Tarpon Springs bowling star wins national event

Ashly Galante wins the Teen Masters National Championship in Las Vegas.

By BOB PUTNAM
Published August 15, 2007

Ashly Galante can tear up the lanes. The Tarpon Springs' graduate posted the country's top female bowling average with a score of 200 or better in 90 high school games last year.

Her meteoric rise continued this summer.

Galante, 18, recently won the 2007 Teen Masters National Champions in Las Vegas, defeating Samantha Santoro 202-164 in the deciding game to nab the title.

"I felt really relaxed starting the match, but in Game 3, the lanes started changing and I didn't catch it fast enough," said Galante, the female youth USBC Sport Bowling national average winner in 2004-05 and 2005-06. "It feels great to win after finishing second last year."

Brittni Hamilton beat Galante 227-179 in the championship match last season.

The memories of a title that got away served as a powerful motivational tool.

This time, Galante beat Hamilton 3-2 in the semifinals.

Galante, who is going to Pikesville College in Kentucky, earned a $7,500 scholarship for her performance.

There were other local bowlers who did well at the Teen Masters.

Palm Harbor University's Stephanie Scanlon made it to the round of eight in the girls field. Joe May made it through the round of eight in the boys field.

RIFLE MAN: Curtis Gagne of Clearwater won the collegiate title in the National Rifle Association's Smallbore Prone National Championships on July 26th.

Gagne posted a score of 6376-400X to take the title.

The National Smallbore Rifle NRA Prone Championship matches were fired with 22 caliber rifles at target ranges of 50 meters, 50 yards and 100 yards.

GOLF TOURNAMENT: The second annual Mike June Memorial Tournament is Oct. 28 at the Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Course in Clearwater. There is a shotgun start at 1 p.m. The cost is $15 per person. Checks should be made payable to the Mike June Family fund.

Bob Putnam can be reached at 727 445-4169 or putnam@sptimes.com.

[Last modified August 14, 2007, 23:46:04]