Locals match up with state youths
By DEREK LARIVIERE
Published May 18, 2007
The Pepsi Youth Open Championships featured some locals a couple weeks ago. The state qualifier included 156 male scratch bowlers looking to prove their abilities in a talent-laden field.
Some locals made the trip to Cypress Lanes in Winter Haven to see how they measure up against youths around the state. Leading the way was Mariner Lanes regular Ryan Erbe. In addition to tossing a perfect game, Erbe's scratch pin total of 1, 327 placed him 18th overall, the top Hernando County finisher.
Brandon Curley of Spring Hill Lanes was 32nd overall in the scratch portion. Curley, who pitched his first sanctioned perfect game this past season and took the annual Hernando County scholarship tournament title for the second straight year, totaled 1, 270 pins.
In the 12-and-over boys handicap standings, Austin Grace stood out with his eighth-place finish. Grace, a Spring Hill Lanes sponsored youth, had 1, 435 total pins, 100 pins behind the current leader, Kyle Jozwiak of Brandon.
Other competitors in the scratch event were Ryan Clowar (1, 235), tied for 44th, and Chris Polizzi (1, 229), 48th in the standings. Eric Millican, sponsored by Spring Hill Lanes, did not fare as well as his other county companions. He knocked down 1, 054 pins on his way to a 129th-place finish.
The national version of this event is July 16-18 in Buffalo, N.Y. at AMF Thruway Lanes, but qualifying is not necessary. Any sanctioned youth bowler in the country can register by downloading the application on bowl.com. The $150 event fee will be waived by the USBC for youths who win scratch division titles in their sectionals.
KASTNER RULES LANES: The perfect game Rich Kastner Jr. tossed during the Joni Classic League at Spring Hill Lanes was nothing new for the veteran bowler.
Though it is one of the highest achievements any bowler can have, it was his fifth such effort since 1999. What stood out for Kastner that night and made it a night is that the 300 went toward his first 800 series.
Last season in the Joni Classic League, Kastner had the best of his three sanctioned averages from the season with a 217 in 108 games. That success has continued this season and was evident last Thursday when he totaled 805.
Kastner's last USBC achievement was last April during the Gator High Rollers League when he threw 11 consecutive strikes for a 290.
SCORES
High Scratch Series (Male)
Rich Kastner Jr., 805, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes
Jim Jobin, 783, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes
Jay Lynch, 769, Road Runners Mixed, Spring Hill Lanes
Todd Epler, 737, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes
Clint Bullock, 734, Kevin's Pro Shop, Spring Hill Lanes
High Scratch Series (Female)
Deborah Thomas, 627, Monday Night Ladies, Spring Hill Lanes
Joy Tapiador, 611, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes
Rosalie Newsome, 582, Monday Night Ladies, Spring Hill Lanes
Sharlene Grant, 580, Monday Night Ladies, Spring Hill Lanes
Mary Jo Short, 567, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes
High Scratch Game (Male)
Rich Kastner Jr., 300, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes
Tony Passenesi, 296, Monday Night Men, Spring Hill Lanes
Jay Lynch, 279, Road Runners Mixed, Spring Hill Lanes
Adam Butters, 279, Joni Classic, Spring Hill Lanes
Jim Jobin, 278, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes
High Scratch Game (Female)
Rosalie Newsome, 222, Monday Night Ladies, Spring Hill Lanes
Michelle Spencer, 220, Road Runners Mixed, Spring Hill Lanes
Deborah Thomas, 217, Monday Night Ladies, Spring Hill Lanes
Karen Graham, 215, Road Runners Mixed, Spring Hill Lanes
Marilyn Peck, 212, Gator High Rollers, Spring Hill Lanes