1998 East Volusia County YABA Tournament at Coquina Lanes:
Games/Series for Team Event:
151, 149, 137: 437
Games/Series for Singles:
140, 133, 146: 419
Games/Series for Doubles:
171, 159, 147: 477
Team Event
Game 1: Game 1 was pretty typical game for me, including the start. I almost
always bowl a strike to start the series. I had some strikes, some spares, and
open frames. Getting a 150 in 1998 is kind of like a 165 in 1997.
Game 2: Game 2 was more of a mirror image of Game 1, except on my 3rd ball in
the 10th frame, where I took out 7 pins instead of 9.
Game 3: Game 3 was a little worse, as I kept throwing the ball straight down
the middle. Going into the 10th frame, I was on a spare, and I needed 2
strikes for a 450 Series. I had 110 after 8 frames. I ended up with the 7-10
split in the 9th frame and it prevented me from bowling a 450 Series.
Summary: "Slowly but surely" has been going on for me. It was my first 420+
Series of the year. Hopefully in Singles and Doubles, I'll do much better,
but I would have to score outrageously high to bring the big trophy home. I
think that I need a 220+ Game and 525-550+ Series. But, anything is possible.
Maybe I'm saving it for Feb. 14 or for the last week of CJ2. I don't remember
any times that I've bowled on Valentines Day. I'd better do good.
Singles
Game 1: Game 1 wasn't so great. I tried just about everything to find the
groove, but I just kept getting dead center hits. I kept getting splits,
mostly of the 4-6 variety. Fortunately, I escaped with a 140.
Game 2: Game 2 was more of the same, except that I missed spares. I missed
my first 2 spares by a combined 2 inches. It was downhill from there.
Game 3: Game 3 was yet more of the same, with more dead center hits.
I had more spares to wind up with 146. I needed a 10th frame spare
for a 420 Series, but missed.
Summary: Forget "slowly but surely". This was my 5th "Under 420 Series" so
far this year. This has to stop. I had 1 strike in each of the 3 games,
but that was it. Just about all my other balls were dead center, with no
solid pocket hits. If all those dead center balls were solid pocket hits,
I could of had a 220+ Game and 525-550+ Series.
Doubles
My original doubles partner tore up his thumb, so my sub was one of the CJ2
league champions from last year. He didn't do as good as I thought he would.
Game 1: Game 1 was more luxury than just about anything. I did real well,
except at the end when I missed an important spare that would have gotten
me a 180+ Game. I got more strikes in this game than I did in all of Singles.
Game 2: Game 2 was a little worse, starting with five first balls of 9, with
4 spares. After a strike a frame or two later, I cooled down until the 10th
frame. I got a spare and a strike for a 159. This is the first time this year
that I've bowled 2 average games in a row.
Game 3: Game 3 wasn't great. The start wasn't great, and up to frame 8 was
below average. In the 9th frame, I got a spare. I thought that I needed 3
strikes to get my average. In the 10th frame, I got 2 strikes on the first
2 balls and took out 8 pins on the 3rd ball. I didn't realize that I
actually needed 4 strikes in a row for a game higher than 151.
Summary: Doubles was good...I used my "practice" style of throwing the ball
real quick...my thumb grip didn't last too long after Game 1, but I held on
for a 477 Series. I tore up my thumb, but I can endure the pain. Overall, this
tournament wasn't great. It was more like a Week 18 CJ2 tuneup.