BOWLING: Tony Urias chucks a 657 series in rare Mesquite bowling feat

The holy grail for the vast majority of league bowlers is throwing a 300 game, followed by an even much tougher challenge,, tossing a jaw-dropping 800 series.

However, those same bowlers know scaling those heights can take years, if ever, and the path to those goals almost always begins with shooting a 600 series, which rarely happens in one’s first season of league bowling.

However, Tony Urias is one of a small handful of bowlers I know of in both Mesquite and St. St George who’s punched out a 600 series in his rookie season which is definitely not an easy feat. But Urias made it look easy after he began Mesquite Merchants Men’s League action for his Bull Dog Towing team throwing six strikes in a 185 game, followed by seven in a 215, and punctuated a memorable 600 series with an electrifying third game with eight strikes including a six bagger for a season-high 257 with a total of 21 strikes paving the way for a standout 657 series which also raised his average to 166 from 164.

Now it should be noted his current 166 average is over 78 games, but in just the last two months thanks in part to practice sessions on the weekends, his game has shown impressive improvement. In fact, over his last 21 games he’s averaged 182.47. And from week eight to week 27, a 22 pin improvement in his average is better than 95 of the 96 bowlers in the league. The only bowler who’s improved more is teammate, Roman Perez with a 24 pin improvement.

The bottom line is, combine his natural athletic ability, practice sessions, a delivery which generates tons of revs and his game has huge upside with the potential down the road to be a scoring juggernaut on the lanes. And while not a slam dunk, a 700 series in his sophomore season is definitely doable and we’re predicting it will happen along with also taking out his career-high 257.

Urias was a three-sport athlete at Virgin Valley High School in baseball, football and basketball, and as a left-handed pitcher once threw a one-hitter in a junior varsity game, and later on the varsity team once had a no hitter going until late in the game.

Away from bowling, Urias is a huge sports fan who also bleeds the black and gold of the Pittsburg Steelers, enjoys staying physically active and that includes playing racquetball and golf which he’s also darn good at, and hopes to eventually play a round at iconic Pebble Beach.

In other pin action, while the grind of a long season is rapidly winding down and three leagues are already finished, bowlers are still mowing down pins, and Al Gans steamrolled the lanes to take high-series honors with a stellar 732 on games of 279, 247 and 206 which raised his M.M.M. League average to 208 from 206, and Michael “Smurffzzz” Ramirez showcased his ability to throw strikes with 27 while throwing games of 279, 236 and 204 for a top-notch 719 set.

Meanwhile, James Hartley’s 700 raised his M.M.M. League average to 197 after racking up games of 257, 233 and 189, Bob Wells fired 24 strikes in a 690 with games of 258, 248 and 184, and Chase Evans chalked up 20 strikes along with clean games of 257 and 203 in a 686 effort.

Mike Yoder (677-25) raised his average a point to 209 with another quality outing, Bruce Hooley (665-224,221,220) was a pillar of consistency in Kings & Queens League play which raised his average a point to 199, and Steve Serrano’s 17 strikes and marks on 12-of-13 spare attempts during games of248, 207, and 203 paved the way for a 658 continuing a string of weekly 600 scores.

And fueled by 20 strikes, Ernie Kala popped a 650 set with games of 226, 224, and 200, Dennis Craft (648-233,212, 203) without much fanfare is putting together a darn good season, and Jacob Martinez who graduated with honors from Utah Tech University put together his best outing in the several weeks with a 637 and 236 game.

Harry Uncles (631-220) continued a first-rate scoring blitz of late, Wade Heileson’s best outing this season in Early Risers League action included a clean 216, 15 strikes and spares on 14-of-15 non-split spare attempts en route to a 613, and Ken Meacham (608-236) had a good week and word on the street is he’s placed a sizeable bet on his loaded Los Angeles Dodgers winning the World Series.

And Jon Fjeld (605-235) definitely merits ink after thumping the lanes with his first 600 since his return to bowling following knee replacement surgery and his effort included 20 strikes, Bob Robbins (603-211) gets ink for his umpteenth 600, and powered by 17 strikes and clean 234, Josue Mendoza chalked up another 600 series with a 602

In single game action, Chris Scott finished atop the scoring food chain with a career-high  291 game with 11 strikes en route to his first-ever 700 series, a superb 713 which included a total of 25 strikes, Scott Mattingly (688) was one of three bowlers who popped a 279, and Max Burgess (597) blistered the lanes with nine strikes in a terrific season-high 263, and he’s mentioned to friends before the best move he made as a dentist in SoCal was to hire as the office manager, his wife, BA.

Meanwhile, John Martin (672) is a heckuva good bowler from St. George who’s 260 fell six pins shy of eclipsing a season-high 265, Austin Finster (618) popped a 255, Myles Benally cruised to a 245, and Dave Houghton fired a season-high 244.

Alan Pearson (584) smacked a season-high 234, Johnny Harper’s 230 has only been topped by a 235, Nick Medina registered a clean 232 with six strikes, and Dan Aslin bagged a 231 and here’s betting he’s logged more miles hiking than any other bowler in Mesquite.

And Bob Davis hammered out a season-high 228, while Dave Cirbo booked a 200 on the nose, and he also fired a 9 pin no-tap 300 on the City High Rollers fun night.

On the women’s side of the ledger, Bobbie Robbins set the scoring pace with a  560 effort and nice 221 game, and Bev Cormani capsized 533 sticks including a 190.

Meanwhile, Anita Sorensen peppered the lanes with a season-high 526 in Ladies Trio League action which included eight total strikes including four in a 190 effort. And two keys to her good series included going an impressive 3-of-3 on her 10 pin leaves, along with limiting her open frames to six.

Away from bowling she was a trailblazer of sorts in that of being woman in the early innings of the computer revolution with positions that ran the gamut from being a computer programmer followed by being an IT Project Manager managing a team of programmers, and finally in a similar capacity worked for, and retired from the the Utah State Board of Education.

Sorensen also has two sons who served in the United States Military, has started pumping iron, and soon will be embarking on a cruise to Europe with her husband, Buck.

And Suzie Fehseke who does a great job as secretary of the Ladies Trio League spanked the lanes with a 502. which included eight total strikes and a clean 204, and away from bowling teaches line dance at the recreation center every Monday and Wednesday morning and also teaches and coordinate a Mahjong group at the Senior Center twice a week. She also loves golfing and as even golfed courses in Australia.

In other league play, Jane Burgoyne also booked a 504 and Donna Evans also hit the 500 mark with a 501.

Burgoyne has a daughter Amada is enshrined in the Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame for her championship bowling exploits at the university. and Donna Evans registered a 501.

In single game play, Lee Ann Harmes (544) rolled a 227, Reiko Schultz (553) who’s been on a nice run of good scores posted a 214, Georgia Godfrey (543) shot a 200, while Lynae Page (505) smacked a 200, and Dodie Melendez (507) notched a 198.

John Hollaway 658-247; Sal Diaz 638-232; Milan Carr 635-236; Larry Moultrie 634-217; Orlyn Meyer 633-223; Angel Hernandez 631-220; Dean Baum 629-234; Darren Simonds 629-238; Dylan Kesl 624-223; Chance Evans 623-233; Duane Sullivan 623-227; Doug Love 627-214; Tony Zaccheus 612-222; Nick Paul 611-223′ Gil Niimi 6010-22; Mike Gentry 601-223; Dale Knight 239; Jerry Holloway 238; Mike Foote 237; Harold Hendrick 236; Randy Kezior 231; Robin Drury 225; Skip Hayzlet 224; Stan Benally 221; Bobby Dixon 217; Roman Perez 215; Dale Davidson 214; Allen Cope 214; Bill Funk 214; Gary Smith 214; Rob Cormani 212; Jorge Munoz 210; Louis Dilisio 210; George Huston 209; Dean Sheppard 205; Frank Burdett 205; Jim Lytle 205; Chris Westwood 204; Bill Rife 203; Ken Zimmerschied; 203;John Gerger 202; Frank Addamo 201; Mike Bock 291l Sheila Green 513-196.