BOWLING: Dave Pershing throws an amazing 300 game in Mesquite bowling

I hear you. It’s an understandable and logical question. And the answer is he sent a bowling ball barreling down the lane tattooing the 1-3 pocket for 12 strikes and an amazing 300 game. And along with games of 214 and 193 he finished with a 707 series in City High Rollers league action.

However, we’d be remiss here if we didn’t dig a little deeper into a related side story or two which also played a role in his perfecto.

First, he hasn’t bowled all season because he’s been in Montana helping a family member launch a business. Second, bowling on this trip wasn’t even on his radar screen when he arrived back in Mesquite for a short vacation to visit family during the Thanksgiving holidays and play in a golf tournament at the Oasis.

However, unexpectedly, and on a relatively short notice, he was asked to sub, and because his bowling equipment was still in Mesquite from last season, he agreed. And now you know some of the amazing details that had to fall in place for him to be only the 17th bowler to throw a 300 game at the Virgin River Bowling Center since 1998.

His impressive resume now includes four 300s games, with his fist three bowled at Milwaukie Bowl in Milwaukie, Oregon. It also includes a pair of 299s, a 297, one 290, a career-high 786 series, and a career-high 217 average over 90 games in the 2015-16 season.

He was on his high school’s wrestling team and later played both city league softball and golfed every chance he could which helps explain why he’s also a good golfer.

Pershing is an avid fan of the Oregon State Beavers and Seattle Seahawks, three of his favorite athletes are Jason Belmonte, Tiger Woods and Rory McIIroy, and high on his bucket list is playing a round of golf on the hallowed grounds of Augusta National along with some of the old courses in Scotland and Ireland.

In other abbreviated league play due to the Thanksgiving break, Ernie Kala’s stellar 704 outing included 25 strikes, clean games of 248 and 245, and along with a 211 raised his Monday Scratch League average to 194, while John Hollaway (704-683) averaged a hefty 231 between his best two outings, Jeremy Telford (699-256) fell a stick shy of a 700 two days ago in the Monday Scratch League, and Darren Simonds (692-258) orchestrated another week of outstanding scoring production.

Meanwhile, Mike Yoder’s 667 which included a 267 raised his Monday Scratch League to 206 and it’s going higher, and after a 689 gem the previous week, Jeff Harmes (641-226) delivered another strong outing last week raising his Kings & Queens League average to 188 from 184, while Harold Hendrick’s (623-247) umpteenth 600 maintained his 192 average in Gamblers 4 Aces League action.

And it is great seeing young bowler Angel Hernandez (619-226, 205,188) continue piling up the 600s proving his game has improved tenfold in the last two years, Dennis Craft raised his K&Q League average to 197 after punching out a 612 set, and years ago he was a very competitive marathon runner and still races in occasional 10K races, and Steve Serrano navigated the lanes with a quality 602 set with a 227 game.

In the single game scene, Doug Love’s 11 strikes in a 278 along with a 672 set raised his K&Q League average to 216 from 215, Sal Diaz tossed a 268 in a 624 effort raising his K&Q League average to 182, Austin Finster (648) tossed another big game with a 266, while Dean Sheppard’s 245 in a 607 sees him sporting a 190 average in the Monday Scratch League, and Gil Niimi delivered a 234 during a 604 and raised his K&Q League average to 188.

Jeff Branche navigated the lanes for a 232, Red Powell fired eight strikes including a 5-baggger in a 223; while Ken Meacham punched out a 222, and after making the trek from St. George two days ago for his Monday Scratch League, Ken Schloman chucked a 221 and continued a lengthy streak of rolling at least one deuce a week.

Mardon Connolly makes the trek from Overton twice a week for bowling and was rewarded with a 216. If you bowl in the Early Risers or G4A League and when you are on your computer, go to youTube and in the search bar punch in, Mardon Connelly Pole Vaulting at Age 73, and you will be amazed at how fast he was running to plant that pole before vaulting some 10 feet competing in the Utah Summer Games nine years ago. In fact, Connelly was a state champion pole vaulter and won a scholarship for it to Utah State University.

And Doug Heiden finally decided he better get his you know what in gear after seeing his wife Charlene get some good ink last week, and lo and behold, he really did something about it by rolling a 214 game thinking that’s gotta get him some ink, and  Andy Robinson, like Connelly, was another track star in high school who posted a 207.

Alan Jacobson was a standout baseball player in high school and also uncorked a 207, while Javier Delgadillo spanked the lanes with a 202. And it should be noted I give a ton of credit to Delgadillo for his diligence and admirable work ethic in being the driving force behind the higher scoring conditions this season compared to past years. The facts are in the scores this year in contrast to previous years, and one only has to look at the number of 300 games already this season and a higher average for many.

In women’s action, Sandy Sheppard continued a torrid scoring streak with a 655 series on games of 238, 237 and 180, raising her K&Q League average to193, Lee Ann Harms (579-205) is also on a roll as she raised her K&Q League average to 171, while Diane Marget (573-206) put up solid numbers Monday night after returning from a quick holiday trip to the “Land of 10,000 Taxes.”

And it’s always great seeing Bev Cormani (570-204) put up competitive scores. Lotsa new bowlers may not be aware of it, but she had a brother who played football for the University of Utah, Utes, and that helps explain why she could both throw a football with a perfect spiral, as well as punt a football for more yards than any of the guys in her junior high school days.

Reiko Schultz delivered another terrific effort with 13 strikes, and marks on an impressive 16-of-17 non-split spare shots along with clean games of 204 and 195 in a 562 series, Nanette Kezior (542-215) delivered a really good outing on Monday this week in her G4A League, and in the same Monday league as Kezior, Erica Hendrick gets her first-ever ink for a nice 522 set with a pair of 183 games.

Evelyn Hooley ended a scoring funk with a 515, Cheryl Rogers tossed a 508, and it has to be reported here because it’s big news when BA Burgess throws a higher score than her husband, Max. And she did exactly that with a 427 series, and I think it’s best not to mention his series score, except to say it was definitely lower. Yikes! Oh, well, I’m sure the editor will catch this baby and delete it so Max will never even know about it.

In single game play, Sharon Stoneman gets her first ink here after chalking up a 236 which included a 7-bagger, and Autumn Telford (550) logged a 226.

HIGH SCORES

Dave Pershing 672-240; Mike Rogers 671-237; Scott Mattingly 668-246; Milan Carr 646-248; Dan Aslin 618-233; Randy Brown 618-230; Jeremy Turlington 615-225; Al Gans 226, Todd Koller 226; Jeremy Turlington 615-225; Dave Castro 225; Dale Knight 223; Josue Mendoza 220; Dylan Kesl 219; Robin Drury 216; Larry Moultrie 214; Bobby Dixon 213; Steve Jackman 212; Tim McNees 212; Bruce Hooley 211; Rob Cormani 211. Jimmy Webb 203; Jedd Fisher 202.