Published: November 27, 2008 12:01 am      

Shirey’s 795/280 holiday high

Corey Shirey rolled a big 280 game and 795 set at White Oak Lanes to take top area honors for the week. Shane Nickleson was next high at that center, scoring 751/266.

At Wilson Lanes, Craig Davis was highest bowling 783/278. Punkin Oates’ 710/258 was next. Chuck Parsons rolled a big 296 game in his 698 set.

Mark Miller scored 746/279 for The Bowler’s weekly high. Derrick Bridges followed, rolling 710/268. Eric Bittner bowled a big 290 game in his 692 set.

Adam Braithwaite’s 675/269 was Rainbow’s high for the week. Kevin Mansfield was next high, rolling 653/249.

At Sherwood Lanes, John Leptic Jr. rolled 665/249 for that center’s high for the week. Bob Werner was next, scoring 630/227.

In the PBA Experience League Bobby Lannon is getting to be a familiar name at the top of the scoring list. Lannon’s score for the last week was 664/247. Chad Taylor and Mike Brobst were next, rolling 653/242 and 618/254 respectively.

The top ladies’ score for the week was Vicky Andersons’ 619/217 at The Bowler. Vivian Helsley followed at that center, rolling 569/207.

Felicia Deremer’s 588/221 was the ladies’ high at White Oak Lanes. Shirley Kahl was a few pins back, rolling a big 243 game and 584 set.

Julie Greene bowled 587/238 at Wilson Lanes for their weekly high. Robbin Watts was next, rolling 550/215.

Peggy Kephart was the top lady bowler at Rainbow Lanes, scoring 566/218. Dee Self’s 541/190 was next high at Rainbow.

Alice Monahan bowled 557/202 at Sherwood Lanes.

Jack Klosterman was the area’s top senior, bowling 636/220 at The Bowler. Bob Walker’s 615/238 was the top senior score at Rainbow Lanes. Senior Bill Middleton rolled 530/236 at White Oak Lanes.

Amanda Greene bowled 684/248 at Wilson Lanes and was the area’s top youth bowler for the week. Cody Morton rolled 621/225 at Rainbow Lanes. Matthew Folmer scored 607/219 at The Bowler and Larissa Blizzard bowled 514/180 at White Oak Lanes.

Spare shooting is still one of the key areas that offer a potential improvement in scoring. In the PBA Experience League, it is almost imperative that a straight ball delivery is used for spare shots. The reason is that much more lane oil is used so the amount of hook on different parts of the lane changes without warning (at least for most bowlers).

For most bowlers, missed spares are the result of failure to practice shooting 7-and-10-pin spares. I was told that college bowling teams require their team members to be able to make 7-and-10-pin spares at the rate of 10 in a row. Few league bowlers in this area could match that performance.

Good luck bowling and have fun striking out.

Howard “Pete” Peterson is the bowling columnist for the Times-News. He can be reached at petesbowling@atlanticbb.net.