BOWLING: JOHN MARTIN TAKES CARE OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS WITH A 728 SERIES

There’s no question about the fact John Martin began winning accolades for his bowling talents within days of first joining the Mesquite Merchants Men’s League last year for the 2023-2024 season.

There’s also no question about the fact he finished his inaugural Mesquite season with a 207 average over 84 games, and out of 96 bowlers in the league, only seven others finished with a 207 average or higher. And this list of impressive bowlers included the likes of Scott Mattingly (222), Milan Carr (212), Jim Lytle (211), John Hollaway (211), along with Al Gans (208), Mike Yoder (208) and Mike Saldivar (207).

And so it’s not a surprise this group of deuce average bowlers tossed a hefty number of 700s during the course of the 2023-24 season.

However, what is a surprise is that Martin, who’s thrown a truckload of 700s over the years, including a career-high 792, was one of two bowlers from that top-notch group who didn’t throw a single 700 series last season.

And for a guy who’s thrown a truckload of them in an outstanding career which includes a personal-best 792, he was determined to make amends when the 2024-2025 arrived. Now there were a handful of times during the course of last season he’d be on pace for one, but tough luck with carry on a crushing pocket shot or an untimely split or two would derail a determined bid for one.

But I’m convinced the biggest reason he didn’t throw a 700 is he was bowling only one night a week, and it’s a pattern I’ve seen play out with other bowlers. And so let’s look at a similar situation with another bowler, Autumn Telford, who, I know for a fact has thrown multiple 700 series scores, including a career-high 749 when she was bowling in at least two leagues a week St. George. But these days with her bowling limited to one league a week in Mesquite in each the last two years, she’s barely had a whiff of one. Instead, like Martin last season, while she’s still rolling some good series scores this season with a 649, 643, 628 and 558 in the Monday Scratch League and is averaging 206, rolling a 700 looks iffy.

Now, let’s pivot back to Martin and his current 2024-2025 season which finds him bowling twice a week which has his formidable game humming and lighting up the scoring monitors. And yes, you already guessed it, he’s already tossed a 700 series, and the season’s barely past it’s infancy. So, in contrast to last season, a few more 700s over the next 24 weeks would be a return to the norm for him.

His first 700 of the season in the M.M.M. League featured a total of 24 strikes including a nine-bagger in a 270 along with games of 258 and 200 for a 728 series. And when combined with his 666, 653, and 618 series scores from the other three weeks, he’s currently averaging an impressive 222 after 12 games.

Martin’s resume sports a 300 game, a 299, 290 and 289, a career-high 16 straight strikes, and of his numerous 700s over the years, his three best are a 792, 791 and 770.

He’s a retired teacher and school counselor, is an avid fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes, has fond memories of his days spent water rafting in Colorado, and with no Monday Scratch League action this week, he spent Monday in a concert in Sin City with his wife, Pam.

In other action, Mike Saldivar set the scoring pace after pounding out 25 strikes in a 736 set after bookending a clean 257 with games of 242 and 237, and Dave Pershing navigated the lanes for his first 700 this season, a 712 which included 10 strikes and one open frame in a 266, and Doug Love who still bleeds the black and gold of his “Blitzburg” Steelers averaged 229 between his two best scores, a 685 and 679 which included 11 strikes in a 279 effort.

Meanwhile,  Michael “Smurffzz” Ramirez is averaging an eye-popping 223 in the Gamblers 4 Aces League, and may have raised it to 224 after throwing 22 strikes in a 693 set scoring outing, and Mike Rogers put popped a 687 including a 276 in another terrific effort by this top-notch bowler.

And as mentioned in this column last week, Mike Yoder (667-255) is enjoying a monster season and his M.M.M. League average currently sits at 230, and with the explosive strike ball Chase Evans throws, odds are his 667 signals he’s close to busting out with a 700 series.

Scott Mattingly returned to Mesquite bowling action after missing the previous week and booked a 660, Dave Houghton merits ink for his best outing this season, a season-high 655 effort with 19 total strikes along with clean games of 236 and 234.

And southpaw Orlyn Meyers (650-255) is a huge North Dakota State football fan who delivered his best effort this season in the Early Risers League, Jeff Harmes raised his City High Rollers League average to 203 with a first-rate 644, and Jerry Holloway is a retired U.S. Air Force veteran who uncorked 21 strikes and was 9-of-11 on his spare shots in a 640.
Wally Posey no doubt was happy seeing is wife get some ink last week, so one has to be impressed as he no doubt used that as motivation to capture some ink this week which he did with another 600 series, a 623 on games of 214, 208 along with a 196, and Mike Foote’s 615 raised his M.M.M. League average to 194.

And it was great seeing Dean Sheppard average 201 between a pair of quality outings (612 & 598), while Nick Paul (610-225) continued his  good season, just like his UNLV football team, and here’s betting Alfred Oliveira V (609-239) is on the cusp of a serious scoring explosion. After all, I saw him throw back-to-back 800 series scores in St. George last season which included a 300 game.

Meanwhile, after making the drive from St. George, it was good seeing Bobby Dixon (606-214) chalk up a 600 series, and ignited by a 241, Tony Arias delivered a season-high 604. His game has huge upside and in his first season of league bowling last year, he chucked a 657.

In single game play, Brian Collins (595) rolled a clean 247 with seven strikes, Larry Moultrie also booked a 247, while Allen Cope (601) continued a recent hot streak with a 243. and former high school track star Andy Robinson tallied a 237.

Both Roman Perez and Stan Benally logged a 232, Mitch Fletcher (595) garners his first ink of the season for a 224, and William Collins pocketed his first deuce of the season, a 223 with seven strikes. Collins is a huge Kansas Jayhawks fan and played football for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Both Jace Scott and Jedd Fisher tossed a 220, Humberto Urias posted a 213, Jake Swingler checked in with a 211, and Jacoby Ford fired a 208. He’s another young bowler with huge upside to his game which features a silky-smooth two-handed delivery.

In women’s bowling action, Samantha Powell, the daughter of Salt Lake City Hall of Famer Red Powell  (617-225) peppered the lanes with a first-rate outing, and Bev Cormani (592-215) who’s missed some action due to a nagging hamstring injury delivered a gutsy performance.

Lee Ann Harmes  (591-212) continues a run of good scores this season, Lynae Page tossed a season-high 587 which included a clean 241 with a five-bagger and also a clean 190, and like Page, Gayla Ruesch’s best effort this season included spares on 14-of-17 non split attempts en route to a season-high 584 on games of 222, 195 and 167.

And without much fanfare, Reiko Schultz ( 573-201) is having a season with good scoring production, Diane Marget (544-195) book solid scores, and Nannette Kezior KO’s 509 sticks.

In single game play, Bobbie Robbins (531) fired a terrific 231, Georgia Godfrey (540) rolled a 214, Sandy Sheppard (567) tallied a 211, while Margaret Baron rolled a 203 and Debbie Hansen shot a 201..

Note, if you are a golfer and plan on entering that sport in the Mesquite Senior Games the registration deadline is October 23, and for more info, visit the website at: www.mesquiteseniorgames.org.

John Martin 653-243; Bob Marget 648-231; Bsruce Hooley 633-259; John Gerger 627-238; Bryan Pierce 625-244; Darren Simonds 616-227; Jim Lytle 616-223; Al Gans 614-223; Dennis Craft 614-215; Austin Finster 611-236; Bob Wells 610-227; Milan Carr 610-225; Dave Castro 607-233; Dave Harris 604-222; Kelly Williamson 247; Tim McNees 246; Dean Baum 234; Jimmy Webb 234; Ken Meacham 234; Harold Hendrick 232; Dave Cirbo 224; Chance Evans 223; David Johnson 220; Brent Schlesinger (599) 219; Robert Melendez 215; Bill Rife 214; Ernie Kala 214; Rob cormani 214; Ken Schloman 213; Max Baarz 213; Logan Hendrick 2109; Shaun Edwards 210; shaun Edwards 210; Larry Willis 208. Rob Drury 203; Bob Robbins 203; Gage Hughes 203; Gary Connelly 202; Gil Niimi 202; Jeff Branche202; Max Snyder 202; Troy Palmer 202; Carlos Baeza 201Chris Scott 201; Vic Reading 201′ Bob Ballard 200 Chris Westwood 200; Dylan Kesl 200.

Kim Marshall 562-203; MaryAnn Davis 525-200; Mary Posey 524-205.