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Success runs in the family

By DEREK LARIVIERE
Published April 29, 2007

Finally it is like father, like son in the Bernhardt house. After years and years of honing his bowling game, Chris Bernhardt Jr. tossed his first perfect game Monday night, joining his father in holding the same accomplishment on the lanes.

Chris Sr. has four 300s under his belt, including two this season. He knocked down both in September, one at Mariner Lanes and one at Spring Hill Lanes. Chris Jr. reached perfection in the Gator High Rollers League, where he teams with his father, Jimmy Hearl and Anita Hearl.

Bernhardt's 300 gave his team, Capital City Bank, three bowlers (Jimmy Hearl, Chris Jr. and Chris Sr.) with perfect games this season. Last season in that league, the younger Bernhardt averaged 183 in 108 games. His highest average came in 2001-02 at Mariner Lanes. In the Big Redd Mariner Classic League, he averaged 191 in 108 games. This was his first U.S. Bowling Congress achievement.

He completed the three-game series with 217 and 203 after the opening-game 300. The 720 series was five pins short of his career-high series.

A veteran of the local lanes, he is one of the more dedicated bowlers in the county. Bernhardt is a regular every summer at the USBC National Amateur Tournament. This year, he will travel to Reno with a group of competitors from Spring Hill for the tournament Memorial Day weekend.

FRIDAY EARLY MARINERS: Both top male series and two of the three top female series for the county this week came out of the Friday Early Mariners League at Mariner Lanes. The most successful league at the center, Friday Early Mariners, featured a 781 series from Russ Little to lead the way.

Little had a high game of 268 to power his high series. No stranger to success, Little has two 300s since 1999.

Matt Slaga came in a close second in the league and county with his 771 three-game pin total. His top game of 278 just missed him making the top five games for the week.

On the female side, Anita Hearl's 649 series edged Spring Hill's Mary Jo Short by five pins for the county's high. Sue Baldwin, wife of Hudson Bowl owner Dennis Baldwin, pitched a 619, good for third overall. Hearl's 246 led the way as far as scratch game totals.

Scores

High Scratch Series (Male)

Russ Little, 781, Friday Early Mariners, Mariner Lanes

Matt Slaga, 771, Friday Early Mariners, Mariner Lanes

Anthony Oliver, 760, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes

Jay Tinkham, 758, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes

Richard Jirsa, 741, Mavericks, Mariner Lanes

High Scratch Series (Female)

Anita Hearl, 649, Friday Early Mariners, Mariner Lanes

Mary Jo Short, 644, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes

Sue Baldwin, 619, Friday Early Mariners, Mariner Lanes

Alice Rose, 561, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes

Alice Rose, 553, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes

High Scratch Game (Male)

Chris Bernhardt Jr., 300, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes

Lou Sauer, 279, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes

Jay Tinkham, 279, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes

Todd Epler, 279, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes

Walter Dry, 279, Kevin's Pro Shop, Spring Hill Lanes

A.J. Thibodeaux, 279, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes

Rich Kastner Jr., 279, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes

Richard Jirsa, 279, Mavericks, Mariner Lanes

High Scratch Game (Female)

Anita Hearl, 246, Friday Early Mariners, Mariner Lanes

Sue Baldwin, 227, Friday Early Mariners, Mariner Lanes

Mary Jo Short, 215, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes

Mary Jo Short, 215, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes

Mary Jo Short, 214, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes

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[Last modified April 28, 2007, 19:08:45]