Published: December 19, 2008 09:21 am      

Joe Mullenax rolls perfect game

Joe Mullenax rolled a 300 game in his 703 set at White Oak Lanes, turning in the fourth perfect game of this season and the third at White Oak Lanes.

J.M. Sites bowled the top score at White Oaks scoring, 774/278. Troy Cubbage was next high, rolling 741/258.

Corey Shirey’s 758/275 was the top mark at The Bowler for the week. Ron King’s 710/268 was next high on their scoring list.

At Wilson Lanes, Joe Buff and Bob Greene led the scoring during the week. Buff bowled 743/249 and Greene rolled 734/249.

Rodney Helsley bowled 709/247 for the high at Rainbow Lanes. C.P. Sines followed, scoring 651/236.

Shawn Opel was highest at Sherwood Lanes, bowling 697/247. Derek Monahan’s 641/221 was next high.

In the PBA Experience League at White Oaks, Mike Brobst was highest, rolling 711/267. Chad Gable and Derek Yates were next, rolling 697/256 and 622/245 respectively.

Crystal Uhl was the area’s top lady bowler for the week rolling 698/265 at The Bowler. Missy Yates was next, scoring 656/236.

Alice Monahan scored 572/212 at Sherwood Lanes for that center’s ladies’ high.

Dee Self also rolled a 572 set with a high game of 237 for the ladies’ high at Rainbow Lanes. Lou Dille’s 560/198 was next high at that center.

Autumn Gable rolled 568/217 as the top lady bowler at White Oaks. Michele Hitchens was next, scoring 551/215.

Julie Greene’s 546/187 was the ladies’ high at Wilson Lanes. Robbin Watts was next, rolling 525/181.

Glenn Bell rolled 642/241 at The Bowler and was the area’s top senior bowler for the week. Senior, Pat Logsdon bowled 529/210 at White Oak Lanes.

The top youth bowler in the local area for the week was Amanda Greene. She rolled 748/279 in the Friday Adult/Junior League at Wilson Lanes. Danny Walch’s 630/244 was the youth high at The Bowler and Charles Abernathy’s 606/225 was Rainbow’s youth high. Tanner Smith bowled 559/222 at White Oak Lanes.

I am always wondering when bowlers will finally realize how destructive missing spares can be on your scoring and, of course, reflected in your current average. Especially those bowlers who throw a hooking ball at the 10-pin (right-handed bowlers) don’t give themselves any chance at all of making it. The ball either goes in the channel or else it passes by the 10-pin on the inside.

Try keeping a full record of a few of your games listing all the spare chances and the pins involved. Then recalculate the scores when half of the spares are converted and also when all of the spares are made. You will be surprised at the differences. Maybe it will convince you to get serious about practicing or even buying a plastic ball just for converting 10-pin spares.

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