BOWLING: Robert Melendez throws a career-high 686 series

By: Willie Theis

Robert Melendez was enjoying the best outing of his bowling career and sitting on the cusp of his first-ever 700 series.

And as the evening unfolded, after beginning league play with clean games of 247 and 223, a doable 230 would give him a coveted 700.

And after beginning his third game with a four-bagger, followed by marks in the next four frames and a strike in the 9th with only the 10 frame left, coupled with the momentum he had going, a 700 looked like it was gonna be a done deal, until it wasn’t.

That is to say, the bowling deities seemingly conspired in putting the kibosh on both a clean series and a 700 as he opened in the 10th after leaving a cringe-inducing 4-9 split for a 216 game and a career-high 686 series.

However, while disappointed, he also felt gratitude as his 686 which included 24 strikes and marks on an impressive 10-of-11 spare shots blew away a previous personal-best 650 series.

He began bowling in Mesquite in 2014 and always brings an undeniable level of energy, joy, positivity and authenticity that resonates with fellow bowlers who find it uplifting.

Away from bowling, he radiates the same qualities whether he’s golfing, fishing, camping, vacationing in Cabo San Lucas or Puerto Vallarta, or pursuing another passion of his, NASCAR races. In fact, this past weekend, along with his better half, Dodie, both were at the Phoenix Raceway volunteering in security for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race.

Melendez isn’t the the type who’s into tooting his own horn, so he rarely, if ever mentions that 23 years ago he entered the mind-boggling annual Snow Peak 50 Mile Trail Run in Utah County, and finished the very challenging and difficult scenic loop course winding through the Wasatch Mountains above Provo, Utah in 13 hours and 2 minutes. Wow!

In other pin action, John Hollaway’s 704 pasting of the Virgin River Bowling Center involved throwing 24 strikes during games of 255, 236 and 213, while Mike Rogers barbecued the lanes with a 690 drubbing including a 259 game in T.G.I.F. League play.

Meanwhile, Mike Yoder (672-247) will raise his 204 average after a terrific outing two days ago in the Monday Scratch League, and on the heels of a 698 two weeks ago, Larry Willis delivered another top-notch effort with a 667 series on consistent games of 227, 224, and 216 which raised his average to 200, and Norm Ritchie raised his Early Risers League average to 193 after spanking the lanes with a 674 series including a standout 264 game.

Dale Knight delivered a terrific 666 set with 23 total strikes, including a 266 game in Monday’s Scratch League, and shifting gears here, an interesting dynamic with a talented bowler like Scott Mattingly is that some bowlers would donate a pinkie finger to medical research if in return, it meant they could begin putting up scores like Mattingly (667-239) did last week. Yet, others may think he’s in a scoring slump because it’s been two weeks now since he’s racked up a 700 series.

Jeremy Turlington (663-246) maintained his 225 Scratch League average, and here’s betting he rolls either a 300 or 800 series this season, and Dean Sheppard delivered a terrific 656 set with a clean 243 along with a 221 and 192 and raised his Mesquite Merchants League average to 191, while Bruce Hooley began the week on Tuesday with a 657 and ended it with a 634 on Friday in T.G.I.F. League play.

In other action, Dave Mulholland’s (636-233) potent strike ball paved the way for his second best scoring production this season, and while both him and his wife Carol hail from Colorado, both are avid fans of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Dave Castro (633-239) uncorked another quality performance and is still competing in some senior tournaments in California, Dean Baum’s (603-237) slow start to the season will end as it did last year around Thanksgiving when you’ll see him serve up a regular dose of much heftier scores, while Ken Moeller was both stunned and happy on Friday with his first 600 in ages, a 601 on games of 214, 194 and 193, and Ron Johnson narrowly missed a 600 after racking up a 6-bagger in a season-high 230, and along with games of 217 and 147 finished with a season-high 594 set.

In the single game scene, Steve Serrano (640) outdistanced the field after chucking 10 strikes in a 277, Ken Meacham’s (648) 7-bagger led to a season-high 268, Brian Collins tattooed the 1-3 pocket for a 7-bagger and nine total strikes in a 258, while Bobby Dixon’s (650) season-high 257 included an 8-bagger, and Randy Kezior (645) ran the front nine in a 245.

And at the same time, Chris Eyre also fired a clean 245 with six strikes and five spares, Stan Benally put together a 5-bagger and a turkey in a season-high 243, and Chris Scott (585) began a 237 with a 5-bagger, and he’s a bowler from St. George who has his entire CSG – Cabinets team bowling in Mesquite, including his son, Jace.

And 90-year-old Bob Morgan’s 233 show’s he still has lotsa giddy-up in his game, Jacob Martinez (589) tallied a 231, and next year is looking forward to beginning his education toward becoming a chiropractor, and a first-rate effort by Nick Paul raised his average to 182 after navigating the lanes for a 598 set including a season-high 231.

Meanwhile, Larry McCubbin who has a great track record of picking up splits rolled a 225, Carlos Baeza’s 224 included a 5-bagger, John Gerger pocketed a 215, Michael Donovan (584) registered a 211 and his 584 should raised his Early Risers League average to 172, while Ken Zimmerschied captured his first ink after flying past his 151 average in a nice 211 effort.

Louis Dilisio merits ink for a 204 and here’s betting bigger games are on the horizon, Andy Robinson notched a 202 and while on the track team in high school he ran a sub-four minute mile, Frank Burdett also rolled a 202 game and is a former race car driver and these days is into classic cars in a big way, and Gary Steele scratched out a 200.

In women’s action, Diane Marget was a pillar of consistency in finishing at the top of the leaderboard with games of 205, 201 and 198 for a 604 series and raised her City High Rollers League average to 192, and in Monday’s Scratch League, Bev Cormani who throws the most explosive strike ball in women’s bowling ended a scoring funk throwing 17 strikes in a 603 series on games of 217, 194 and 193.

Meanwhile, Sandy Sheppard continued a nice scoring run on Monday with a 602 on games of 207, 201 and 194, and Reiko Schultz put together her best week this season with an impressive 191 average between a 598 including a 235 game in King & Queens League action and a 548 score three days later in the Friday Morning Ladies Trio League.

And it’s great seeing Cheryl Rogers (572-202) get base hits in senior softball and good scores on the lanes, while George Godfrey (562-196) continued a string of 500-plus scores, and while only time will tell, but with more scores like Ashlee Yokoyama-Kesl’s 555 and 191 she could be headed for a breakout season.

And fueled by consistent games of 189, 188 and 171, Krista Kilpatrick toppled 515 pins, Virginia Glossa (515-193) put up solid scores in snaring her first ink of the season, while Cathi Ritchie’s 504 in Early Riser’s League play included a pair of 187 games, and Gayle Parison is a top-notch poker player who KO’d 502 sticks.

In single game action, Charlene Heiden (525) peppered the lanes with a 201, Bailey Kesl did a great job in rolling her first 200 of the season and she’s also doing a super job as the driving force behind the high school youth bowling program, and Cher Erhart threw 198 game.

Milan Carr 696-267; Doug Love 681-242; Todd Kohler 676-238; Austin Finster 653-247; Al Gans 650-227; Bob Marget 649-235; Robin Drury 635-227; Gil Niimi 631-224; Dave Johnson 630-224; Dennis Craft 626-237; Mike Gentry 626-229; Orlyn Meyer 626-221; Ernie Kala 625-242; Jim Lytle 614-237; Bryan Pierce 605-204; Jeremy Telford 604-205; Darren Simonds 601-234; Duane Sullivan 601-214; Randy Brown 601-225; Jerry Holloway 247; Tim McNees 233; Josue Mendozq 232; Brian Rasha 225; John Martin 224; Doug Heiden 216; Dan Aslin 213; Jack Baker 213; Jeff Harmes 213; Shaun Edwards 212; Frank Addamo 211; Jon Fjeld 211; Mardon Connelly 210; Mike Foote 209; Jimmy Webb 208; Rob Cormani 208; Sal Diaz 205; Bill Funk 203; Randy Carter 203; Raul Macias 203; Alan Jacobson 202; Ken Schloman 202; Martin Carrillo 202; Harold Hendrick 201; Frank Burdett 200; Gary Steele 200.