Le Roy took a 14-0 lead to start the game and rode it to a 74-47 victory over Wellsville in boys basketball on Monday evening.
Luke Stella scored 27 points and have five rebounds. Canyon Roster, 18 points, three assists and six steals, and Cole Biggins had 11 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists and three steals.
For Wellsville, Joe Tronetti scored 23 points.
Scott Culp of Lima put on a dominating performance over the weekend to capture his second straight Genesee Region USBC Scratch Memorial Tournament title.
The high-revving 39-year-old right-hander posted a wire-to-wire victory – leading both the qualifying and semifinal rounds and capping it with a 215-180 win over Jerry Blair of Le Roy in the championship match of the stepladder finals on Sunday at Letchworth Pines in Portageville.
Using a Storm Crux, Culp, a 240-plus average bowler at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo, rolled 900 to place first in the four-game qualifying round and added 873 in the four-game semifinals to earn the top seed for the stepladder finals with a 1,773 total (221 average).
Both rounds were contested on “Sport” oil patterns (considerably more difficult than “house” shots) – with the qualifying round rolled on Kegel Middle Road (39 feet) and the semifinals and finals on Kegel Route 66 (45 feet).
The event drew 46 entries – down from the 69 that bowled when Culp won the title last year at Medina Lanes.
The victory was worth $600 for Culp, while Blair earned $350.
Blair moved up the ladder by defeating Brady Weber of Perry in a 10th frame roll-off, 20-9, after the bowlers had tied at 212-212; stopping Don Parrott of Warsaw, 215-176, and edging Kevin Gray Jr. of Warsaw, 220-214. In the semifinal match against Gray, Blair struck on the first ball in the 10th to secure the win.
Gray won $260 for his third-place finish, while Parrott earned $210 and Weber $160.
The five other finalists were Dana Freeman of Silver Springs ($150), Dean Cadieux Jr. of Oakfield ($140), Mike Pettinella of Batavia ($130), Ron Bacon of Warsaw ($120) and Brian Green of Batavia ($110).
Parrott had the tournament’s high game (279), followed by Culp (278).
The GRUSBC contributed $400 to the prize fund.
Photo -- Scott Culp, left, and Jerry Blair.
Things got a little wild today in Oakfield as local fans got ready for the first playoff appearance by the Buffalo Bills in 18 years.
Sadly, for the fans, the Bills lost to Jacksonville 10-3.
Above, Brad Hilchey, Peter Hilchey, Matthew Doran and Tom Porter.
Second photo, Tom Porter, Brad Hilchey and Matthew Doran.
Third photo, Tom Porter, Brad Hilchey and Matthew Doran.
Photos submitted by Samantha Hilchey.
Attention Genesee Region USBC league secretaries:
If you would like your league's weekly high scores to be published on The Batavian, send an email to mikepett2002@yahoo.com. Men's scores of 220 (game) and 600 (series) or better and women's scores of 190 (game) and 540 (series) will be posted. Photos of honor score bowlers or those with newsworthy accomplishments will be posted as long as they are emailed to the same email address.
MANCUSO BOWLING CENTER
Monday Morning Ladies
High Series
Mary Ann Stone 205-223--588
High Games
Kathy Pacino 222
Georgene Della Penna 193
J.E. Currier/Rebel Liners
Wednesday Night Ladies
High Series
Darleen Balduf 235--549
High Games
Dawn O'Neill 213
Wednesday Night Misfits
High Games
Gary MacDonald 222
Toyota of Batavia Thursday 5-Man
High Series
Rich Wagner 290-258-246--794
Steve Krna 268-235-246--749
Mike Lambert 259-238-245--742
Geoff Harloff 277-248--734
Tom Baker 278--696
Jason Gallo 289--692
Marshall Merle 233-267--677
Rob Stefani 234-235--674
Nate Cordes 226-268--667
Gary Kuchler 246--643
Jeremy Vallance 226-221--635
James Townsend 245--633
Matt Balduf 632
Josh Elliott 621
Vin Pontillo 226--618
Jason Quilliam 617
Nick LaFarnara 237--617
Roger Stone 224--616
Rick Underhill 612
Brian Green 226--611
Denny Rogers 220--610
Chuck Bobo 225--609
High Games
Jennifer Johnston 191
ROSE GARDEN BOWL, BERGEN
Wednesday Men’s Handicap
High Series
Rodney Jopson 245--678
Joseph Scott 234--657
Jeff Parton 267--653
Laurie Morgante 257--651
Jason Heimlich 235--636
Frank Stumpf 223--616
Charles Gelsomino 266--614
Brandon Fisher 610
High Games
Dillon Giboo 240
Thursday Owls
High Series
Frank Jarkiewicz 277--725
Tom Sardou 235--674
John Hertz 615
Frank Stumpf 223--600
Laurie Morgante 216--595
High Games
Gary MacDonald 257
Every-Other-Saturday
High Series
Kevin Wezeli 276--756
Frank Jarkiewicz 259--706
Colleen Pimm 213--561
High Games
Robert Cassidy 223
SCOPANO'S LANES, OAKFIELD
County Line Stone
High Series
Dean Cadieux Jr. 246-299--751
Frank Jarkiewicz 258-247--706
Bruce Kraus 300--687
Paul Spiotta 223-249--674
Scott Gibson 258--659
Aaron Chamberlain 227-224--655
Tom Fluker 244-224--642
Roger Stone 246--631
Chauncey Vanice 222--616
Rick Saunders 223--615
Mike Lyons 230--607
High Games
Dean Cadieux Sr. 236
Charlie Pangrazio 227
High Games
Press release:
NYS Snowmobile Safety course will be taught at Darien Fire Hall, from 7 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday Jan. 10 (Part 1), and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday Jan. 13 (Part 2).
The fire hall is located 10537 Alleghany Road (Route 77) in Darien.
The course is free to children from 10 to 18 years of age. New York State’s Snowmobile Law requires that youngsters ages 10-18 acquire a safety certificate before they may lawfully operate a snowmobile. Youngsters may qualify for their safety certificates by taking an eight-hour safety course and passing the examination given at the end of the course.
The course and all materials are furnished free. The course is also open to adults.
The instructors for snowmobile Safety Course are certified by NYS.
You must sign up for the course and attend both classes where you register. Those who pass the written exam will be issued a patch, certificate, and a license.
If your child is interested in taking the course and would like to lawfully drive a snowmobile, preregister by calling 585-599-6431 after 5:30 p.m.
The class is sponsored by the Millgrove Sportsmen Club, Darien Fire Hall, Genesee Sno-Packers Snowmobile Club.
In a rematch of last year's Rotary Tournament finale, Notre Dame, this time, was the more dominant team, beating Cal-Mum, 43-35.
"We didn't really have an identity early in the season last year and it showed," said ND's head coach Tom McCulley. "They were a mature team and we weren't really there yet. This year I think we probably had the edge maturity."
The star of the game was Stevie Wilcox, who scored 17 points and seemed in command of her game from the start. She was named tournament MVP.
"We were ready to bring it and play as a team and work together because when we do, we're unstoppable," Wilcox said.
The Lady Irish are always tough on defense and McCulley said that's what he saw from his team again, especially in the first half, when Notre Dame held the Lady Raiders to six points. Guard Morgan Rhodes was a big part of that, he said.
"Morgan was steady all throughout," McCulley said. "She got some steals and helped us with ball pressure so we weren't allowing them to get comfortable in their sets, maybe not as quickly as they would like. I think most of the time, when I looked up, by the time Cal-Mum got in their sets there was 16 seconds off the close. I was shocked by that. That puts a lot of pressure on the offense to execute."
Margret Sutherland and Natale Thornton also had big games. Sutherland scored 10 points and Thornton scored nine. Both were a strong presence under the boards.
Callie McCulley added six points.
For Cal-Mum, Elyse Van Auken scored 12 points.
Besides Wilcox at MVP, the all-tournament team was Taylor Gadd, Attica, Ryann Stefaniak, Batavia, Elyse Van Auken, Cal-Mum, Margaret Sullivan, Notre Dame, and Callie McCulley, Notre Dame.
To purchase prints, click here.
It will be Notre Dame and Cal-Mum facing off tonight in the championship match of the Batavia Rotary Club Girls Basketball Tournament.
After Batavia delivered an uninspired performance leading to a loss to the Red Raiders 43-40, the Lady Blue Devils will face Attica in the consolation game at 6 p.m.
NOTE: the games have been moved from Friday night to tonight because of the anticipated cold snap tomorrow.
The Lady Raiders will face a motivated Lady Irish team that had two of the squad's top players both in sync Wednesday night, with Callie McCulley scoring 22 points and Margaret Sutherland scoring 16 to help lead a dominating 64-42 win over Attica. Natalie Thornton added 13 points.
Attica was led by Taylor Gadd with 13 points and Kacey Pearce with 10.
Top scorer Wednesday night was Cal-Mum's Elyse Van Auken, who scored 24 points. Makenzie Wilson scored eight points.
For Batavia, Ryann Stefaniak scored 13 points, Bryn Wormley, eight, and Kenzie Reigle, seven.
Two Batavia players missed the game due to illness.
A newcomer to watch with Batavia is 5' 11" sophomore Emma Krolczyk, who scored six points.
To purchase prints of pictures, click here.
The finals of the tournament, which took place in November during the World Series of Bowling IX in Reno, Nev., were telecast last Sunday on ESPN.
The victory marked Belmonte’s third major championship in 2017, setting a PBA Tour record, and was his ninth career major crown. It also virtually locked up another PBA Player of the Year title (voting will take place later this month) for the 34-year-old two-hander and added another $60,000 to his bank account.
Furthermore, Belmonte moved into third place on the PBA’s list of all-time major champions behind PBA legends Earl Anthony and Pete Weber, who both won 10 majors.
As far as the show itself, two matches were decided in sudden-death roll-offs – the opening match between Matt Sanders of Evansville, Ind., and Kyle Troup of Taylorsville, S.C., and the semifinal match between Belmonte and Cheektowaga’s Ryan Ciminelli.
In the first match, Sanders and Troup finished in a 248-248 tie, before Troup struck in the extra frame to edge Sanders, who left a 7-pin. Ciminelli then topped Troup, 193-180, before battling Belmonte to a 257-257 tie.
Unfortunately for the Western New Yorker, he left the 2-5-6 on his first shot in OT after Belmonte had left a 7-pin.
Then in the title match against left-side two-hander Svensson, Belmonte got a break when he struck in the fifth frame despite the finger grip coming out of the ball. The match was close throughout, but Belmonte came through in the 10th frame with a pair of strikes to seal the deal.
Svensson earned $30,000, Ciminelli $25,000, Troup $20,000 and Sanders $15,000.
ESPN’s coverage continues at 1 p.m. this Sunday with the World Bowling Tour Women’s and Men’s Finals. Competitors are Malaysia’s Shalin Zulkifli, Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, N.Y., and Diana Zavjalova of Latvia, and Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash.; Svensson and Belmonte.
The local bowlers on the Beat the Champ TV show at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia ran into a “buzzsaw,” and were unable to unseat "the champ," Dana Voytovich of Cheektowaga. The show was taped on Nov. 29 and televised on Dec. 23-24 on WBBZ-TV (MeTV).
Voytovich concluded a perfect month – running his winning streak to eight matches – by knocking off Batavian Rich Wagner, 268-213; Brockport’s Chris Bardol, 245-237, and Batavian Rob Stefani, 255-185.
The victories enabled Voytovich to enter this month’s competition at Rapids Bowling Center in Niagara Falls as the champ. Those shows will be televised on Jan. 6, 13, 20 (repeated on Jan. 7, 14, 21).
The fourth show from Batavia featured eight youth bowlers form the Turnbull Heating Junior League at Mancuso’s, bowling as boy-girl doubles teams.
Emma Miller and James Townsend emerged victorious by defeating Corinne Saluste and Sam Miller in the final match. Miller/Saluste had advanced with wins over Samantha Balbi and Benjamin Sputore, and Tara Clattenburg and Skylar Laesser.
All in all, the Batavia-area bowlers competed at a high level, and put on a good show for the viewers.
Genesee Region USBC men and women bowlers have a chance to see how they measure up against the best in the association this weekend by entering the 64th GRUSBC Scratch Memorial Tournament at Letchworth Pines in Portageville.
Qualifying squad (four games) times are noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday. One in five from each squad will advance to four-game semifinals and, from there, the five bowlers with the highest eight-game total pinfall will advance to the stepladder finals.
Two different oil patterns will be used -- the 39-foot Kegel “Middle Road” during qualifying and the 45-foot Kegel “Route 66” during the semifinals and finals. First place, based on 80 entries, is $1,000; the entry fee is $55 and re-entry is allowed. To enter, call 585-861-0404 or send an email to mikep@bowlgr.com.
Other tournaments this weekend include the Scott Whittier Memorial three-person, no-tap on Saturday at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion (squads are at 1, 3, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.) and the 60-and-over Tour at noon Sunday at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia.
While one hopes that all tournaments are successful, having two other events the same weekend as a major GRUSBC tournament forces bowlers to choose – and that’s not a good thing.
Since the GRUSBC schedule is out before the season begins, it shouldn’t be difficult for promoters of other tournaments to avoid any conflicts. It’s simply a matter of common sense and working together – and that’s something to remember when setting up tournaments for 2018-19.
-- Kevin Gray Jr. of Warsaw captured the $700 first prize at the Domm’s Christmas Eve Sweeper at Domm’s Bowling Center in Rochester, rolling a 300 game during the qualifying round and surviving through three eliminator rounds. Other GRUSBC bowlers cashing were Tom Rohl of Le Roy, Rob Husted of Spencerport and Scott Gray of Warsaw.
-- Lefty Bob Santini opened the New Year with a bang by rolling a perfect game – his second of the season – in the Monday Night Merchants League at his (he’s the proprietor) Mount Morris Lanes. Santini now has 11 USBC-certified 300 games.
And on Tuesday night, Dave Emler of Rochester rolled a 300 game and 759 series in the G&W Vending League at Rose Garden Bowl.
-- Matt Slocum of Perry and Curtis Foss of Medina cashed at the Mike & Ruth Rose New Year’s Day scratch tournament at Bowl-A-Roll Lanes in Rochester, with both bowing out in the early rounds of the finals. PBA standout Brad Angelo of Lockport pocketed the $1,500 top prize, rolling a 299 game in the title match.
-- GRUSBC directors welcomed Steve Krna of Alexander to the local association board at their meeting last Saturday. An avid league bowler, Krna is president of Genesee Patrons insurance Cooperative Insurance Co. in Batavia.
The board voted to bring back the GRUSBC Invitational tournament, a 64-bowler “by invitation only” handicap singles event, and tentatively scheduled it for Sept. 29 at Mancuso Bowling Center.
Also, the board is accepting nominees for the GRUSBC Hall of Fame through Feb. 1. Nomination forms can be found at www.bowlgr.com.
-- Following a successful first half of its first season, the Sunday Roll-Offs league at Medina Lanes is gearing up for its second half, starting this Sunday at 10 a.m.
The format of the USBC-sanctioned handicap singles league is three games of qualifying with bowlers divided into groups by their averages. Winners from each group then bowl one more game to determine the weekly champion.
Additionally, points are awarded each week, which are worth prize money at the end of the season. The weekly fee is $20. For more information, call Medina Lanes at 585-318-4474.
-- The Genesee Region Youth Travel League reached its halfway point last Sunday at Mancuso Bowling Center and the Rose Garden I team from Bergen continues to hold a 12.5-point lead over second place Batavia Strike Force.
Weekly leaders were Josiah Yantz of Scopano’s Lanes with a 234 game and 660 series, James Townsend of Batavia Strike Force, 222—638; Ben Lennox of Oak Orchard I, 233—617; Paige Snook of Oak Orchard I, 192—554; Corinne Saluste of Strike Force, 205—554, and Logan Cadieux of Scopano’s, 177—476.
The league bowls again on Jan. 21 at Rose Garden Bowl.
-- The GRUSBC Adult-Junior Doubles Tournament is set for Jan. 12-14 at Mancuso Bowling Center, with squad times at 7 p.m. on Jan. 12, and noon and 3 p.m. on Jan. 13 and Jan. 14. Competition will be in two handicap divisions -- based on youth bowlers ages: 12 & under and 13 & over. The entry fee is $40 per team. To enter, contact Tom Fluker at tfstrikeforce@msn.com.
For the 29th year, the Batavia Rotary Club will host its annual girl's basketball tournament at Genesee Community College starting at 6 p.m. tomorrow.
The club hosted a tip-off luncheon today the Arc Community Center in Batavia.
First game tomorrow pits Notre Dame against Attica and the nightcap matches Batavia and Cal-Mum, the defending champions.
The consolation and championship game will be Friday at GCC.
UPDATE: Because of anticipated bad weather, the finals will be played on Thursday.
Photo: Margaret Sutherland, Notre Dame, Taylor Gadd, Attica, Mackenzie Wilson, Cal-Mum, and Bri Janes, Batavia.
Below, the Attica players who attended the luncheon pose for a group selfie after the event.
(Photo from 1953 Golden Gloves fight "Franny Bond (left) vs. Edson Brown" from the archives of the New York Daily News.)
By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs
Batavia, NY --- Francis R. Bond, 86, a longtime owner, driver and trainer at Batavia Downs and Buffalo Raceway, died peacefully Tuesday morning, Dec. 26, at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.
“Franny” Bond was born in Buffalo on July 27, 1931. He became a Marine after leaving school and began boxing while in the service in the Armed Forces Title Fights.
He fought in the lightweight class and eventually worked into the featherweight division. The then 126-pound “fighting Marine” was described as “a game and lively scrapper who could take a hit and come back with a better one.”
Corporal Bond became one of the Marines' top boxers, winning a featherweight title in 1953 while often times fighting men from the professional ranks between service bouts and sometimes competing in higher weight classes.
Bond continued to fight professionally in the Golden Gloves after he left the service under the name Bobby Bond and was trained by Angelo Dundee who also conditioned the likes of Muhammad Ali, George Foremen, Sugar Ray Leonard and Carmen Basilio. He competed in 15 professional fights all over the Eastern Seaboard including New York City at Madison Square Garden.
Bond first got involved in harness racing in 1966 and eventually got his trainer and driver’s licenses. He ran a small stable for the next 39 years, seeing most of his driving success in the 1970s (where he scored 135 of his 189 careers victories) and most of his training accomplishments (total of 108) between 1990 and 2000. Bond also occasionally catch-drove horses when the opportunity arose.
Bond’s last winning effort came on May 16, 1996 behind H F Harriet at Buffalo Raceway.
Bond was an entrepreneur and made a buck anyway he could. He owned a soft drink distributorship, ran the track kitchen at Batavia Downs and sold hay, straw and feed for many years while, and after, he was competing himself. He was known by everyone on the backstretch and was an affable individual his entire life.
No memorial information has been relayed.
In what may be the last regular season meeting between Batavia and Notre Dame in boys basketball, the Blue Devils came out on top 68-45 to win The Peter Arras Memorial Basketball Tournament.
The tournament has commonly been known as the Lions Tournament, but the Lions Club of Batavia renamed it this year in memory of Pete Arras, a longtime Lions Club member and founder of the tournament.
The tournament is usually the one meeting each year between Batavia and Notre Dame, but next year, the tournament format will change to include eight teams, four each in Class A and B, and four teams in Class C and D, which is why Batavia and Notre Dame aren't likely to play each other again.
Last night, Mason McFollins scored 17 points, hitting five three-point shots. He was named tournament MVP. Steve Gilebarto and Antwan Odom scored 14 apiece.
For Notre Dame, Ryan Moffet scored 11 points and Keith Szczepanski scored eight.
Besides McFollins, the all-tournament team was Liam Ward, Albion, Colin O'Hallohan, Elba, Antwan Odem and Steve Gilebarto, Batavia, and Ryan Moffet, Notre Dame.
A new feature of the tournament is a banner acknowledging all of the teams. The winning team signs the banner and will be able to display it in the school. Above, Nancy Arras, wife of Pete, signs the banner.
To purchase prints, click here.
Pembroke pulled out a narrow win Friday night in overtime over Charter School for Applied Technologies in boys basketball.
The final, 66-64.
Jamil Marable scored 22 points for the Dragons. Ethan Stone, 16, Lucas Kohurst, 11, and Reid Miano, 9.
Top scorer for CSAT was Devin Ashley with 21 points.
Photos by Destin Danser.
For more photos and to purchase prints, click here.
Members of the basketball program with the Pembroke Youth Association showed "horns up" for UB men's basketball at Alumni Arena in Buffalo on Thursday night.
The kids got a chance to see a great Division I basketball game (the Bulls beat NJIT 86-81 in overtime) as a group outing.
(I attended the game and when one of the girls with the group won "Fan of the Game" during the second half, I noticed the Pembroke jersey and decided to get a picture of the group at the game. The kids were clearly having a blast.)
The Byron-Bergen Lady Bees beat Greece Odyssey on Thursday night to capture, for the second year in a row, the Sports Boosters Tournament championship.
The Bees came back from a 29-23 half-time deficit to win 56-48.
After starting the season with three losses, Byron-Bergen has won five in a row.
On Thursday, Juliana Amesbury had 19 points, Kelsey Fuller 14 and Miriam Tardy with 12. Odyssey Shyasia McCullough had 16 points.
Byron-Bergen's Kelsey Fuller was named tournament MVP. The rest of the all-tournament team is Lydia Borrelli from Le Roy, Shyasia McCullough and Abby Wilson from Odyssey and Juliana Amesbury.
Information submitted by Kathryn Krzewinski. Photos by Tammy Fuller.
Members of the Batavia High School softball team, along with parents and coaches and parents, were at the basketball tournament on Wednesday night selling snacks and drinks.
The concession booth is a fundraiser to help the team pay for a trip to a softball camp in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in March. The camp will allow the team to start practices and see game action, helping them prepare for the season, while most of the team's spring competition is still stuck in frigid WNY.
Notre Dame and Batavia will meet in the finals of The Peter Arras GCC Basketball Tournament at Genesee Community College on Friday after both teams won opening round games of the annual tournament organized by the Batavia Lions Club.
Notre Dame beat Elba 77-66 and Batavia beat Albion 84-58.
In the first game, Notre Dame and Elba traded leads throughout the first three quarters, but the Irish pulled away by scoring 30 points in the fourth quarter even as Elba scored 24.
Ryan Moffat scored 26 points for the Irish, hitting five three-point buckets. Nico Zambito scored 17 points. Spencer Miskiti and Brendin Klotzbach each scored eight.
For Elba, Jonathan Boyce scored 20, Collin O'Halloran scored 16, Colton Dillon, 14, and Ben Pflaumer, 13.
In the nightcap, Mason McFollins scored 31 points, hitting seven three-pointers, while Ray Mlodozeniec scored 13, Trevor Zewan, 12, and Jonathan Liciaga, 8.
For Albion, Liam Ward scored 20, hitting four three-point shots and Bryce Pritchard scored 17, hitting five three-point shots.
Elba and Albion will play the consolation game at 6:30 p.m. Friday, and Batavia and Notre Dame tip off at 8 p.m. Both games are played at GCC.
To purchase prints, click here.
Byron-Bergen's Lady Bees beat Le Roy in a girls basketball game Tuesday night at Byron-Bergen, 58-34.
The two teams were tied at the half, but the Bees outscored the Knights in the third and fourth quarter, 21-11 and 16-2.
For Byron-Bergen, Kelsey Fuller scored 16 points, Miriam Tardy, 14, Juliana Amesburg, 12, and Emily Kaczmarek, 8.
For Le Roy, Erin Cappotelli had 12 points, Bryn Luckey, 7, and Ava Horgan, 6.
Perry beat Elba 62-45 in boys basketball Friday night.
For the Yellowjackets, Tyler Cowie scored 31 points. Micheal Hockey added 12 and Austin Croll, 10.
For the Lancers Jonathan Boyce scored 12 and Ben Pflaumer scored 10.
Both Hockey and Pflaumer hit a trio of three-point shots.
Le Roy came back from 14 points down at the half to beat rival Cal-Mum in boys basketball 56-55.
Luke Stella was fouled on a three-pointer as time expired and made two free throws to secure the win.
Canyon Roster scored 16 points, T.Y. Williams, 10, Stella, 9. Reece Tresco hit two three-pointers.
If you happen to care about the future of the sport of bowling, you will be thrilled to read about the accomplishments of youth bowlers in our area and across the state.
Starting close to home, 18-year-old Naomi Hyde of Le Roy (she’ll be 19 on Dec. 30) recorded the highest USBC-certified three-game series in the history of Legion Lanes in Le Roy on Dec. 11 when she rolled a 730 set while substituting in the Monday Ladies Jackpot League.
The right-hander’s games were 258-273-199. The three-game total eclipses the 709 registered by longtime LeRoyan Chris Vescovi in 2002.
Naomi (in photo above) wasn’t sure of the sequence of strikes, but said she got a bit nervous in the second game “because I was hoping to bowl a 280 game.”
She came close with the 273 – which topped her previous high game of 269.
“I lost the line a bit in the third game,” she said, “as I had to adjust as the lanes weren’t as oily.”
After a slow start to the game, she regrouped at the end to post the 199, earning well-deserved applause from her father, Mickey, an avid bowler who came to the lanes to watch.
Naomi said that Vescovi, who bowls in the league, and the other ladies were quick to congratulate her.
She was bowling on a team with Charlene Price and Betty Sue Pelton. She said she is averaging 161 in a Sunday mixed league -- bowling with her dad -- and 195 for 12 games on the Monday league.
Naomi said she bowled in the Legion Lanes youth program since she was 5 years old. After graduating from high school, she is working a couple part-time jobs and said she will be attending Monroe Community College next month.
Her sister, Samantha, continues to bowl in the Le Roy youth league as well as the Genesee Region Youth Travel League.
Hilton Girl Sets Record with 831 Series
While Naomi was making headlines in the Genesee Region, Hilton freshman Elena Carr is in the national spotlight after a high school-record setting 831 series – also on Dec. 11 – in a Monroe County League match against Penfield at AMF Terrace Garden Lanes in Rochester.
Elena, 14, rolled 265-300-266, breaking the previous mark set of 826 by Kristina Frahm of Illinois in January 2007. She has been bowling for 10 years and has been on the Hilton varsity team since seventh grade and also bowls on a travel team on weekends.
By the way, her brother Brad, 16, who also is on the Hilton bowling team, rolled his first 300 game in a sanctioned morning league in September.
Continuing with the young high rollers theme, 14-year-old freshman Zachary Bogholtz of Nassau (Albany USBC) posted his fourth 300 game and first 800 series recently.
The freshman member of the Columbia High School bowling team recently registered his third perfect game of the year and first 800 series – 300-279-234—813.
It sure is encouraging to see that young people are embracing the sport and excelling at it as well. Hopefully, more adult bowlers – parents and coaches – will make it a priority to volunteer their time to helping these kids improve and to give back to a sport that has given them so much over the years.
The Rose Garden I team of Bergen rolled past Batavia Fire & Ice, 18.5 to .5, last Sunday at Legion Lanes in Le Roy to expand its lead over Batavia Strike Force to 7.5 points after six of 14 sessions of the Genesee Region Youth Travel League.
Devon Zinter, Madelynn Pimm and Michael Sardou all bowled over their averages, with Zinter (141 average) shooting 501, Pimm (124 average) rolling 461 and Sardou (126 average) posting 398.
High scores for the week:
Boys – Matt Hurlburt 223—651, Skylar Laesser 232—597, James Townsend 587, Ben Lennox 221.
Girls – Paige Snook 185—517, Samantha Hyde 179—486, Logan Cadieux 168—480.
The league bowls again on Dec. 31 at Mancuso Bowling Center.
The Beat the Champ show from Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia featuring Batavians Rich Wagner and Rob Stefani and Brockport’s Chris Bardol is up next on WBBZ-TV (MeTV), airing this Saturday at 4 p.m. and repeated on Sunday at 11 p.m.
The reigning "champ," two-hander Dana Voytovich of Cheektowaga, puts his five-match winning streak on the line, facing left-hander Wagner in the first match. The winner will take on Bardol in the second match, with the winner advancing to meet Stefani in the show’s final match.
Mike Pettinella, bowling writer for The Batavian, joins hosts Paul Peck and Sue Nawojski for commentary on this weekend's show.
On Dec. 30-31, eight members of the Turnbull Heating Junior League at Mancuso Bowling Center will be featured on the show.
The competition was taped on Nov. 29.
Cousins Paul Spiotta and Fred Gravanda of Batavia manufactured a couple “firsts” last Sunday in the 60-and-Over Tour tournament at Bowl-A-Roll Lanes in Rochester.
Spiotta, bowling in his second event since turning 60, rolled the Tour’s first 800 series in the qualifying round – 279-267-256—802 – and Gravanda, a regular member of the Tour, captured his first victory by defeating John Feola of Rochester and Ken Ball of Avon in the finals.
After his big series, Spiotta posted a 207 game in the 12-man semifinals, but it wasn’t quite good enough to advance (as half the field moves on).
Gravanda, however, who qualified with a 664 series for having the best score in the 65-69 age group, went on to bowl 268 and 246 to reach the three-man final round.
In the finals, Gravanda posted 211, edging Feola by seven pins and defeating Ball by 33 pins. Prior to Sunday’s tournament, Gravanda had several runner-up finishes.
Bob Hodgson of Medina (791) and Joe Trigilio of Attica (705) also qualified for the semifinals but lost in the first and second round, respectively, with Trigilio officially placing fourth.
Defending champion Scott Culp of Lima is in fine form as the 64th Genesee Region USBC Scratch Memorial Tournament nears. The singles event is set for Jan. 6-7 at Letchworth Pines in Portageville.
Culp, who won last year’s tournament at Medina Lanes, is averaging better than 240 in the Wednesday Night JCI League at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo, with a 300 game and a pair of 800 series (805 and 837) to his credit.
The Scratch Memorial offers a $1,000 top prize, based on 80 entries, and the entry fee is $55. Qualifying squads are noon and 3 p.m. on Jan. 6 and 10 a.m. on Jan. 7, with one in five bowlers from each squad advancing to the semifinals.
The tournament features two oil patterns – the 39-foot Kegel “Middle Road” during qualifying and the 45-foot Kegel “Route 66” during the semifinals and finals.
To enter, call Mike Pettinella at 585-861-0404 or send an email to mikep@bowlgr.com.
To all my Pin Points readers and to all in the Genesee Region, have a blessed and Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa -- and a Happy New Year. And to all my Jewish readers, I hope you had a wonderful Hanukkah (which ended on Wednesday).
The next column will be posted on Jan. 4.
COKE VS. PEPSI: Members of the StrikeForce Academy team in the North Pole League at Mancuso Bowling Center had some fun with team captain Tom Fluker, center, who also is a longtime Pepsi employee. Members of the team, which rolled a 1,201 scratch game recently in the league, are, from left, Tom Baker, Nate Wright, Fluker, Jerry Harding and Eric Kraus.
Copyright © 2008-2022 The Batavian. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
