed— Nobi Sirucek 208

Monday 535— Chris Dittus 201, Betty Peterson 210

Ladies Nite Out— Amanda Solomon 212

Wednesday Mixed— Nobi Sirucek 205-203, Chris Dittus 216-227-622, Norma Miller 201, Trina Linabury 203

Friday Mixed— Rhea Harthun 3-7 split

Men's scores

Sunday Mixed— Elwood Sayler 215 (sr.), Jerry Ferderer 234

Monday 535— Reid Michel 2337-245-300-652-952(4), Chuck Lull 207 (sr.), Mike Bowles 210 (sr.) Randy Guill 205-223-237-665-689(4) (sr.), Don White 201-215-606 (sr), Joe Skaggs 226-245-234-671-905(4), Matt Harthun 255, Arnie Judd 200-217 (sr.), Tank Judd 229, Curby Dennis 211 (sr.)

Wednesday Mixed— Rock Rayl 243-235-665, Al Vukasin 203 (sr.), Pat Dockter 266, Kelsey Klundt 257-683, Scott Karaffa 244-652, Warren Rains 237

MFCU — Lance Darby 234, Dale Alexander 247, Curt Raymond 201 (sr.), Travis Gradl 287, Jay Schmidt 245

Friday Mixed— Ducky Faler 234, Leonard McNee 226-239-678

Snowy Lanes / Lewistown

Women's scores

Wednesday Afternoon Ladies— Mary Gies 222

Wednesday Pinetoppers— Karin Longshore 202

Men's scores

Monday Commercial— Dewey Rosman 236

Monday Doubles— Rex Coleman 227-675

Tuesday Skyliners— Dave Pillar 236

Thursday Money— Fred Wood 233-650

Thursday Merchant— Rex Coleman 268-719, Ron Bowen 232, Bryan Rutherford 227

Sunday Mixed— Rex Coleman 246, John Stokken 225

Black Eagles Lanes / Great Falls

Monday Volunteers— Kemela Smeins 138(+53)

B.E.C.C. Seniors— Frank Thompson 212, Dale Padgett 207-207, Dave Harris 221-200-200-621, Jon Tovson 219, Ed Dobeas 212, Stretch Richards 201

Murph's / Great Falls

Christian Intramural— Chris Pepos 203 (sr.), Mick Brown 232

Wednesday Men's Handicap— Jack Hawley 236-278-702, Richard Fisher 245-257-660, Ray Simonsen 235, Steve Vukasin 233, Larry Debolt 227, Charlie Pepos 243, Tom Croskrey 241, Tony Milovich 221-223 (sr.)

Thursday SkyRaiders— Michele Habel 212, Heather Janikula 213, Karole Pearson 215

Friday Alibi— Al Debortoli 230, Al Roberts 208-200 (sr.), Randy Golightly 235, Rich Fisher 230, John Aaron 230, Amber Brandt 202

Elks / Great Falls

Women's scores

Jack & Jill— Tracy Rigor 200

Thursday Seniors— Shirley Hampton 88(+59)-217(+130)

Thursday Ladies— Sheila Reeve 155 (+62)-389 (+110); Barb Nelson 439 (+106), Ann Rambo 142 (+53)-369 (+102)

Friday Mixed— Barb Baumgartner 202

Men's scores

Tuesday Men— Don White 225, Lee LeVeque 216 (sr.), George O'Dore 211 (sr.), Ken Ferguson 203 (sr.), Martin Treis 203 (sr.)

Wednesday Bull Elks— Dave Shadrick 247, Jim Pickering 225-200 (sr.), Brad Martinich 225, Doc Basta 201 (sr.), Harry Berg 200 (sr.), Dave Fulton 189 (+57), Bud Hagen 161 (+72)-454 (+187)

Thursday Seniors— Roy Curtis 225 (+63), Jim Remsh 225, Doc Basta 200

Friday Mixed— Jim Olson 211 (sr.)

Early Birds— Chuck Martin 245, Gordon Weninger 208 (sr.), Gary Willits 200 (sr.), Bill Carpenter 193 (+80)-447 (+108)

Park Lanes / Browning

Monday Trio— Don Barcus 254

Thursday 3-man— Kole Fitzpatrick 247, Jimmy Nevins 233, Don Barcus 244, Casper Rutherford 258-911(4)

Aces High / Malmstrom

Thursday Mixed— Gail Carrol 200, Jeannette Laird 214, Chuck Finan 235, Tim Warden 238

Little's Lanes / Great Falls

Women's scores

Little's Seniors— Kay Kinzinger 219

Teachers Mixed— Jean Muir 199 (+52)

Monday Ladies Classic— Lani Hanning 211, Quincy Brown 185 (+50), Kim Songer 201, Stacy Krautner 159 (+53)

Wednesday A.M. Trio— Max Frank 201, Sandy Larson 153 (+50)

A to Z— Grace Gregori 170 (+52), Kay Kinzinger 211

MixMasters — Judy Jackson 208, Dawn Rambo-Orr 234-623, Shawna Lane 259, Barb Lankford 214

Business House— Sharon Kunz 222

Thursday Mixed— Karen Gonser 199 (+78)

Classic Trio— Shirley Christianson 202, Becky Agamenoni 203

Satellite Mixed— Karen Arps 211, Jackie Graham 205

Men's scores

Little's Seniors— Elwood Sayler 202, Bill Claassen 200-234-623, Dennis Smrdel 211-212, Bob Muretta 201, Roger Sherman 214, Ed Dobeas 226, Joe Levesey Sr. 222, Bill Oswald 206, John Ferda 224, Al Decker 201

Casino League— Vance Weckworth 246

Tuesday Night Mixed— Rustin Kraenzel 235, Bernie E. Dickman 253

Mix Masters— Bob Jackson 233-258-715, Dave Cashman 225, Mike Arps 226, Ross Rambo 239-245-707, John Balzarini 225, Al Pearsall 234-240-682, Jody Bastas 233, Ken Curry 239, Mike Bowles 246, Pat Terry 226-244-653, Mike Carrethers 255-651, Steve Martin 234

Business House— Brad Harthun 225, Rich Marten 244, Garn Wanner 247, Bernie K. Dickman 245-682

725 Classified— Mike Carrethers 652, Wes Baker 236, Pat Terry 235-235-678, Paul Dehn 228, Tom Brendgord 244-243-670, Mike Christensen 227-237-654, Mearl Christianson 225, Brian Christianson 230, Dwight Pearch 243, Scott Craig 233, Bruce Hruska 237-242-678, Rich Crawford 256-226-670

Thursday Mixed— Fred Berry 232, Jon Tovson 254-660, Dan Wilkerson 221 (sr.0

Straight-A-Way— Donnie Zuhoski 227, Mike Christensen 244

Utility— Kent Cox 225, Bill Bury 265-247-673

Satellite Mixed— Duane Zeier 226-225-654, Steve Volk 237, Marty Graham 210 (+58), Dave Schwertfeger 199 (+53)