On Lane 1 and 2, the Northeast girls upset Palm Harbor University High, scratch leaders for nearly the entire 13-week season. Not far away, the Northeast boys struggled against Osceola to maintain a near seasonlong grip on first place in the scratch division.
After the dust cleared, the Vikings had won both championships and the Pinellas County High School League ended the scratch portion of its 32nd season. It was the third straight title for the Northeast girls.
Tim Ritter's 235 keyed the Vikings to an 842-813 first-game win. Osceola bounced back on Keil Goldych's 248 to grab the second game 817-787. Travis Reichert fired a 212, and Goldych added a 213. But Northeast countered with deuce games by Tyler Kaley, Joshua Riggs and Ritter to take the third and deciding game, 817-775. Robert Brotherton and Tommy Turner contributed to the victory. The Vikings finished with a 195-78 record. Osceola was second. Pinellas Park's Brendan Thomas shot a 279 game, Seminole's James Croy posted a 268-760, Boca Ciega's Chris Ellis rolled a 257, and Largo's Greg Ickes recorded a 255.
Palm Harbor's Tiffany Chomko, Kristi Montone, Stephanie Scanlon, Melissa VanSwearingen and Becky Marhafer dominated the scratch standings almost all season. Allie Smith closed out a 201 performance with three strikes, and the Vikings won the first game, 728-662, never to be topped. Brandy Bryan rolled a 216 and Smith a 215 as Northeast took the second 738-674 to wrap up the championship. Other Vikings were Amanda Woods, Jessica Kiger and Tanya Veitch. Northeast ended the season 222.5-50.5, followed by East Lake.
MOVING AHEAD: The boards of the American Bowling Congress and Women's International Bowling Congress unanimously approved the revised merger plan to create the United States Bowling Congress during joint meetings in Milwaukee. Delegates to the ABC convention in Reno, Nev., in March will vote on the plan and WIBC meeting delegates will vote in May in Wichita, Kan. The results will be counted May 5.
HIGH SCORERS: Christina Taylor, 290-805, Dave Richardson, 805, and Steve Felsman, 300, at Seminole; Shane McTaggart, 284-802, Dunedin; Mike Labranche, 300, and Jim Larson, 300, Sunrise, where Antoinette Magnani rolled her highest career game (186); Michael Wetherell, 300-792, Countryside.
