Week 27 Recap

Game 1: 196
Game 2: 226
Game 3: 223
Series: 645
Week Avg: 215
Season Avg: 199

After dropping all available points last week we fell from being tied for second to sixth in the standings. We needed a big night and we were bowling against the fourth place team. One back week for any of the top teams could result in a big drop; we just need to be sure that isn't us from now on. We were one man short this week and our opposition had a vacancy and absent bowler, so the night promised to go much more quickly.

I checked on the status of my damaged ball before practice, hoping it would be ready to go. However, when I asked about it at the front desk they picked my ball up and put it on the counter, damage and all. It hadn't even made the trip to the pro shop yet. They said the pro shop is very busy right now, but I don't think this is a very busy time for them. I yelled at the manager working for a bit, tried to guilt him into getting this done, but who knows what will happen. I'm going to give them a call Friday afternoon to check on the status.

As for the actual bowling Monday night, the lanes were freshly oiled and reacting like they did about a month ago when I was doing really well.  I played my usual line and was doing alright. Mainly single pin spares, a lot of 10-pins, but I also mixed in a few strikes. It a was pretty unremarkable 196. The fact that I can refer to a clean game as unremarkable has me excited. Unfortunately the team effort wasn't so hot and we dropped the first game by about 60 pins.

I was moving up and back most of the first game trying to carry the corners. I had found a good line at the end of the game, but then started running high in the second game. I moved my mark further inside, playing around the 10 board instead of the 8 and it worked great. I had a four bagger beginning in the third frame and was striking with some consistency. My only open of the night came in the eighth frame when I missed my mark a board left while shooting at the 7-pin. I shook it off and finished the game with a 226. The team won its first game in what felt like an eternity, but we had to win big in the last game to get the extra point for high total pinfall.

I started the last game with a turkey and three nine count spares. I followed that up with two more strikes and a spare in the ninth frame before filling the tenth frame. It was a big game and my 223 was enough to give us the win and the high total pinfall point we needed.

It is amazing the difference a week makes. I tried playing further inside last week with no luck; I couldn't carry the corners. This week playing further inside was the solution to not carrying the corners. Discovering the adjustment was a happy accident, the result of missing my mark left one frame. I suppose an attribute of a good bowler is being able to learn from your mistakes.

This big week leaves me less than a pin away from a 200 average. I have plenty of time left to surpass that goal, but also enough time to mess it up.  All I know is on Tuesday mornings I am already wishing it were Monday evening.

I really wish it were Monday.