Week 25 Recap

Game 1: 212
Game 2: 212
Game 3: 205
Series: 629
Week Avg: 209
Season Avg: 198

We knew it was going to be a long night as soon as we got to the lanes. We were bowling against the slowest team in the league. Two of their four bowlers take an excruciating amount of time on the approach before each shot. Luckily their fifth bowler is a vacancy which helps ease this situation; however, for the last few weeks they have been using a pacer in the fifth spot. A pacer for this team would need to give time back to everyone to even things out. They're that slow. We were also giving up 106 ppg handicap, so my teammates were a little down to start the evening.

I started the night with a turkey and was in the pocket on every shot. I left only single pin spares until my very last ball in the tenth when the ball hung out for a six count, but the game was already out of reach by then. I was content with a clean 212 to start the night.

The next game started even better with a four bagger. In the fifth frame I stuck at the foul line and quickly pulled my right arm up to gain my balance, smacking myself in the glasses (I still hit the pocket, but left the 4-pin). I shook it off and continued on my steak of strikes and nine count spares until the eighth frame when a high pocket hit left the 4-9 split for my first open of the night. I bowled well the rest of the way despite once again losing the game and had another 212.

The comments started to come about me throwing another 212 for the third game; I said I hope not. I want it to be higher than 212. Strikes were not as easy to come by this game, but I was pretty automatic in picking up my single pin leaves including at least seven 10-pins. One of our opponents joked that I had better pick it up if I wanted to get over 212, but I stayed calm and the strikes started to come. Another opponent was getting huffy that we were the last teams to finish; she is the slowest person on their team, so perhaps someone should have provided her with a mirror. In the tenth frame I left the 7-pin, which I had shot once before during the night. I missed my mark a half board left and the ball dropped in the gutter just before reaching the pin for a heartbreaking 205. I really wanted to be over 212 that game.

Overall, though, another good night. I was much more consistent with only two opens and two leaves with multiple pins. I missed my first ball mark once all night, which was an unheard of accomplishment a year ago.

I'm a pin and a half away from my goal by my count on Bowling Tracker, but because the league rounds our averages a decimal place earlier than I do they have me slightly further behind. I need to make sure its not too close at the end of the season so a 200 average is on the books.

Our team was two points out of first coming into the night, but giving up a high handicap, good bowling on our opponents' part, and some mediocre bowling on our part left us with no points. With less than ten weeks left in the season we need to pick it up if we're going to be in contention for the playoffs.