Ladies Bowling: Race for second place is on
BY CARA LORIZ
Paint by Numbers came closer to locking up the league championship as they took all 11 points from the Guttersnipes in an atypical 2-on-2 match that brought us our Bowler of the Week. In the week’s second contest, the Fabulous Five came roaring back from their bye week to take 8 points from the Odd Balls, and leapfrog into second place.
That first match must have zoomed along with just four bowlers on the Legion lanes. Captain Ginny Gibbs and relative newcomer Elaine Clifford suited up for the Paints; Captain Cathy Driscoll and Mary Dudley showed for the Snipes. Teams can compete with just two bowlers; however, two other bowlers’ adjusted averages must be used in place of the absentees.
Ginny led the way in game one with three strikes and a couple of spares for a 140. Elaine’s four-mark game was well above average. Meanwhile, Mary started out strong with a strike, a 9 and a spare, but then the Snipes hot streak hit the skids. The Paints out-bowled the Snipes in game one, and racked up additional points by subbing in the adjusted averages of veteran bowlers Linda Springer and Phyllis Power. The Snipes substitute scores were both in double digits.
Game two was dominated by Ms. Dudley, who picked up two spares early and then closed the last five frames for a 140 score. Cathy struck a double on 4 and 5, while her other frames remained open. Ginny’s scoring slowed, but once again Elaine was 20 pins or more over average, finishing with two strikes and a bonus spare on 10 for a Paints victory. In the final game, Mary was the only bowler to beat her average, scoring a 129. The Snipes knocked down the most pins in games two and three, but those
Paint substitute scores ruled the day and the Paints swept. Elaine’s high marks in games one and two made her series total the most over average, and she is our Bowler of the Week. Congratulations, Elaine.
Three of the Fabulous Five gave five of the Odd Balls a run for the money last Tuesday, and took over the second place spot in the current league standings. Essie Simovich, Audrey Marshall and Jackie Brewer were ready to rumble, and carried game one on spares, except for a strike by Essie in frame 2. The Balls had the odd mark here and there, until Kelly Michalak got hot late in the game and nailed three strikes. But it was too little too late, and the Fabs prevailed.
The Odd Balls amped it up in game two, following Stephanie Tybaert’s lead as she picked up five spares in a row, and closed with another on 10 for a 140. Margaret Colligan found the sweet spot, throwing six spares and a strike for a 139, a whopping 40 pins over her average. For the Fabs, Essie and Jackie made six marks each, and Audrey threw strikes on 9 and 10. But the Odd Balls strong performance across the board earned them the game two win.
Jackie Brewer’s ball thundered down the lanes in game three, shaking up the opposing Odds. She opened with three consecutive spares, and closed the last five frames with a strike and four spares for the week high game score of 165. Essie came on strong with a 137 and Audrey threw a double for a well over-average game. Except for a handful of strikes from Linda McCarthy and Stephanie, the Odds were pretty thoroughly shut down.
The Fabs had the best team scores of the week, and took 8 of 11 match points. That catapulted them past both the Odd Balls and Mama P’s Chicks (on hiatus this week), and into second place. Only 3 points separate those three teams, with just four weeks to bowl.
