Not enough can be said about the effort turned in by Bruce Steffani in this past weekend's Coors Light John Willey Memorial Tournament, held at Little's Lanes.

Many were asking how the talented former USA Team member can continue bowling on such a high level, while nursing a painful back problem.

"To be honest, I couldn't do it without the painkillers," said Steffani. "It's the only way I could bowl this many games."

To highlight Steffani's weekend, he averaged 212 over Saturday's eight games of qualifying. On Sunday, in 12 grueling games of match play, he averaged an amazing 231, which included a high of 297 and a low of 187, which came in the last game when he had already wrapped up the top spot in the stepladder finals.

Even in his defeat in the championship match, he never quit after suffering a momentum-stopping pocket 7-10 split in the fourth frame, while on a turkey. He finished strong with a 213 game, just 10 pins behind Andy Kinney's 223.

"You can say this about Bruce, he will never quit fighting," said Butte's Mark Hodges.

Steffani could have surgery, which would fuse three vertebrae together and possibly end the pain.

But Steffani is worried he would lose his range of motion if he has the surgery. Worse yet, he may have to stop bowling altogether.

It is a dilemma Steffani faces every time the Willey tourney and the Over 40 Singles and 40-90 Doubles rolls around when his competitive juices begin to flow.

"The Willey is my home tournament and I would like to compete in it as long as I can," said Steffani. "I am like the old athlete who thinks he can still compete with the younger guys."

Problem is, he still can, bad back and all.

Steffani said he used to expect to make stepladder finals when he entered tournaments. "But, making the stepladder in this one, was a big surprise."

It may have been a surprise to Bruce, but to his fans it was no surprise at all.

Willey tidbits: It took a 209 average in Saturday's qualifying in the Willey to make the top 32 with Whitefish's Zac Wooten claiming the lucky spot.

Great Falls' Trevor Cummings finished in 33rd and was the alternate for Sunday's match play. Cummings missed the cut by seven pins and unfortunately all 32 bowlers made it to Sunday.

Three-time winner Chuck Groat led the qualifying with an 1,889 total (+289), or a 236 average. Groat, the defending champion, ended up in a respectable seventh place.

"I struggled a little bit on Sunday," said Groat.

A total of eight Great Falls bowlers made it into the top 32, including the father-son tandem of Rich (19th) and Eric Crawford (7th). Steffani's second-place finish led the way.

Many will remember when the talented Bob Aleksinski Sr. was a force in the tournament. Now is son, Bobby Jr., making his debut, qualified ninth and finished 22nd. Aleksinski made the trip from Hillsboro, Ore.

No 300s were rolled, but several bowlers put the first 11 strikes together including Salt Lake's Clay Rees, who fired a 299 game in the second game of Sunday's match play. He would eventually finish fifth. Butte's Hodges used a 298 game to qualify second overall on Saturday.

A woman led the way last week as Karin Osborn posted games of 247, 211 and 268 for a big 726 series in the Wednesday MixMasters at Little's.

Osborn's set just beat the 725 of Donnie Zuhoski, who is rounding into to form and claimed men's honors, also in the MixMasters. Zuhoski's series was highlighted by games of 242 and 268

A good score from out at the base was reported. Jeff Laird, in the Thursday Mixed, tossed a nice 720 series, on games of 236, 236 and 248.

At the Elks, Scott Rodger's 243 game and 603 series led the way.

And at Black Eagle, Hank Rimkus put up a nice 631 series in the BECC Seniors, coming on games of 222 and 219.

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

Aces High / Malmstrom AFB

Thursday Mixed— Jerry Rangitsch 200 (sr.), Nate Beebe 226-255-689, Jeff Laird 236-236-248-720, Thomas Rye 294, Jeannette Laird 241-603, Erin Moran 202

Pro Alley Bowl / Belt

Belt Valley Mixed— Jeff Blomgren 184 (+50), Neil Sweeney 211 (+50), Dennis Nebel 217-624 (sr.), Linda Lewis converted 6-7 split

Jack's Lanes / Fort Benton

Tuesday Nite Mixed— Amanda Jensen 225-609

Ladies Triple L— Linda Wilson 205

Thursday Men— Stan Klimas 233-629, Robert Olson 226-640, Tom Willson 225-616

Glacier Lanes / Cut Bank

Sunday Mixed— Dawn Barrett 188 (+50), Erling Estell 129 (+51), Jamie Freed 187 (+56)

Thursday Commercial— John Evans 192 (+54), Hoovey LaPlante 193 (+51), Cliff Omsberg 200 (sr.), Vern Watson 194 (+45, sr.)

Wednesday Ladies— Ann Sikes 185 (+58), Jonna Tafelmeyer 186 (+77)

Black Eagle Lanes / Great Falls

Golden Seniors— Charlene Kommers 182, Julia Stevenson 176

Wicked Wednesday— Tamara Mayo 174 (+54)

BECC Seniors— Arnie Judd 201, Don Mann 197 (+56), Hank Rimkus 222-219-631, Don Richards 202

Black Eagle Bums— Duane Culver 199 (+57), Dave Huffman 195 (+62)-189 (+56)-549 (+133)

Elks Lanes / Great Falls

Monday Jack & Jill Mixed— Burt Tschetter(sr) 222(+50).

Tuesday Nite Men— Bob Standley(sr) 223; Lee LeVeque(sr) 214/202; Jack Anderson(sr) 207; Ken Ferguson(sr) 205; Aaron Paul(sr) 203; Rod Hackett(sr) 202.

Wednesday Bull Elks — Scott Rodger 243/603(+138); Rod Hackett(sr) 238; Ken Ferguson(sr) 235/204; Bill Poser(sr) 216(+68); Jack Howard(sr) 206/201

Elk Seniors — Dave Woolsey 203; Millard Ketterling 203(+46)/574(+103); Harlan Lartch 189(+53); Don Thrush 199(+52); Richard Ferderer 188(+57); Chuck Hackman 164(+46); Nick Cetto 190(+46). Della Johnson 199.

Thursday Ladies — Lauretta Gifford 200; Vivian Harrington(sr) 179(+58); Esther Shryne(sr) 174(+56); Gail Hooks(sr) 171(+50.

Friday Mixed —Dale Sirucek(sr) 236(+80)/585(+117; Chuck Bartels 228(+58); Rex Tanberg(sr) 206; Bill Carpenter 199(+59); Kevin Vernon 191(+58).

Saturday Van's IGA Mixed— Leonard McNee(sr) 215; Dan Woodcock(sr) 213, Patty Luwe 205.

Sunday Early Birds— Lee LeVeque(sr) 202/201; Rod Hackett(sr) 201;Les Pedersen 200(+61).Kay Kinzinger(sr) 191(+50)

K-Lines / Rudyard

Men's scores— Levi Wendland 221 (+50), Pat Foster 3-9-10 split; Rick Melby 4-9 and 3-4-7 splits, Dallas Donoven 4-9 split, David Miller 3-7 split

Women's scores— Denise Frey 5-6-10 splits

Little's Lanes / Great Falls

Women's scores

Senior Citizens— Shirley Christianson 215

Monday Ladies Classic— Lori Hopp 241, Becky Ogden picked up 4-7-10 split, Pat Hilgendorf 202.

Tuesday Afternoon Trio— Max Frank picked up 2-5-10 split

Casino League— Jackie Undem 200

Wednesday A.M. Trio— Max Frank 193 + 55

A to Z— Kay Kinzinger 203, Betty Mee picked up 5-6-10 split, Jiggs Jones 150 + 62

Mix Masters— Kristen Dehn 266 - 670, Karin Osborn247, 211, 268 - 726, Barb Lankford 213, 234 — 648

M.F.C.U.— Collette Caffyn 217

725 Classified— Kristen Dehn 221, 215, 241 — 677

Satellite Mixed— Jeannette Laird 243, Betty Peterson 197 + 51, Debbie Skinner 248, Jodi Feller 125 triplicate, Ethel Ramsted 189 + 66, Janice Zigan 215, Connie Dickman 200.

Men's scores

Senior Citizens — Dale Sirucek 201, 202, Steve Lyczewski 222, 213, 217 - 652, Dan Ruff 200, Elmer Richards 185 + 50, Jim Pickering 247 - 600, Bob Bann 222, Pat Terry 222, 255 - 654, Roger Deitz 221, 214 - 609, Chuck Dailey 206, 235 - 623, Bob Muretta 200

Teacher's Mixed— Charlie Compton 265 — 672

Casino League— Don White (sr) 210, 210, John Dixon 225, Larry DeBolt picked up 4-7-10 split

Tuesday Night Mixed— Sean Engum 246, Bernie E. Dickman (sr) 201, Bernie K. Dickman 259

Little's City— Don Serido 203, + 51, Brian Lee 268 - 672, Dan Rayl 223 + 60, Curby Dennis (sr) 222, Frank Blaney (sr) 201, 200

Mix Masters— Chuck Lull (sr) 214, Mike Bowles 224, 234 - 651, Ryan Moody 256 - 676, Paul Dehn 225, Lucas Cyr 227, Pat Terry (sr) 223, Mike Christensen 244 - 654, Ken Curry 278, 246 - 748, Scott Hirschi 225, Bruce Hruska 249, 227 - 675, Terry Pearsall 258, Kenny Volk 242 - 652, Joe Levesey Jr. 232, Marlin Cross 230, Donnie Zuhoski 242, 268 - 725, Jim Dixon 245, Bob Orham (sr) 219, Don White 255, Jim Aklestad 248, 245 - 695, Brian Lee 228, Darren Rowe 259, Steve Martin 245 - 682.

M.F.C.U. — Reeves Caffyn 229, Ken Huston 157 triplicate, Boomer Bruner (sr) 224.

725 Classified— Pat Terry (sr) 212, Fred Sadler (sr) 214, Glenn Jeffrey III 233, Doug Yates (sr) 207, Mike Carrethers (sr) 257, 243 - 692, Mike Christensen 225.

Thursday Night Mixed— Dan Wilkerson (sr) 203, 221, 256 - 680, Eddie Sager 191 + 55

Alibi Mixed— Terry Brus 226, 215 + 53, Dennis Vandenberg (sr) 222, 202 — 622

Straight-A-Way (PBA Experience)— Mike Christensen 226, Bob Orham (sr) 223, Lucas Cyr 245, 225, Don White 236, Willie McGee (sr) 206, 223, 215, Dan Jackson 234

Satellite Mixed — Ron Blaquiere (sr) 201, Joe Paranteau 234, Jo Ovalle (sr) 221, Hank Rimkus (sr) 234, Kenny Volk 225, Bernie K. Dickman 225, 231 — 653

Snowy Lanes / Lewistown

Women's scores

Tue. Trio:Monika Kolstad 517(+112)

Tue Skyliners: Kelly Bracha 210, Whitney Stanyer 140(+54)

Wed. Afternoon Ladies:Elaine Coulter 166(+52), Kathy Harris 158(+51)

Wed. Pinetoppers: Patti Kiehl 163(+57), Laura Stulc 146(+55), Bonnie Soulsby 168(+53)

Thursday Money: Cindy Bassett 221

Men's scores

Mon. Commercial: Rex Coleman 278-782, Tyler Thomas 266

Mon. Doubles: Rex Coleman 256-715

Tue. Trio:Rod Wesselmann 232-621(+120), Mike Monfils 186(+54)

Tue. Skyliners: Dave Pillar 248, David Wood 177(+60), Nick Thompson 191(+56)-506(+101), Rod Wesselmann 200(+50)

Thursday Money: Larry Maier 230, David Wood 192(+53)

Thursday Merchant:Jim Clinton 246, Dewey Rosman 244-653, Steve Bracha 225, Duane Neeman 219(+72), Rusty Hall 200(+52), Brandon Bergstrom 615(+120)

Sunday Mixed: Jim Duncan 236, Keith Bersuch 195(+54), Marc Wiggins 193(+66)

Curt Backa, whose bowling game gives many a chronic back problem, is a Tribune sports writer, copy editor and resident bowling derelict. Backa, never a force in any tournament, can be reached at 791-6569, 800 438-6600 or e-mailed at cbacka@greatfallstribune.com