Bowling: MaryAnn Davis returns to Mesquite bowling in stunning fashion

And it ended after breaking her ankle literally hours before Thanksgiving day followed by surgery on November 28, 2022.

However, the good news is she’s back mowing down pins again in the 2023-24 season and ushered in her 9:30 a.m. Early Risers League play with a 188, followed with a 5-bagger in a 212, and finished with 6 strikes in a 202 for her first 600 of the season, a 602, and raised her average to 180.

Her resume includes a career-high 689 series, a 300 game at Bonwood Bowl in Salt Lake City on November 17, 1994, a career-high 191 average, and was twice named the Greater Salt Lake Bowling Association Senior Woman Bowler of the Year, and three times to the GSLBA all-city team.

And by the way, an amazing side story about her 300 happened shortly after leaving the bowling center that night while driving home when, out of the blue, a large buck darted out on the road, and within seconds, the sounds of screeching brakes and crumbling metal filled the night air. And shortly after, her car ended up in an auto repair shop and the deer in a meat processing plant.

Not surprisingly, given her love of bowling, she’s traveled the country competing in 38 National Tournaments, and is looking forward to her 39th in June, 2024.

Davis is an avid fan of the Utah Jazz and Denver Broncos, and an even much bigger fan of the man she tied the knot with 29 years ago, her husband, Bob.

In other pin action, Diane Marget tossed a 584 after opening City High Rollers League with a 181, followed with a 203, and a clean 200 with 7 spares and 4 strikes.

Meanwhile, Georgia Godfrey put together another quality outing with a 563 effort including a 5-bagger and 9 total strikes in a 244, and Krista Kilpatrick is a new bowler in Mesquite this season who captured her first ink for engineering a terrific turnaround for a 551 set with clean games of 198 and 204, after beginning league play with 4 opens in a less-than-cheery 149.

And on the same pair of lanes as Kilpatrick and fueled by a 199, along with games of 180 and 163, Majorie Mongolo chalked up a season-high 542.

And in the Friday Ladies Trio League this past Friday, bolstered by 12 strikes, including 5 in a season-high 190, Anita Sorensen added games of 164 and 156 en route to a 510 series, and three days later on Monday of this week in Gamblers 4 Aces action popped a 514 set. Sorensen has a well deserved reputation in Utah as a top-notch horseshoe player.

Meanwhile, Gayla Ruesch who still holds the record for the highest series by a woman in St. George bowling with a 760, chalked up a 528, Kerri Roberts not only disposed of 511 sticks, but also continues with household bragging rights to the best series of the week, and in Ladies Trio League action, Toni Gans vanquished 508 pins and Suzie Fehseke (499) fell a stick shy of a 500.

In the single game arena, Ashlee Yokoyama-Kesl tossed a 214, and her decision to switch to a two-handed delivery has the potential to eventually make her a force in local bowling, Lenae Page (507) pocketed a 201, Molly Gomes also tallied a 201, and Sandy Sheppard (537) cranked out a 200.

In men’s action, stoked by monster games, both Darren Simonds and Mike Saldivar led series scoring action with identical 723 scores, with Simonds smoking the lanes with a 290 gem, and Saldivar shooting his umpteenth 279 with 11 strikes.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Turlington’s 24 strikes paved the way for a 710, including a 7-bagger in a 267, and he’s another St. George bowler who had to move his game to Mesquite and has a track record of putting up big scores like his career-high 740 series.

And Mike Yoder’s clean 253 and 240 games, along with a 203 paved the way for a 699, while Robin Drury bookended a 210 with clean games of 248 and 225 for a 683 count, and John Martin (663-246) is a darn good bowler with a polished game from St. George, so pencil in more more good scores for him as the grind of a long season moves forward.

And it was great seeing Ernie Kala (661-235) finally bring his strike ball to the party and end an early season scoring funk, while Bruce Hooley (662-247) seems poised for another season of really good scores, and he will soon be competing in the Huntsman World Senior Games at Dixie Bowl in St. George where he bowled a 300 game last year.

In a change of pace here, while Jaime “Jimmy” Ruvalcaba didn’t roll a 600 series, he still definitely merits ink for a 545 series, and when you’re doing that from a wheel chair that’s impressive scoring, and even more so considering he only had one open frame in both his 203 and 187 games. He was a superb pitcher on the baseball team at Virgin Valley High School.

In single game play, Al Gans (706) tossed a 278 gem, Mike Gentry (636) racked up a 266, Dean Baum (647) rolled a season-high 257, and Tim McNess was a heckuva race car driver back in the day tossed a 256. Harold Hendrick (671) racked up a 255, and John Hollaway (637) another one of the terrific bowlers from Washington state now competing in Mesquuite logged a 245, and Bryan Pierce (649) posted a 241.

Myles Benally (592) had to bring his game to Mesquite due to the closing of Sunset Lanes and rolled a clean 228 along with 7 strikes in a 226, while Frank Addamo worked the lanes for a 226, and Jack Baker navigated the lanes for a 224.

Nick Paul’s darn nice hook ball helped pepper the lanes with a 219, Louis Dilisio  didn’t like that late comeback win by the Atlanta Braves over his Phillies on Monday night but he’ll still take his 215, Steve Serrano was a stud basketball player in high school and delivered a 214.

Finally, Doug Heiden’s 207 on Monday night featured only one open frame, Raul Macias is a Minnesota Vikings fan, and after shooting 202 the previous week, fired a 207 last week, while Javier Delgadillo smacked a 203 and makes his one-handed delivery of a 16-pound bowling ball look effortless, and Ken Zimmerschied captured his first ink for a 200.

HIGH SCORES

Debbie Hansen 533-196; Linda Holloway 504-188; Dodie Melendez 500; Milan Carr 697-259; Scott Mattingly 686-258; Dennis Craft 660-235; Dean Baum 647-257; John Hollaway 637-245; Dave Newman 630-247; Dean Sheppard 629-234; Randy Kezior 622-220; Orlyn Meyer 613-246; Gil Niimi 608-214; Jim Lytle 605-222; Bob Marget 601-222; Jeff Harmes 600-217; Sal Diaz 599-219; Alan Pearson 224; Koa Paka Ned 223; Josue Mendoza 222; Larry Willis 222; Harry Uncles 221; Ken Meacham 221; Sal Diaz 219; David Harris 219; Steve Kenyon 213; Austin Finster 212; Rob Cormani 211; Duane Sullivan 209; Mark Brackelsberg 207; Ted Mickelson 205; Bob Morgan 204; Burton Weast 203; Ed Hoepfner 203; Bobby Dixon 202; Brent Schlesinger 202; Britt Kesl 202; Jacob Martinez 202; Dave Castro 201; Dale Davidson 201; Dylan Kesl 201; Robert Melendez 201; Jarron Linge 200; Jerry Holloway 200; Ken Thompson 200; Mike Foote 200; Mike Rossi 200; Norm Ritchie 200.