Community

Not his first perfect game, but this one counts

By DEREK J. LaRIVIERE, Times Correspondent
Published October 30, 2007

Bobby Read, an 18-year-old regular at Spring Hill Lanes, tossed his first sanctioned perfect game a couple of weeks ago during the Joni Classic League at the center.

Read's 300 game led the charge for a strong week at Spring Hill. There were three other perfect games thrown that week, including efforts from David Lee Jr., Billy Curley and Rich Kastner Jr.

This past summer during the ESP Signs Invitational singles tournament at Spring Hill, Read pitched a perfect games on the lanes, but because the tournament was not sanctioned by the U.S. Bowling Congress, it was as if he had thrown the game in a practice setting. Onlookers at the event knew otherwise as Read cemented his reputation as one of the top young bowlers in the county.

More teen talent: Two other young bowlers, Billy Curley and Nick Catroppo, also impressed with high scores. Curley, 19, and Catroppo, 18, each tossed USBC honor scores. Curley added perfect game No. 2 to his record on the same night that Read threw his in the Thursday Joni Classic League.

On the other hand, Catroppo nailed down a 290 after throwing 11 consecutive strikes to wrap up his game last Monday night in the Mike's Auto Body League at Spring Hill. Catroppo, who competed in his first USBC Open national tournament this past year in Reno, Nev., already has two 300s to his record. The last of those honor scores came last June.

Curley's effort brought him a county-leading 796 series for the week. The mark is the closest that the young bowler has come to the elusive 800 mark.

Chris Polizzi was another young star on the lanes this past week. His 772 series during the Wednesday Young Guns League at Mariner Lanes was the fifth highest scratch score reported in the county. The three-game total came on the strength of his 277 high game.

April Trezise rose to the occasion yet again in the Sunday Youth/Adult League at Spring Hill. The 17-year-old's 621 series was fourth overall for women in the county, a list that Trezise often makes.

Perfect again: David Lee Jr's 300 was the second of the season so far, tying him for the county lead in that category so far with another Spring Hill Lanes regular, Steve Viktora.

The second perfect game came in the Tuesday Night Mixed League at Spring Hill. The next night in the Wednesday Night Mixed League, Lee threw the fourth series this season where he broke the 780 mark. Still, Lee does not have an 800 to his record for this campaign and only one for his career.

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[Last modified October 29, 2007, 19:27:59]