Bowling: Krista Kilpatrick wows Mesquite bowlers in a breakout season

Now it’s true, her second season of bowling at the Virgin River Bowling Center began with a less-than-cheery 416 series on September 21, 2023, and followed with a couple more weeks of anemic scores.

However, beginning with a 526 set on October 26th, she’s engineered a tremendous turnaround in her game with a weekly parade of 500-plus series scores. In fact, in her last five City High Rollers League outings, she’s chalked up scores of 520, 529, 553, 558 along with her signature performance this season, a 610 series paving the way for an eye-popping 184 average over her last 15 games.

And some key stats in her first-ever 600 series since changing her zip code to one in Mesquite in 2022, shows she put together 14 strikes, marks on an impressive 13-of-14 non-split spare attempts, along with only three open frames during games of 224, 202 and 184.

Her current CHR League average is 176, and while not a slam dunk, with a continuation of her current pace and soaring confidence in her game, ending the season with a 180 average looks doable. Besides, never doubt a woman athlete from Wyoming who’s determined in reaching a goal.

Away from bowling, she’s busy as a Board Member of the Mesquite Senior Games, working part time at the Donkey History Museum, learning how to play pickleball, working on multiple crafting projects, and spending more time with her pet dog.

In high school, she was a star all-state basketball player for four years and continued playing in college, lettered all four years on the track and field team, also played volleyball and powder puff football. After high school she continued playing city league basketball, volleyball and began playing softball and soccer.

Her bucket list includes going to a Super Bowl and attending a huge rivalry game like Michigan against Ohio State just to experience the atmosphere and energy in the stadium.

Kilpatrick is an avid fan of sports at the University of Wyoming along with those at her alma mater, Montana State University, the U.S. National Women’s soccer team, and is a really die-hard Denver Broncos fan and worked for the Denver Broncos Sports Clinic where she once met the Hall of Fame quarterback, John Elway.

In other women’s abbreviated pin action due to the holiday bowling schedule, Sandy Sheppard finished atop the scoring food chain with a 627 on games of 227, 215 and 185 with18 total strikes, and bolstered by a clean 221, Bev Cormani added games of 226 and 174 along with 14 strikes and 15 spares for a 621 set.

Meanwhile, Gayla Ruesch, on the heels of a nice 560 the previous week, delivered another good scoring output with a 552 including a 205 game, and sparked by a 206, Georgia “GG” Godfrey spanked the lanes with a 546 effort.

Finally, Lee Ann Harmes (531-198), Reiko Schultz (525-188) and Debbie Hansen  (508-191) collectively mowed down 1,564 pins.

On the single game front, it was great seeing Ronnie Tsuhako chalked up a 520 including a season-high 221 game, and Kathy Legan’s 202 included five strikes and a clutch double in the 10th frame. Multiple sources have confirmed Legan is an avid fan of the Chicago Bears and Cubs, and over the years has attended Cubs games at iconic Wrigley Field where she’s seen Sammy Sosa knock ’em out of the park, and Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg make amazing plays at 2nd. base. And she’s also been to games at Soldier Field where her Chicago Bears have had both winning, and losing seasons.

On the men’s front, Bob Ballard began CHR League action with a 211, and next showcased his ability to throw strikes by running the front seven, followed by a spare on a 10 pin leave, and then ran the table for a 279 gem with 11 strikes, and finished a stellar outing with a 191 en route to a standout 681 series.

Ballard’s smooth delivery and top-notch bowling mechanics helps explain why his resume sports a 300 game. Away from bowling he golfs and has a hole in one, and was also won a state championship in the 100 yard dash while on his high school’s track and field team.

Meanwhile, Mike Foote’s fourth 600 this season, a season-high 674 included a clean 240, 19 strikes and marks on 9-of-10 non-split spare shots which raised his Mesquite Merchants Men’s League average to 185, and in the same league, Jacob Martinez barbecued the lanes with his sixth 600, a 672 with a 247 game and raised his average to 200 from 198.

And Ricky Trujillo’s 670 series stands as a beacon of his potential in becoming a top-notch bowler. His Achilles heel in the past has been making spares resulting in too many open frames.

However, on this night, he followed a blueprint for success by limiting his open frames to two, as he was an impressive 12-of-13 on his spare shots, including 4-of-5 on 10 pins. Throw in 20 strikes including an 8-bagger in a 248 along with games of 226 and 196 for his best scoring production this season.

In other action, Dean Baum averaged 224 between his two league outings (670 & 664), Larry Willis raised his CHR League average to 200 from 199 with a first-rate 640 series and clean 237, and team member Gayle Parison treated Dennis Hartley to a lobster dinner after he put together his best outing this season, a 635 on games of 228, 224 and 183 blowing away a previous season high 548.

And fueled by 15 strikes, clean games of 217, 215, along with a 198, Dave Houghton finished with a terrific 630 set. It’s outings like this that enabled Houghton to have a binding clause inserted in his contract with the team which automatically results in a free breakfast whenever he finishes with a higher series that his team captain, Doug Love.

Mike Dunlop (604-210), Jeff  Branche (602-213) and Dylan Kesl (602-222) collectively KO’d 1,808 pins.

In single game action, Mike Yoder (676) took high-game honors after going strike/spare in his first two frames and then going off the sheet for a 280 with 11 strikes, Milan Carr (728) tattooed the pocket for another big game, a 277, and Mike Saldivar (676) cruised to a 263.

And after Stan Benally’s (586) opening 176, he began his second game with a 4-bagger, followed by an open, and then ran the table to finish with 11 strikes in a season-high 264 gem. His Hookin Pins team won a league championship at Sunset Lanes last season, and his love of bowling and family has him and his team making the weekly trek to Mesquite from St. George.

Meanwhile, Gil Niimi (655) who use to make annual fishing trips to Alaska tossed a clean 257, and Steve Serrano rolled a 7-bagger and eight total strikes in a 247 game. Away from bowling he’s a Kansas City Chiefs fan and years ago once ran into the NBA Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain outside of what at the time was called the Staples Center where the Lakers played.

Shaun Edwards (620) threw another 600 with a 240 game and with his proven work ethic, is doing a super job as Sports Director for the growing Mesquite Senior Games, Mike Gentry (619) had eight strikes in a 236, and Javier Delgadillo  alsodelivered eight strikes in a 235 game.

And Gary Grunwald began a season-high 234 game with a 6-bagger and finished with only one open frame. Before changing his zip code to one in Mesquite from his in Wyoming, he did all the things Wyoming is known for such as hunting, fishing and the sport of rodeo, while Nick Paul (597) fired eight strikes in a 226, and John Martin (596) was living in the 1-3 pocket before finishing with a 224 which n a 9 pin No Tap setting, he’d of had a 300 game.

Ron Johnson booked a clean 223 with five strikes and six spares in Kings & Queens League play, and a day later shot an even beefier 225, and Dave Cirbo rolled a 223 and his wife brought an amazing amount of mighty tasty food to the last night of CHR League play before the Christmas break.

Jose Martinez is another young bowler with tons of revs with his one-handed delivery and put together a 6-bagger in a 219 in his first night of league bowling at the VRBC, Dick Lonick’s 212 is a sample of the scores he use to put up on a consistent basis during his heyday on the lanes in Utah, and Russ Marshall also uncorked a 212 and as a side note, he’s very dialed in with what’s happening in Alaska where he also happens to have some income property.

Finally, as a testament to his improving game, Raul Macias pounded out seven strikes in a 203 and also logged a 197, Denton Dorn tossed five strikes in a 207 and  was thrilled seeing his Raiders beat up on the Chiefs this past weekend, and Tony Urias, a good athlete at Virgin Valley High School where he played on the football, basketball and baseball teams tossed a 201 game.

Austin Finster 655-257; Doug Love 639-245; Alan Jacobson 639-223; Dan Aslin 635-227; Jerry Holloway 624-232; Darren Simonds 623-249; Scott Mattingly 604-227; Tim McNees 233; Robert Melendez 232; Randy Carter 230′ Jeff Harmes 226; Ernie Kala 222; Duane Sullivan 221; Jack Northover 217; Frank Addamo 213; Max Burgess 211; Bob Robbins 208; Jim Rappe 207; Ed Hoepfner 207; Koa Paka Ned 207; Rob Cormani 205; Mark Brackelsberg 204; Harry Uncles 203; Jaron Linge 202; Jedd Fisher 202; Bob Morgan 200.