Sports

Genesee Region USBC bowlers have carried themselves very well recently while competing in national and state tournaments.

But before diving into the scores and standings, let’s give one more "shout-out" to Batavia native (and Corfu resident) Joe Mortellaro on his successful quest to hit the 50-year mark for participation at the USBC Open Championships.

Regular readers of The Batavian would have seen the stories (including my previous Pin Points column) and photos of “Mort” being recognized by USBC officials at this year’s tournament in Las Vegas.

Batavian Paul Spiotta, a national tournament teammate of Mortellaro’s for nearly 25 years, said he and the rest of Joe’s bowling mates and family members in attendance at the South Point Bowling Plaza were overcome with emotion during the presentation on April 26.

“Joe Mort’s ceremony was outstanding,” Spiotta said. “First off, when they announced all of the ‘celebrities’ in the squad room prior to heading to the lanes, they saved Joe for last and he received a standing ovation from the full squad of bowlers. It was so cool as he raised both arms in the air to acknowledge their applause.”

Spiotta said he was “truly touched” when Mortellaro asked Joe Trigilio (another longtime teammate who is battling brain cancer and was unable to bowl) and him to accompany Mort onto the lanes for the presentation.

“All of the other bowlers had already proceeded to their assigned lanes and then they announced Joe Mort and we all walked together to music and applause,” Spiotta said. “The tournament director gave a bio of all of Joe’s bowling achievements -- both local and at the national tournament -- and then Joe was asked to say a few words. It was very emotional for me.”

 Mortellaro was unsure whether he would be able to make it to the tournament this year due to health problems, including the fact that he needs dialysis three times per week.

But he made it and bowled eight of the nine games – three in the Team event on one day and three in Doubles and two in Singles on the next day before having to stop. While 155 was his high game, the scores weren’t important.

Joe Mortellaro is now part of bowling history that not many others can claim. Congratulations, Joe!

Spiotta said his two five-man teams from the Genesee Region didn’t set the world on fire – shooting 2,514 and 2,333, but he and Gregg Wolff made a big splash in the Standard Division Doubles competition.

The duo combined for 1,225 in Doubles, with Spiotta posting 670 and Wolff 555, and left the building in fourth place. When I last looked at the current standings on bowl.com, I saw that they were in fifth place.

The USBC uses bowlers’ averages for their last 27 games in the Open Championships to determine their division, so that put Spiotta (183 average) and Wolff (166 average) in the Standard Division. 

The group’s high series came from the left hand of Brian Green, who posted 625 in Singles with a 252 final game. 

Earlier in the tournament, Scott Culp of Honeoye Falls rolled a 299 game en route to a 715 score in Singles and his in 54^th place. His 1,959 All-Events score – a sparkling 217 average – has him in 69^th place.

Culp is on the short list of best bowlers in our area, having won numerous tournaments and compiling multiple 300 games and 800 series.

AREA BOWLERS AMONG LEADERS AT NYS OPEN

The 95^th NYS Open Championships are taking place at Valley Bowling Center in Waverly – next weekend wraps things up – and Genesee Region bowlers are among the leaders.

In the 1001 & Over Team event, the Johnson No. 1 squad posted a 3,179 score and is in 18^th place out of the 104 teams that have competed thus far. The tournament pays one out of every five entries, so the team has a chance to cash.

Mike Johnson of Batavia led the way with a 691 series on the 41-foot challenge pattern while Josh Elliott of Attica added 629. Other team members were Bryan Johnson, A.J. Allenbrandt and Josh Caryl.

In 400 & Under Doubles, Allenbrandt and Elliott recorded 1,193, which currently stands in 18^th place out of 127 entries, and in 401 & Over Doubles, Elliott and Nathan Cordes are in 47^th place out of 200 entries with a 1,290 score.

In 200 & Under Singles, three GRUSBC bowlers are in the top six, with Allenbrandt tied for third at 683, Bryan Johnson in fourth at 681 and Bruce Kraus of Corfu in sixth at 678.

In 201 & Over Singles, Steve O’Dell of Oakfield shot 724 and is in 17^th place out of nearly 400 entrants, while Jason Quilliam of Batavia sits in 25^th place at 708 and Mike Johnson is 30^th with 705.

Bryan Johnson is 22^nd in 200 & Under All-Events with 1,803 and his father, Mike, is in 31^st place in 201 & Over All-Events with 2,034. Culp’s 2,009 score has him in 38^th place.

Handicap in the 200 & Under division is based on 200 and in the 201 & Over division is based on 220.

NEARLY 100 TO ATTEND GRUSBC BANQUET SATURDAY

About 100 people, including four inductees into the Hall of Fame, tournament winners and league representatives, are expected to attend the Genesee Region USBC Annual Banquet at 6 p.m. this Saturday at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road.

The event features guest speaker Carl Dixon, famed Canadian rocker who played with The Guess Who, April Wine and Coney Hatch.  Dixon’s inspirational story centers on his recovery from a horrific car accident in 2008.

They are James Foss of Medina in the Achievement Regular category, Robert Hodgson of Medina and Al Vlietstra of Geneseo in the Achievement Veteran category, and Eunice Englert of Nunda in the Meritorious Service category will be inducted into the GRUSBC Hall of Fame.

Team New Era Baseball will hold tryouts for its fall elite travel baseball program for players ages 9 through 17 on Friday May 17th and Tuesday May 28th at our Depew facility, 3950 Broadway.

For more information or to register for a tryout, visitwww.teamnewerabaseball.com.

For additional questions, contact Rich Wozniak at 716-681-3001 or tnemail@teamnewerabaseball.com.

The display at the USBC Open Championships in Las Vegas recognizing Joe Mortellaro as a 50-year tournament participant. Mortellaro will be honored when he competes next week.

The year was 1956 and Joe Mortellaro, a 19-year-old Batavian with loads of bowling potential, competed in his first American Bowling Congress Tournament, a national showcase of keglers from throughout the United States.

That tournament was held in Rochester and, since then, “Joe Mort” has traveled all over the country to be a part of the tournament, which usually runs from early March through early July.

The tournament is now called the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships due to the merger of the ABC, Women’s International Bowling Congress, Young American Bowling Alliance and USA Bowling in 2005.

Fast forward to 2019 and Mortellaro, a Corfu resident for several decades, is about to reach a milestone he never really thought too much about until recent years – participating in his 50^th USBC Open Championships.

 “I never had that in mind (making it to 50 years),” said Mortellaro, now 82 and battling through some serious health issues. “I have to give credit to the guys (his teammates) who keep pushing me.”

Mortellaro, nine other Batavia-area bowlers and several of his family members will converge upon South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas next week to celebrate the achievement.

Joe, owner of Joe's Pro Shop for many years prior to his retirement, is the leadoff man on a squad with nephew Mark McVay, nephew Todd Mortellaro, Gregg Wolff and Paul Spiotta, team captain. The companion team consists of Jim Pursel, Geoff Harloff, Brian Green, nephew Rich Mortellaro and Nathan Cordes.

The group bowls its Team event at 7 p.m. Friday, April 26, and its Doubles & Singles events at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27. In between the two events, Mortellaro will spend three hours at a Henderson, Nev., dialysis center as part of his three-times-per-week therapy.

“I haven’t bowled much in league lately (due to fatigue), but I bowled a couple games on Sunday and Tuesday of this week at Mancuso’s, and it felt pretty good,” he said.

Family members that will be there cheering him on include his sister, Millie McVay, and her daughter, Jeannie; nephew, Fred McVay, and his wife, Donna; and sister-in-law, Charlene Tiede.

Additionally, Joe Trigilio, Mortellaro’s teammate for many years, is planning to travel to Vegas with his wife, Kathy, to witness the accomplishment. Trigilio is unable to bowl this year due to his fight against brain cancer.

Everyone is rooting for Joe to complete the nine games, and add to his 49-year pinfall of 79,911 for 429 games, which is good for a 186.2 average on extremely difficult lane conditions. He said his best performance was 1,800-plus for All-Events (nine games) but he wasn’t sure of the year.

According to Spiotta, who has 26 USBC Open Championships under his belt, Mortellaro only has to bowl the Team event to qualify for the 50^th year award.

Spiotta said being able to hang with Mortellaro for the past 25 years is one of his greatest thrills as a bowler.

“I have the utmost respect for Joe Mortellaro, not only as one of the greatest bowlers I’ve ever seen but also one of the finest people I have ever known,” Spiotta said.

Spiotta recalled that he “accepted without hesitation” an invitation from Mortellaro to join his USBC Open Championships’ traveling team in 1995, and is excited to be a part of the 50^th year festivities.

“If Joe hadn’t been ill or injured on two occasions over the past 25 years, he would have already reached this milestone,” Spiotta said. “However, I am extremely proud that I will be there to witness this honored moment for him on April 26^th in Las Vegas.”

FOUR TO ENTER GENESEE REGION USBC HALL OF FAME

Genesee Region USBC directors are meeting this Saturday to review the annual Association Tournament and finalize plans for the Annual Banquet on May 11 at Batavia Downs Gaming.

Prize checks from the Association Tournament that took place the last two weeks in March at Oak Orchard Bowl and Medina Lanes are expected to go out the beginning of next week.

To see the complete unofficial results, go to the Genesee Region USBC website – www.bowlgr.com.

The Annual Banquet will include the induction of four people into the GRUSBC Hall of Fame -- James Foss of Medina in the Achievement Regular category, Robert Hodgson of Medina and Al Vlietstra of Geneseo in the Achievement Veteran category, and Eunice Englert of Nunda in the Meritorious Service category.

Foss, 56, has been a standout bowler for the past 20 years, compiling more than 15 300 games and six 800 series and averaging over 200 for most of those year – with a high of 235.

In 2007-08, he earned national recognition for have the high trio series of 2,295 (two men and one woman).

The head mechanic at Medina Lanes and league officer for several leagues, he has cashed in numerous local tournaments in the Medina, Lockport and Genesee Region associations.

He finished second to Rich Wagner in the GRUSBC Masters in 2017, averaging 206 while winning six of eight matches in the final en route to a $325 prize. He also has been a finalist on multiple occasions in the GRUSBC Senior Masters.

Hodgson, 71, a retired school teacher, has 13 perfect game and seven 800 series while averaging in the 215-plus range for the past several years.

His tournament success includes victories in the GRUSBC Doubles event with his son and the Tommy Kress 60-and-Over scratch singles tour.

A certified bowling coach, he assists with the Saturday morning youth program at Medina and consistently competes in GRUSBC tournaments.

Vlietstra, 70, has done well in tournaments at the local and state level.

He is a two-time Singles champion, with 762 in the Perry Association in 1997 and 860 (752 scratch) in the GRUSBC in 2017. He placed first in the 2009 GRUSBC Senior Masters at Letchworth Pines and rolled his high game of 299 in an Amateur Bowlers Tour event.

Vlietstra, who owns a masonry business, is a four-time NYS USBC tournament champion:

-- As a member of the Turnbull Heating team in the 2010 NYS Open Championships in Niagara Falls (he rolled 661);
-- Handicap Singles (843) in the 2014 NYS Open Championships in Rochester;
-- Six-Game Combine (1,483) in the 2014 NYS Open Senior Championships in Cortland;
-- Handicap Doubles (801 with handicap) in the 2015 NYS Open Championships in Buffalo.

His personal best series of 788 came in the New York State Firemen’s Tournament in Newburgh in the mid-2000’s.  A league bowler since 1987, he posted his high league average of 203 in 2004-05 at Perry Bowling Center.

Englert has been bowling for more than 50 years and has served the sport as a league secretary, Genesee Valley Women’s Bowling Association director and tournament coordinator for almost as long.

Her induction comes on the heels of her husband’s (Dennis) enshrinement last year. The couple was a fixture at Letchworth Pines, running the bowling center and taking care of the leagues for 30 years.

SPARE SHOTS FROM AROUND THE GENESEE REGION

-- Albion’s Paige Snook (photo at right) continued her fine season last weekend when she captured the Youth Bowlers Tour handicap division crown at AMF Empire Lanes.

Paige, who will be competing in the Junior Gold Championships in July in Detroit, qualified in 11^th place before winning all four of her matches for her first title.

Previously, Paige rolled her first USBC-certified 700 series in the youth bowling program at Oak Orchard Bowl. Her games were 255-212-233 for 700 right on the mark.

-- The GRUSBC West team defeated the GRUSBC East squad, 69.5-18.5 at Scopano’s Lanes last Saturday to even their annual series at two wins apiece.

The West won all but two Doubles and Singles matches – posting a 13-2 record – and then went on two win both Baker-style team matches.

Scott Gibson led the way with a 3-0 record and 224 average while Bruce Kraus, Paul Spiotta, Bob Hodgson, Jackie Jurinich, Mike Johnson and Gregg Wolff also won all three of their matches.

Rounding out the West team were Roger Stone, Jerry Currier and Scott Shields.

For the East team, Jerry Davis and Al Vlietstra combined for a Doubles victory and Dana Freeman posted a Singles win.

Other members of the East team were Kevin Gray Sr., Augie Dale, Tim Fonte, Eric Galton, John LaGeorge, Dan Santini and John Wood.

-- Batavia’s Rich Wagner, who set a GRUSBC record with a 246 league average this season, put his stamp on the USBC Open Championships in Las Vegas earlier this week with a sparkling 1,859 All-Events score.

The national tournament is bowled on a Sport condition, which makes Wagner’s total even more impressive. The left-hander had 587 in the Team event, 608 in Doubles and 664 in Singles. He should get back a decent prize check for the 664.

He bowled for the Toyota of Batavia team along with Josh Elliott, Jeremy Vallance, Leon Hurd and Jason Gallo.

Two familiar names on the local bowling scene put their stamp on the 13^th annual Genesee Region USBC Association Tournament that concluded last Sunday at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion (Team event) and Medina Lanes (Doubles & Singles events).

Rich Wagner of Batavia placed first in Open Singles with a 741 total while Curtis Foss of Medina placed first in Open All-Events with a 2,209 nine-game total and teamed with Robbie Hanks of Albion to win the Open Doubles event with a 1,484 score.

Both Wagner and Foss sported league averages north of 240 this season, with Wagner setting a GRUSBC-record of 246 in the Toyota of Batavia Thursday League at Mancuso Bowling Center.

In the Open Team event, Team Johnson of Batavia took top honors with 2,668 (2,620 scratch) as captain Mike Johnson rolled 694, Matt Balduf 678, Gregg Wolff 642 and Mike Lambert 606.

Game On, also a Batavia-based team, placed second with 2,652 while Oak Orchard Bowl finished in third place with 2,647.

In the Women’s Division, only three teams competed with PinNaction, out of Albion, placing first with 2,379. Team members are Rebecca Hughson, Kay Ecker, Estelle Webb and Laurie Cole, 

Roxanne Clar and Dawn Johnson of Geneseo won the Women’s Doubles with 1,268; Terri Loessl of Albion won the Women’s Singles with 752 and Rachel Van Duser of Perry won the Women’s All-Events with 1,845.

Nathan Cordes of Batavia had the tournament's high game of 299, while Foss shot 288 and six bowlers -- Foss, Steve Krna, Wagner, Reid Cole, Randy Hanks and Scott Allis -- each posted a 279 game.

Thirty-five teams competed in the two divisions (Open and Women), the same number as last year, but Doubles went up from 39 to 58 and Singles increased from 85 to 115.

Complete unofficial results can be found on the Genesee Region USBC website – www.bowlgr.com.

CANADIAN ROCKER TO SPEAK AT GRUSBC BANQUET

Legendary Canadian rock musician Carl Dixon will share the inspirational story of his miraculous recovery from a horrific car accident as the keynote speaker at the Genesee Region USBC's Annual Banquet on May 11 at Batavia Downs Gaming on Park Road. The event will begin at 6 p.m. sharp.

Tickets for the banquet are $30 and can be obtained by calling 585-343-3736 or sending an email to mikep@bowlgr.com.

For more information about tickets for the event go to the Genesee Region USBC website.

Four new members to the Genesee Region USBC Hall of Fame will be enshrined at the May 11 banquet.

They are James Foss of Medina in the Achievement Regular category, Robert Hodgson of Medina and Al Vlietstra of Geneseo in the Achievement Veteran category, and Eunice Englert of Nunda in the Meritorious Service category.

Watch for more about the inductees in a future Pin Points column.

Dixon, a Sault Sainte Marie, Northern Ontario native, was signed to his first international record deal at just 22-years old with his break through band, Coney Hatch

He toured North America -- opening for Iron Maiden for 40 shows and Judas Priest for 27 shows, and went on to tour with some of the biggest names in North American music. He became lead singer of The Guess Who after Burton Cummings left the iconic Canadian band. Carl held that position for eight years until his head-on car accident in Australia.

According to his press release:

It was 2008 when Carl took leave from The Guess Who to sort out family issues in Australia but the stress took its toll. Distracted and worried while driving at night Carl was involved in a horrific head on car collision in rural Victoria. He sustained 52 injuries including traumatic brain injury, crushed legs and crushed internal organs. Trapped in the mangled car for one hour and forty-five minutes there seemed little hope.

Remarkably, ten years on, Carl Dixon is walking tall. His rescue by dedicated volunteers and emergency surgeons and staff in Australia is the stuff of legends. His unlikely survival was followed by family and business difficulty. When the dust settled his business was in tatters and he was left with a mountain of debt.

Doggedly Carl returned to doing what he loves: music. His injuries caused him to rethink his approach and Carl became an author and inspirational speaker sharing his survival story.

Ten years on from his accident Carl sings better than ever, he's re-branded his business to six figure success; he’s a published author, had a triumphant return to The Guess Who as a special guest and returned to touring with Coney Hatch.

JAKOB BUTTURFF WINS 2019 USBC MASTERS

Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Ariz., has finally made it to the winner’s circle of a PBA major championship.

The double-jointed lefty captured his first career major championship by winning the 2019 United States Bowling Congress Masters on Monday in Las Vegas.

He beat fellow southpaw Mykel Holliman of Collierville, Tennessee, 228-196, for his sixth PBA title and the $30,000 first prize. Holliman earned $25,000.

Butturff had finished second in his three previous appearances on television in major championships – losing as the top seed at both the 2017 and 2018 U.S. Open and to Australia’s Jason Belmonte, 236-227, in the title match of the 2019 PBA World Championship in March.

Belmonte’s victory was his record 11^th PBA major title, breaking a tie with PBA Hall of Famers Earl Anthony and Pete Weber for most major titles. He now has 21 PBA tour titles.

Fox Sports (FS1) will be airing the PBA Playoffs from Portland, Maine, beginning this Monday (April 8) with a live telecast, and then on a tape-delayed basis on Monday nights through the end of May.

The semifinal and final rounds will be televised live on FOX on June 1-2.  The winner will earn $100,000.

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