BOWLING: DALE KNIGHT WOWS MESQUITE BOWLERS WITH A 298 GAME AND 777 SERIES

Dale Knight ushered in the 2023-24 season by bringing his outstanding bowling talent and passion for the sport from St. George to the Virgin River Bowling Center in Mesquite.

And after beginning his first league outing back on September 11th in the Monday Scratch League with a 639 series he’s continued a weekly run of sustained excellence by lighting up the scoring monitors with first-rate scoring production.

And that scoring streak continued with his latest signature Mesquite achievement when he began league play with six strikes in a 211 game, followed by peeling off nine straight strikes heading into a heart-pumping and riveting 10th frame. Now the good news is having been in that position multiple times before he wasn’t in unchartered territory and promptly sent two more rockets to the 1-3 pocket for strikes. However, on his final delivery, a collective groan told the story as his ball came in a tad high leaving two recalcitrant pins upright for a 298 gem.

So, it’s not surprising when he next put an exclamation point on an already standout performance by beginning his third game with a turkey and nine total strikes for a 268 paving the way for a gargantuan 777 series with 26 strikes.

Interestingly, as an indication of just how dialed in he was all night hitting the1-3 pocket is that in a 9 pin no-tap tournament his third game would have been a 300.

And on the heels of his 298 gem, in the Wednesday Early Risers League, he made it a January to remember by chalking up another 700 series, a 717 with 23 strikes. And as this baby goes online in the Mesquite Local News, he’s sporting a 209 average and look for it to gain even more altitude in the weeks ahead.

His love of competition and passion for bowling will see him competing in the PBA West Region Bowlero Open Tournament in Chandler, Arizona on January 26th & 27th.

Knight played both football and baseball in high school, and excelled in baseball to the point where he was scouted by the Cleveland Indians, now the Guardians. His favorite baseball team is the Chicago Cubs and he’s been in the stands for multiple Cubs games at iconic Wrigley Field.

In other pin action, Scott Mattingly orchestrated two outstanding performances with clean series scores of 760 and 724 as he barbecued the lanes with 48 total strikes, Jeremy Telford surely raised his 226 average in the MS League with a 760 and a pair of 267 games, and Chase Evans showcased his ability to throw strikes with his two-handed delivery by throwing 25 in a 724 set last Thursday, and 23 a day earlier on Wednesday in a 686 outing.

Meanwhile, Dennis Craft raised his Kings & Queens League average to 202 with a mouthwatering 687 including 21 strikes and 256 game, Bruce Hooley’s MS League’s latest average after a top-notch 683 on Monday was not available as this went to press, but his 683 should raise his current 193 average, while his 654 in K&Q League play definitely raised that league’s average to 200 from 199, and John Martin’s 674 included a 259 game with nine strikes and raised his Mesquite Merchants Men’s League average to 208.

And Jeremy Turlington’s first-rate 674 should raise his current 216 MS League average, Dylan Kesl’s (661-236) 21 strikes helped raise his K&Q League average to 197, while Mike Saldivar pounded out a 660 with a 244 game two days ago in the MS League, and also on Monday, Ryan Baeza (658-241) thumped the lanes with his best outing since returning to the lanes.

Angel Hernandez has been throwing two or three 600s a month since his first-ever 600 in March 2023, and his latest is a season-high 647 beaut with 21 strikes and marks on an impressive 9-of-10 spare shots, Todd Koller who is a heckuva good bowler racked up a 642 with a 223 game, and in the Gamblers 4 Aces League, Harold Hendrick was a pillar of consistency with a 639 on games of 215, 213, & 211.

Meanwhile, instead of a caffeine jolt from Starbucks, George Huston fired up his Wednesday morning in the Early Risers League with his first 600 this season, a 618 on games of 223, 216 and 179, Louis Dilisio also delivered an impressive 612 effort with 16 strikes and marks on 14-of-15 non-split spare shots. He hails from The Keystone State and is still in disbelief over the epic late season collapse of his Philadelphia Eagles, and Veyo, Utah bowler Jacob Martinez (610-228) rolled a workmanlike 600.

In the single game arena, Bob Marget (666) cranked out the second best game of the week, a 268, Chris Scott uncorked a season-high 258, Dean Sheppard (625) took care of the 10 pin and cruised to a 254, Al Legan (589) popped a 246 beaut which included a 7-bagger, and Britt Kesl shot a 234, and he was a former successful competitor on the rodeo circuit but it came at the expense of losing a thumb in his favorite event.

Jack Baker (593) was back pounding the pocket and tallied a 230, southpaw Dave Castro booked a 224, David Keil may just have upped his game to throwing two deuce games (222 & 201) a week, and Doug Heiden who’s knowledgeable about the stock market smacked a 221, while Dennis Luttrell snares his first ink for a 221.

And it is great seeing Miguel Soto back on the lanes and he tossed a 216, Jake Swingler punched out a 215 and he’s passionate about bowling and use to blister the lanes at the old Showboat in Sin City, and Dan Erhart (575) tallied a 213 and is hoping to see his Gonzaga Zags win the whole shebang this year by taking out the UCONN Huskies in college basketball’s March Madness.

Alan Pearson merits ink for a nifty 204, Dick Lonick popped a 203 and he actually believes his Colorado Avalanche can defeat the Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup this season, and Pat Garcia continued a nice run of good scores with a 203.

Finally, Logan Hendrick, Ken Riswick, Bill Rife, and Red Powell, the Hall of Famer from Salt Lak City chucked games of 203,201, 200 and 200, respectively.

In women’s action, Bev Cormani set the scoring pace with a 589 including a 234 game, Sandy Sheppard put up scores of  577 and 212, and Cheryl Rogers put the brakes on a recent scoring funk with a darn good  575 with a 200 game effort, and Autumn Telford (572-205) is on a path to a 600 series and we know she has the game for it.

Reiko Schultz (563-190) continued a run of some nice scores over the last month, Virginia Glossa (540-189) can also put up some good scores, and is also a darn good golfer, and look for more 500-plus outings from both Pam Jacobson (505-191) and Jane Burgoyne (504). And it would not be a shock if Suzie Feheske’s 501 would be eclipsed by a much beefier one in the weeks ahead. After all, she was the driving force in seeing a dramatic increase in the number of bowlers this season in her Friday Ladies Trio League.

In single game action, Lexie Mattson is in her first year of bowling and just popped her first-ever deuce, a 222 with eight strikes including a 6-bagger. She has a great two-handed delivery and if she sticks with it she has the potential to be a force on the lanes down the road.

Meanwhile, Cindy Peterson (530) had a really good outing in the Ladies Trio League that included a 212 game, Diane Marget (552) tossed a 222, Donna Evans tossed a 207, and Molly Gomes fired a 202 in the Friday morning Ladies Trio League

John Hollaway 704-246; Dale Knight 678-237; Mike Yoder 666-227; Chance Evans 655-247; Milan Carr 655-246; Dave Pershing 651-257; Mike Rogers 640-227; Doug Love 638-221; Dean Baum 634-238; Michael “Smurffzzz” Ramirez 634-238; Dean Sheppard 625-254; Larry Moultrie 624-225; Steve Serrano 617-223; Jon Wayne 616-229; Ernie Kale 6131-247; Randy “The Legend” Kezior 608-247 ;Orlyn Meyer 244; Al Gans 242; Russ Marshall 242; Jeff Harmes 234;James Hartley 233; Jorge Munoz 228; Jeff Branche 226; Jerry Holloway 225; Dave Castro 225; Dave Johnson 224; Duane Sullivan 221; Dan Johnson 220; Dennis Hartley 216; Dale Davidson 215; Rob Cormani 215; Austin Finster 214; Darren Simonds 213; Gil Niimi 213; Mark Brackelsberg 213; Steve Kenyon 213; Bob Field 212; John Gerger 212; Dan Aslin 211; David Harris 211; Brian Collins 210; Chris Eyre 210; Harry Uncles 210; Jedd Fisher 210; Sal Diaz 210; Rob Biondo 209; Andy Robinsoin 208; Mike Foote 208; Todd Mulholland 208; Robin Drury 207; Tim Usher 207; Alan Pearson 204; Jim Rappe 203; Logan Hendrick 203; Dave Cirbo 202; Donald Gaitan 202; Javier Delgadillo 202; Alan Jacobson 201; Ken Riswick 201; Bill Rife 200; Bill Smith 200; David Houghton 200; Lee Ann Harmes 522-199; Krista Kilpatrick 537-189.