BOWLING: Mark Brackelsberg still going strong after 25 years

Mark Brackelsberg has been mowing down pins at the Virgin River Bowling Center since the 1999-2000 season, and here we are, a quarter century later and he’s still creating mayhem on the lanes and making mincemeat of bowling pins.

Competing for his Mark’s RE/MAX Ridge Realty team in the Mesquite Merchants Men’s League, he began his first game of the night with six strikes in a 212 game, followed with six more in a clean 215, and finished the night with seven strikes, including a 5-bagger in a 226 game for a total of 19 strikes helping pave the way for his signature achievement of the 2023-24 season, a 653 series which raised his average a point to 181, and it’s also his best series since a 646 last season on April 5, 2023.

His bowling resume includes a 300 game, a career-high 718 series, multiple 279s with 11 strikes, and a personal-best 195 average. And his career-high average is the perfect segue to mention one of the two photo’s with this article is a certificate from the American Bowling Congress from the 1999-2000 season showing his 195 average which won the high-average title that season in the best men’s league at the time, the 540 Scratch League.

In high school, one of his interesting classmates was Bob Weir, a guitarist and co-founder of the legendary Grateful Dead band. He also played basketball, and in track & field his favorite event was the high jump, and not surprisingly, he’s won medals in this event during the Mesquite Senior Games.

And after graduating high school, he went to Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon where he was on the bowling team and named to the NAIA District 2 All Star team. And a few years later he began playing softball which he still does playing in Mesquite’s senior softball league. Around the same time he also began getting serious about playing tennis and achieved a player rating of 4.5 which is pretty darn good in the tennis world.

And he definitely believes in staying active as he also works out on a regular basis at the city rec center, has taken up playing pickleball, and also works in some rounds of golf. And being the good athlete he still is, he’s actually had a hole in one in Utah, and a second in Mesquite. Oh, and talking about his golf, he’s also won a gold medal in his age bracket in the Long Drive event in the Mesquite Senior Games with a booming drive of 282 yards. Bay-bee!

Amazingly, along with all the athletic activities he involved with, Brackelsberg still has a job where he does  exceptional work on a daily basis as a realtor with the Re/Max group in Mesquite.

And we’re gonna close this baby out by mentioning that ever since he began sporting a mustache a few years ago, he hears from clients and others of how much he looks like talented actor, Sam Elliott.
In other scoring action, Chance Evans bookended a clean 242 with a clean 254 and a 231 with one open frame for a 727 series with 21 total strikes, and propelled by a 256, Darren Simonds thumped the lanes with the week’s only other 700, a 708.

I know, it doesn’t seem possible, but Scott Mattingly’s subpar outings in recent weeks ended in convincing fashion last week with a strong 698 effort. and James Hartley merits ink for one of his best outings this season with a 688 set on games of 247, 225 and 216. By the way, if you happen to live in Sun City, there’s a good chance you’re living in a subdivision designed by Hartley. He’s designed a good number of places in Mesquite over the years which includes the truck stop housing Wendy’s.

Sal Diaz put together consistent games of 232, 231 and 222 for a top-notch 685 set, Al Gans also put together consistent games of 233, 225 and 222 in a first-rate 680 effort which including 20 strikes and only two open frames, and in Early Risers League action, North Dakota State football fan Orlyn Meyer raised his average to 193 with a heckuva good  672 effort with a 247 game

Mike Yoder raised his Wednesday Men’s League average to 208 with a 668 effort, Ricky Trujillo threw 20 strikes with only three open frames helping his raise his City High Rollers League average a point to 195 with a very competitive 663 on consistent games of 233, 228 and 203.

Nick Paul’s 18 strikes and marks on 11-of-13 non-split spare attempts paved the way for a standout 656 set on games of 234, 213 and 209  & Queen’s League. He was an outstanding wrestler in high school and continued the sport at West Virginia University. He later ended up working at UNLV which is where he met, and later married his wife of 32 years, Deb.

In other action, Myles Benally tossed 20 strikes helping him blew away a previous season-high 597 with a terrific 650 series on games of 235, 219 and 196, and John Gerger who still has fond memories of going to the iconic Wringley Field as a youngster to watch his Chicago Cubs play also had a heckuva good outing with a 649 set including a 254 game.

And John Martin has been a great addition to the Mesquite bowling scene this season and last week maintained his 207 average with a 644 which included a 7-bagger in a 244, and Dennis Craft fired 19 strikes and made 78% of his 14 spare shots in a 643 performance.

Dan Aslin (625-237), Michael “Smurffzzz” Ramirez (658-236) and Robert Melendez (611-212) spanked the lanes with solid performances.

On the single game front, Dan Erhart led all bowlers with a standout 275 with 10 strikes. In case you didn’t know, he’s a big Gonzaga basketball fan, and with March Madness now here, I’m taking this as an omen that his Zags may also finish ahead of all the other teams when the tournament ends. He also enjoys playing golf and is president of the men’s league at Conestoga Golf Course. And when living in Chicago he did a heckuva lot of snowmobiling. And when Erhart was 20, he left Spokane, Washington on a train headed for Chicago where he didn’t know a single soul. But what he did know was by attending the DeVry Institute in the Windy City he would eventually reap a boatload of dividends on multiple fronts.

Meanwhile, Javier Delgadillo is just in his first year of bowling and punched out a super 274 with 10 strikes and he’s doing a great job with the lanes and you wouldn’t want to get in an arm wrestling contest with him as he’s powerful from his lifting weights.

Meanwhile, Frank Addamo (636) ran the front eight, opened on a single pin leave in the 9th, and struck out in the 10th for a 267 with 11 strikes, Chase Evans (653) keeps throwing big games and this time it was a 264, and Stan Benally rolled 10 strikes, including a 7-bagger  in a season-high 261.

Bob Robbins (598) bagged a 231, Robert Sedgley merits ink for a superb 224, and Humberto Urias who bowls for the Bulldog Towing team gets his first ink here for a season-high 223. He was a terrific three-sport athlete at Virgin Valley High School including being a standout quarterback on the football team, and with the revs he generates wits him hook ball, he has the potential to be a force on the lanes in a couple of years.

Mike Dunlop logged a 211, Al Legan’s 210 keeps alive a string of weekly deuce games, Bobby Dixon popped a 209, and Tony Arias uncorked a 207. By the way, Arias is in a close race for the most improved average in the Mesquite Merchants League with a 20.49 improvement over his first 21 games. And amazingly, his teammate, Roman Perez currently has a narrow lead in the most improved category with at 21.36 number. Perez, who played soccer all four years at VVHS also rolled a 207, and with all the revs he has with his delivery look for even higher scores before the clock runs out on the 2023-24 season.

Finally, Dennis Burtchett tossed six strikes in a 202 with only one open, Martin Carrillo bagged five strikes in a 202 and he’s an avid fan of baseball and the Baltimore Ravens, and both Bob Davis and Ed Rino booked a 200 game. RIno has a granddaughter who sees lotsa playing time on her Oregon State Beaver basketball team.

In women’s action, Sheila Green finished atop the scoring food chain after throwing 24 total strikes, including a clean 236 game en route to a 575 set in Ladies Trio League play, and a 600 is definitely doable before we put a bow on the 2023-24 season.

Bev Cormani (570-209) and Sandy Sheppard (552-209) put up the next best scores, and Reiko Schultz (549-192) continued a good month of some first-rate outings.

Nancy Egge who sports a 143 average is gonna get some extra ink for a darn nice 533 series on games of 191, 177 and 165 that included a total of 12 strikes. She was surprised by her strong outing, just like bowlers who see her are surprised she’s been married for 60 years. She’s also traveled to Europe twice, and especially enjoyed the Roman Colosseum in Rome, and when in Turkey also was in awe of seeing the ancient Roman ruins in that country.

She hails from Oregon, and when younger she really enjoyed playing co-ed softball, has been coming to Mesquite during the winter for seven years, and in her spare time also enjoys crocheting blankets.

In single game action, Jan Quinn led all single game action and was stoked after putting together an 8-bagger in a superb season-high 245 gem, Georgia “GG” Godfrey (532) spanked the lanes with a 231, and Debbie Hansen (520) tallied a 215, and Dodie Melendez rolled stepladder games of 170, 171 and 172.

And whatever the reason, Gayle Parison (532) has been bowling up a storm in recent weeks and last week racked up a 213, Diane Marget (549) fired a 212 and she’s never missed a season home opening game of the Minnesota Twins since she’s been married to her husband, Bob.

Judy Connelly who travels twice a week to bowl at the VRBC smacked a 205, and she’s also been married for 60 years to her pole vaulting husband, Mardon, and Deb Paul (518) who changed her zip code last year to one in Mesquite from one in Carson City, Nevada and has been thrilled with the move ever since, and that joy includes the satisfaction derived from a 203 game in which she began the game with a four-bagger before finishing with seven total strikes. And along with her husband, Nick, both are all about family and enjoying their 10 grandchildren.

Mike Gentry 677-247; Bob Wells 658-236; Dean Baum 656-240; Milan Carr 656-232; Norm Ritchie 653-227; Doug Love 650-239; Bob Maget 648-228; Mike Rogers 647-232; John Hollaway 645-244; Dave Johnson 633-258; Austin Finster 631-241; Jim Lytle 629-225; Bruce Hooley 626-226; Koa Pake Ned 624-224; Gary Smith 620-247; Steve Serrano 619-221; Gil Niimi 618-234; Dylan Kesl 616-231;Larry Moultrie 613-232; Darrell Moffat Jr. 605-204; Bill Funk 603-236; Bruce Hooley 601-223; Dave Harris 235; Ed Hoepfner 234; Bryan Pierce 225; Ken Riswick 224; Mike Carpenter 223; Jim Rappe 222; Robin Drury 222; Russ Marshall 216; Randy Carter 215; Paul Sullivan 214; Rob Cormani 213; Raul Macias 209,Shaun Edwards 207; Dave Huston 204; Harry Uncles 204; Michael Donovan 204; Angel Hernandez 203; Darrell Moffatt Sr. 202; Dave Keil 202; Dean Sheppard 202; Jack Northover 201; Jeff Branche 201; Ron Johnson 202; Bitt Kesl 200; Krista Kilpatrick 532-194; Lee Ann Harmes 516-186; Jane Burgoyne 512-199; Ashlee Yokoyama-Kesl 508-181; Karen Woolsey 504-196.