BOWLING: Dave Johnson dials up his first Mesquite 300 game

Dave Johnson put himself in the enviable position of having to deal with the added emotions and pressure of facing an adrenaline-fueled 10th frame during T.G.I.F. League play at the Virgin River Bowling Center.

After beginning league play with seven strikes in a 201, he really dialed up the strikes by running the front nine in his second game. And after stepping on the approach for the 10th frame and seemingly unfazed by the added pressure, hit the 1-3 pocket for three more strikes for a 300 game.

Next, he finished the night with a 168 for a 672 series. And with his perfecto, he became just the 17th bowler since 1998 to throw a perfect game at the VRBC.

Amazingly, bowling in a venue that in past years hasn’t been exactly known for putting out Charmin-like scoring conditions, Johnson’s 300 is the third already this season at the VRBC along with an 813 series.

Johnson’s resume now includes two 300 games and a career-high 730 series, and his first 300 was at All Star Lanes in Sandy, Utah.

He went to Bingham High School in South Jordan, Utah where he played baseball and basketball, and after high school played city league softball until his 40th birthday.

Away from bowling, Johnson is an avid fan of the Utah Jazz, Utah Utes and the Boston Red Sox.

In other pin action, competing in the Monday Scratch League, Jeremy Turlington led the series scoring parade by throwing 26 strikes and going 7-of-7 on his spare shots for a standout, clean 770 series on games of 266, 257 and 247, and Doug Love (725-264) who’s one of only a handful of bowlers with a pair of 300s bowled at the VRBC finished with the next best score. Love is a doer who gets things done, and deserves major kudo’s for another maximum effort in getting a large contingent of bowlers to travel to Laughlin for a tournament this past weekend.

Meanwhile, sparked by 24 strikes, a clean 267 gem along with games of 243 and 206, Sal Diaz rolled a stellar 716 series, while Koa Paka Ned’s 700 series was set in motion after finishing a clean 268 with an 8-bagger, followed by a 237 and 204 to finish with a season-high 709 set.

Meanwhile, Dan Aslin had his A-game going in the Monday Scratch League with a 675 set on games of 237, 237 and 201, Dennis Craft’s 660 score on games of 237, 222 and 201 continued a banner season and raised his Kings & Queens League average to 202, and James Hartley put together 21 strikes, clean games of 249 and 247 along with a 181 for a stellar 667, while Austin Finster who works as a barista at the Starbucks next to Smith’s powered his way to a 661 series with a clean 233.

And John Martin bookended a clean 246 with games of 214 and 199 for a 659 set with 20 strikes, while Jerry Holloway (612-226) ended some recent hiccups in his game, Rob Drury was a pillar of consistency with games of 208, 205 and 194 for 607, and Dave Castro, a St. George bowler and former running back on his high school football team in Hawaii logged a 602 with a high game of 235.

In the single game scene, Dylan Kesl (607) delivered a 278 with 11 strikes, Mike Saldivar (717) chucked a 268, Scott Mattingly (691) pocketed a 257, and David Newman (618) thumped the lanes with a 247.

Bruce Hooley (624) tallied a 255, both Darren Simonds (631) and Octavio Botello (575) popped a 245, while Jedd Fisher tallied a 242 and his daughter married the drummer in Wayne Newton’s band, and Duane Sullivan (629) cruised to a 241.

Dave Harris (618) loves playing senior softball, and also liked the eight strikes in his 237, while Brian Collins’ (595) 235 helped raise his Mesquite Merchants League average to 186, and bowling from his wheelchair, Jamie Ruvalcaba put together six strikes in a clean 222 and marked on an impressive14-of-16 non-split spare shots and his 577 set raised his average to 164.

Jimmy Webb will have to wait till next season for his Red Sox to make the playoffs, but in the interim will gladly serve up a steady dose of more 220 games, Dave Keil picked up the 4-6-7-10 split along with six strikes in a 219, while Stan Benally fired eight strikes in a 216, and both Rob Sedgley and Michael Donovan booked a 214.

Marty Roper tossed a pair of 212 games, Steve Serrano (597) uncorked a 212 and one of his goals this season is a 700 series after falling two pins shy of one last season, Juan Morgana rolled a 210, and Fred Emmons racked up a 204. By the way, while in the U.S. Navy, Emmons was stationed at Pearl Harbor for five years, and every day on his way to work at Ford Island drove past the historic Arizona Memorial which marks the final resting place for over 900 sailors and Marines who were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Finally, Ron Johnson finished a 204 game with a 5-bagger, Red Powell tallied a 203, while 90-year-old Bob Morgan also shot a 203, and Steve Cominski logged a 201.

In women’s action, Sandy Sheppard (607-225, 214, 168) led the scoring parade and her game is running on all cylinders right now. Actually, a better description might be its more akin to her driving in the section of Germany’s Autobahn where there’s no upper speed limit. Whoa!  Yes, only time will tell, but the way she’s throwing the ball right now, fasten your seat belt as she could virtually zoom past any of the current VRBC women’s scoring records.

Meanwhile, Reiko Schultz (586-229 & 566-194) put together her best scoring output of the 2023-24 season as she averaged an impressive 194 between her two best league outings, Lee Ann Harmes (571-224) delivered another first-rate effort, and consistency usually results in a competitive outing and that’s what Kim Marshall’s 554 demonstrated with games of 191, 182 and 181.

Meanwhile, Bobbie Robbins ended a protracted scoring funk in convincing fashion with a season-high 540 along with a season-high 212 that included a 4-bagger and raised her Kings & Queens average to 161. And in the same league as Robbins, Francine Gasteleum was flying high after her best night of bowling since she took up the sport, and it came after throwing a career-high 540 series and personal-best 220 game which included a 5-bagger and only one open frame, and when the night ended had raised her average to an eye-popping 181

In single game play, MaryAnn Davis uncorked a 207 in her 512 set, Krista Kilpatrick delivered some good results using her Denver Broncos bowling ball for a 201 game and 536 pin count, and Charlene Heiden’s 192 and 188 games led to a quality 533 effort.

OH, BAY – BEE

Bailey Kesl is a league bowler and teacher at Virgin Valley High School who merits major kudos for both the time and exceptional efforts put forth in organizing a bowling program at the VVHS with the ultimate goal of it becoming a varsity sport recognized by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association.  And under the NIAA, varsity bowling has a designated winter season ending in a state tournament. Thanks to her efforts, approximately 30 high school youngsters show up for practice twice a week at the VRBC. And a generous donation of $2,000.00 dollars from the fabulous Elks Club in Mesquite is helping defray the cost for students by paying for bowling games and bowling shirts.

HIGH SCORES

Todd Koller 694-258; Milan Carr 674-257; Mike Rogers 664-238; Jim Lytle 649-221; Dean Baum 640-239; Jeff Branche 625-223; Gil Niimi 618226; Mike Yoder 618-237; Mike Gentry 617-235; Dean Sheppard 614-223; Randy Kezior 607-211; Dale Knight 605-232; Larry Willis 225; George Huston 224; Alan Jacobson 222; Jon Fjeld 220; Larry Moultrie117; Ed Hoepfner 216; Jack Baker 214; Jack Northover 213; Rick Stoneman 212; Tim McNees 211; Norm Ritchie 210; Rob Cormani 210; Mardon Connelly 209; Bill Funk 204; Bryan Pierce 204; Josue Mendoza 203; Bill Rife 202; Diane Marget 532; Cheryl Rogers 526; Debbie Hansen 511; Georgia Godfrey 506; Mel Ray 505.