BOWLING: Popular Mesquite bowler Angel Hernandez throws career-first 700 series

With his friendly and outgoing personality, Angel Hernandez is one of the most popular bowlers in Mesquite. And he’s also one of the most improved since taking up the sport late in the 2021-22 season and finished with a composite 155 average.

He improved to a composite 172 average over 231 games in the 2022-23 season which also included his first-ever 600 series, a 616 in February 2023.

Well, now we’re in his 2023-24 season which has turned into a true breakout season for him as he’s already thrown 18 600 series scores, has bumped his average up to 185, and here in late February 2024, he fired his fist-ever 700 series.

And he launched his milestone achievement with nine strikes in a 246, followed by nine more in a clean 265. Next, doing a quick math calculation in his brain he realized with a 511 going into his third game, all he needed was a 189 for a 700.

Well, he blew past the 189 by blasting the 1-3 pocket with eight more strikes in a clean 248 en route to a monster759 series with a total of 26 strikes and only one open frame. You guessed it. Yes, it was on a 10 pin leave in the  5th frame of his 246.

Interestingly, with both his first 600 and 700 coming in the month of February, is it possible that when February  2025 rolls around in the 2024-25 season, that we could be right back here chatting about him throwing an 800 series?

Hernandez graduated from Virgin Valley High School in 2020. is a huge fan of the University of Oregon Ducks football team, the Las Vegas Raiders and Charlotte Hornets, and because he’s practiced a great deal and is passionate about bowling it’s not surprising his game has improved tenfold since he started. But what is surprising is that while he bowls with his right hand, he basically does everything else with his left.

In other sizzling pin action, Michael “Smurffzzz” Ramirez, ignited by back-to-back 716 and 718 scores the previous week, continued a scorching-hot streak last week shooting a 724 series with 26 strikes during games of 266, 232 and 226 in TGIF League play, and three days later, on Monday of this week in the Gamblers 4 Aces League he smoked the lanes with another 700, a 737 on games of 267, 247 and 223. Without a doubt, he has the hottest game going in Mesquite bowling right now.

Meanwhile, Milan Carr cruised back to 700 territory with a 707 on games of 247, 234 and 226, Dean Baum was on is game, and when he is, it means good scores like last week’s 672 and 256 game, Bob Wells (672-245) uncorked a second straight week of competitive scores, and Mike Saldivar tossed 20 strikes in a 665 outing and 239 game.

Meanwhile, Jerry Holloway raised his Monday Scratch League average to 186 from 184 with a standout 667 series and 257 game, Norm Ritchie raised his Early Risers League average to 193 with a 662 and 248 game, Mike Yoder (657-247) didn’t have the best luck with pin carry on some pocket hits, but still shot first-rate scores, and Mike Dunlop thumped the lanes with a 657 and 243 game.

In other league play, Mike Rogers (653-236) has put together years of sustained bowling excellence, Bob Marget’s (651-254) terrific effort raised his City High Rollers League average to 200 from 199, and Brian Collins had his best week this season as he averaged 206 between a pair of 600s, beginning with a 611 on Wednesday, and a day later in CHR League action chucked a 628 with a 254 game.

Larry Moultrie maintained a 186 ER League average after throwing a 628 with a 242 game, Dave Castro raised his Monday Scratch League average to 193 from 192 two days ago with a 638 series, and fueled by 17 strikes, Steve Serrano navigated the lanes for a 627 on games of 220, 211,196, and raised his K&Q League average to 187, and that means he has a legit shot at raising that baby to 190 before the clock runs out on the 2023-24 season.

In the single game scoring food chain, Scott Mattingly ((717) topped the charts with a 285 gem, Dan Aslin (658) racked up a 269, Mike Foote (625) pounded out a 261, Dave “Mr. 300” Pershing (614) bagged a 245, and Sal Diaz (626) spanked the lanes with a 240.

Ken Schloman rolled a 239, and along with a handful of other top-notch high school seniors in Missouri, he had the great fortune of meeting for an hour with the 33rd president of the United States, Harry S. Truman on the front porch of his home in Independence, Missouri.

And when considering Jaime “Jimmy” Ruvalcaba rolled a 224 with a 5-bagger from his wheel chair, it definitely goes down as one of the week’s most inspiring and impressive games, Jon Fjeld rolled a 223 on his first night of bowling since full knee replacement surgery, while Martin Carrillo tossed a 210, and Erick Soto’s 222  included seven strikes and two spares.

David Newman booked a 222 in TGIF League play, Mike Carpenter tallied a 214 and retired to Mesquite after decades as a fireman in Oregon, Ron Sheets logged his first deuce this season, a 205, and he has a fascinating background you’ll be reading about in a future column. Other bowlers infected by the 205 fever included the likes of Steve Roberts, Robin Drury, Red Powell, and Chris Eyre along with Ron Johnson.

On the women’s front, and powered by 20 strikes, Diane Marget threw a chart-topping 666 set on games of 225, 222 and 219. An interesting info nugget on Marget is she was three months pregnant when she bowled the first of her ten 300 games.

Meanwhile, Reiko Schultz lit up the scoring monitors with some outstanding bowling. For starters, competing in the Tuesday K&Q League, she put an exclamation point on terrific outing by running the front nine before leaving a wobbling 7 pin on her first ball in the 10th to finish with a standout 267 game, and along with a 186 and 170, finished with a season-high 631 series. And not much over 12 hours later in the 9:30 a.m. Early Risers League Schultz was pounding the 1-3 pocket again for a 619 with a 236 game, and over her six games averaged 208.

And athletic Cheryl Rogers who also plays senior softball and pickleball joined Schultz & Marget in the 600 circle with a top-notch 614 effort on games of 228, 220, 166, and it was great seeing Virginia Glossa top off a Friday night with a season-high 570 and 213 game in TGIF League action.

Cindy Petersen (531-181) enjoyed one of her best outings this season and she’s an avid Iowa Hawkeyes fan, Sheila Green (533-194) did a heckuva nice job navigating the lanes for a quality score and she’s very capable of much higher scores, and Judy Heileson (517-198) gets her first ink this season for a nice solid outing. and Karen Woolsey even joined the party with a 500 on the nose.

In single game play, Donna Evans fired a season-high 221, Bobbie Robbins (555) ended a scoring drought with a 221, Kim Marshall (558) smacked a 213, Mary Posey (555) logged a 209 and has the game for at least one deuce an outing, and Jane Burgoyne’s (519) practice is reaping dividend’s with yet another deuce game, a 208.

Finally, Dodie Melendez combined six strikes with a clutch spare in the 10th for a 208, Lexi Mattson (513) popped a 205 and with her killer two-handed delivery she has the potential to be one of the very top scoring threats in a couple more seasons of experience, and Mel Ray fired a gratifying 201.

John Hollaway 720-279; Jim Lytle 653-225;Orlyn Meyer 652-227; Al Gans 652-223; Darren Simonds 639-246; Harry Uncles 639-231; Michael Ramirez 636-279; Jeff Branche 636-246;  Austin Finster 531-632; Bobby Dixon 627-230; Larry Willis 624-226; John Martin 624-224; Bill Funk 623-221; Bruce Hooley 621-236; Dave Houghton 620-231; Chance Evans 612-243; Chase Evans 607-228; Steve Serrano 607-212; Nick Pau;l 599-224; Jacob Martinez 599-216; Randy Kezior 605-257; Jim Rappe 231; Dennis Hartley 228; Ted Mickelson 227; Dean Sheppard 227; Britt Kesl 224; Russ Marshall 223; Todd Muolhand 218; Mike Gentry 215; Ernie Kala 215; Skip Hayzlett 214; Mike Carpenter 214; Koa Paka Ned 214; Dave Cirbo 214; George Huston 214; Mark Brackelsberg 213; Jeremy Telford 213; Duane Sullivan 213; Dale Knight 213; Harold Hendrick 213; Ed Hoepfner 211; Bill Smith 211; Jeron Linge207; Bill Rife 206; Steve Kenyon 204; Johnny Harper 203; Alan Pearson 203;Tony Zaccheus 202; Tim Wellman 200; Judy Clark 531-192; Debbie Hansen 531-192; Mary Ann Davis 525-185; Denise Forster 519-188; Lynae Page 518-194; Cher Erhart 516-187; Charlene Heiden 506-192; Krista Kilpatrick 506-180; Sandy Sheppard 505-191; Cindy Meacham 501-188.