Over the course of our league's twenty-five seasons, many teams have managed to accumulate 40+ wins with the majority going on to win the championship. Only two times has a team managed to crest the 50+ win mark – the Fall 2009 champions Sweep the Leg, Johnny ended with a 55-9 record and the infamous Blue Ballers from the Fall 2000 season with an unconfirmed 53-11 record (unconfirmed, as this was before official record keeping). Week #15 saw this season's crown winners, The Turkey Hunters, joining that group as they reached the big 5-0. Beginning their matchup against a no-show ACE²S – and hoping to finish before another team for the first time all season – the Turkey Hunters had to merely beat themselves for two easy wins in Games #1 and #2. In Game #3, however, the ACE²S were able to form a legal lineup but couldn't slow down the Hunters, who completed their sweep with the help of anchor Aubrey Moren's 605 series and this week's Most Valuable Bowler, Freda Schroeder. Eric Lynch led the ACE²S with a 453 series in the losing effort, slipping one spot down into 7th place. The Hunters' record improves to 50-10.Pickles and pushups and power ranks, oh my! The matchup between Brown Belt Jones and Splits or Swallows started out with a bang. With Teresa Deterding putting on this week's #1 Power Ranked bowler performance with her team-leading 506 series, the Splits took Game #1 in a 10th frame showdown. The Belts' Ian Goetz, however, reversed his team's fortunes by shooting a 600 series on the dot to bring them team back to take a 3-1 matchup victory. Neither team move in the standings, however, with Brown Belt Jones staying in 3rd and Splits or Swallows remaining in 5th place.In what should have been a clash of the titans ended up being more of just a crash with both teams. In a pivotal matchup in the "race for 2nd place," Ryan Doll of the X-Men came out firing with a 253 game (ending with a team-leading 635 series) to easily take Game #1. That's when the cagey veterans of Strange Bedfellows woke up and took care of business. With Carl Goetz hoisting a 255 – and a 601 series to boot – the Bedfellows managed to scrape out a 3-1 matchup victory to keep them seated in 2nd. The X-Men remain in 4th place.Down on Lanes 25 & 26, the pins were flying. With Bowled to Death's Matt Bell rolling his first 200+ game (a 202!), Games #1 and #2 went in their favor. Game #3, however, saw a change in temperature as rigor mortis set in for Bowled while Ballsagna caught fire. With the Balls' Russell Madsen hoisting a 464 series, he not only provided the necessary pins to take the last game but managed to secure total pins by the slimmest of margins to split the series at 2-2. Bowled moved up one notch in the standings into 6th while Ballsagna remains in 8th place.Bowlers laughing at the Royals' 12th consecutive loss while throwing back drinks in The 200 Club this week include: Aubrey Moren (227, 226), Bob Brunker (221), Carl Goetz (255), Dennis "Pops" Laube (206), Ian Goetz (241), Matt Bell (202), Ryan Doll (253, 200), and Seth Gunderson (205).After battling it out all season long, the battle for all the marbles that will crown this season's winner of Tournament of Champions will take place next week. The breakdown of those that will be competing in Round #1 are as follows:#1 - Ian Goetz vs. #8 - Chris Klee#2 - Bill Krejci vs. #7 - Russell Madsen#3 - Aubrey Moren vs. #6 - Rob Kaszuba#4 - Dennis Laube vs. #5 - Jonathan Vigliaturo Good luck to those participants still in the hunt to be this season's winner.Voting for the Hall of Fame nominees is now closed. Thank you to everyone that voted. The winner will be announced during the Fun Night on May 8th.The Finals take place next week and the lineup it's the same format as the position round:1st place vs. 2nd place 3rd place vs. 4th place5th place vs. 6th place7th place vs. 8th placeSee you next Tuesday!

THIS WEEK'S MVB Freda Schroeder Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Teresa Deterding Runner Up: Ian Goetz	#1 H2H BOWLER Teresa Deterding Runner Up: Angela Bradford
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) "Dammit, AB! The second I got it out, I couldn't get it in time." Ken, to Angela Bradford while trying to take a picture with his cell phone of Matt Bell's oddly place belt.

With only a handful of weeks until the Finals take place, it's being touted as "the battle for second place." And while we can't give the official update just yet due to the results of one contender's matchup delayed until some post-bowling takes place, it's safe to say that one team truly took the necessary steps to put themselves ahead of the pack while another team continues to get big output – and big wins – out of a relatively quiet member as the season wraps up.The matchup between opponents Strange Bedfellows and Bowled to Death cannot be reported yet as Bowled needs to post-bowl. We will report the outcome as soon as all the scores are in.Last week, the X-Men's Rob Kaszuba threw the best series he's ever thrown and was named the Most Valuable Bowler. Did he rest on his laurels? Not at all. Combining with anchor Ryan Doll's team-leading 590 series, Kaszuba brought the right amount of counterattack to push his team into another four wins this week...this time at the expense of opponents Ballsagna. The Balls, led by anchor Russell Madsen, failed to make a dent into the surging X-Men despite his 456 series. While Ballsagna remains in 8th, the X-Men tentatively look like they may advance to 3rd place. On pace to being only the second team in recorded league history to reach 50 wins, season champions Turkey Hunters ran into an unlikely combination Tuesday night – themselves and Brown Belt Jones. After dropping Game #1, compliments of The Belts' Bill Krejci and his team leading 593 series, the Turkeys struck back to take Game #2 thanks to Aubrey Moren's 625 series and his #1 Power Ranked bowler status for the week. Game #3, however, became a battle of attrition as both teams underperformed but came out in The Belt's favor, as did total pins. This is the first time since Week #11 of last season that the team has lost an actual matchup to anyone in the league. Brown Belt Jones remains in 2nd while the Turkey Hunters continue to celebrate their undeniable championship.Down on Lanes 25 & 26, the ACE²S had to think it was their night against opponents Splits or Swallows. After winning Game #1 and seeing teammate Ed Felix hoist his new personal best game (a 190!) and best series (422), things were looking pretty good...until the Splits swallowed them up to take a 3-1 matchup victory. AJ Hofmann provided the most oomph for those that Swallow with his 436 series while the team remains in 5th place. Eric Lynch of the ACE²S led his team with a 424 series but simply could not manage more than that Game #1 victory. The team remains in 6th place.Bowlers being bought drinks by Sweep the Leg, Johnny at The 200 Club this week include: Aubrey Moren (223, 235), Bill Krejci (219), and Ryan Doll (200, 224).The latest results of the Tournament of Champions cannot be calculated yet due to the post-bowling. There is just one more week left to vote for this season's Hall of Fame nominees. Congratulations to candidates Bob Brunker, Dennis "Pops" Laube, Janelle (Laube) Lamar, Pat Searcy, Phil Schroeder, and Seth Gunderson. Be sure to get in there and vote!See you next Tuesday!

THIS WEEK'S MVB Rob Kaszuba Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Aubrey Moren Runner Up: Bill Krejci	#1 H2H BOWLER Rob Kaszuba Runner Up: Bill Krejci
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) "Yesssss! I need to find Pops' address so I can send him a thank you card." John Boren, from his home upon reading the news that his all-time league win record will continue to stand.

Last season, something strange happened. Defying logic and beating the odds, four veteran bowlers who had rolled together for years – Phil Schroeder, Freda Schroeder, Dennis "Pops" Laube, and Aubrey Moren – found their mojo and used it to win the Fall 2011 championship. Well, they've done it again this season, along with new recruit Anita Osthoff. Congratulations to the Spring 2012 champions, Turkey Hunters, who clinched the crown this week!And speaking of this week, some gigantic scores came out of the bowlers of GutterAlley en route to the battle for 2nd place and beyond. And now that the post-bowling scores are in, here's the full run-down...After their surprising 2-2 split last week, The Turkey Hunters regrouped and wrapped up their second consecutive championship at the expense of opponents Splits or Swallows with an emphatic 4-0 victory in which not a single game was even close. Leading the charge was anchor Aubrey Moren and his 622 series. The championship is the 6th for Dennis "Pops" Laube, 4th for Freda and Phil Schroeder, 3rd for Aubrey Moren, and 1st for Anita Osthoff. AJ Hofmann's 448 series led the Swallows in the losing effort, and remain in 5th place. Ian Goetz began this season as a man on a mission, proving that he can lead a team to victory out from underneath the shadow of his Hall of Fame father. Well, Week 13 was his coming out party. Leading his team Brown Belt Jones to a clean sweep over opponents ACE²S Tuesday night with both his own personal best game – a 266 – and his best series to date – a 695, along with a spot on the Top 25 Highest Series of All Time list and easily earning #1 Power Ranked bowler honors. The victories push The Belt back into 2nd place. Chris Klee's 402 series led the charge for the ACE²S – complimented by Ed Felix's new personal highest series of 398 – while the team remains in 6th place. With Bowled to Death opting to post-bowl this week, the rollers of the X-Men showed up Tuesday night to deal their damage. No one did more than Rob Kaszuba. Rolling his personal best high series to date – a 568 – Rob personally led his team to a 4-0 sweep over the competition and earned Most Valuable Bowler honors in the process. Bowled's Matt Bell led the charge for his crew, shooting a 471 series, but was unable to reverse the X-Men's fortunes. Neither team moves up or down in the league standings, however, with the X-Men holding onto 4th and Bowled to Death still sitting in 7th place.Down on Lanes 25 & 26, Ballsagna and Strange Bedfellows exchanged blows in some of the tightest contests of the evening. After ending Game #1 with a tie, Ballsagna took Game #2 with the last throw of the game in the 10th frame. Game #3 and, subsequently total pins, went in favor of the Bedfellows compliments of Bob Brunker's team-leading 519 series, to take the matchup 2.5-1.5 in the end. The Balls' Orion Kinkaid put up the best series for his team, ending the night with a 442 to secure the 1.5 victories. The Bedfellows topple a spot to 3rd while Ballsagna remains in 8th place.Bowlers having to hear the Turkey Hunters brag about their run in The 200 Club this week include: Aubrey Moren (241, 203), Bill Krejci (231, 213), Freda Schroeder (206), Ian Goetz (221, 266, 208), and, wait a minute...Scott Murdock (207)?!?With the actual Tournament of Champions just a few weeks away, those bowlers in the hunt to be qualifiers are as follows: Division #1 features a tie between Carl Goetz and Ken M. Wilson (17 points). Aubrey Moren (29 points) continues to be lead Division #2 with Bob Brunker (22 point) in second place. Division #3 has Jonathan Vigliaturo and Rob Kaszuba as its top seeds (20 points). Russell Madsen (20 points) continues to lead Division #4 with Chris Klee just behind him (18 points).Voting for this season's Hall of Fame nominees is now open. Congratulations to candidates Bob Brunker, Dennis "Pops" Laube, Janelle (Laube) Lamar, Pat Searcy, Phil Schroeder, and Seth Gunderson. Be sure to get in there and vote!See you next Tuesday!

THIS WEEK'S MVB Rob Kaszuba Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Ian Goetz Runner Up: Rob Kaszuba	#1 H2H BOWLER Ian Goetz Runner Up: Bill Krejci
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) "Here's what I want to know - why the hell is she wearing white?!?" Bob Brunker, to Ken and Carl after being shown Angela Bradford's 1983 wedding photos.

As the Spring 2012 season marches onward, teams celebrated their victories and lament their losses in Week 12. In all four matchups Tuesday night, at least one game was settled by the slimmest of margins reinforcing the old bowling adage that "every pins counts." That single open frame or the low count following a spare early in the game may come back to haunt you when all is said and done. Such was the case across the board in this week's rehash of GutterAlley. Ready to get into the specifics? We are too.In a matchup of the two teams that the league determined to be the most fun to face, the return of Strange Bedfellows' super anchor Carl Goetz didn't make it so much fun for opponents Brown Belt Jones. Continuing to put up huge numbers – and easily being labeled the #1 Power Ranked bowler – Goetz put up a 695 series to lead his team to a 4-0 bounce back after the Bedfellows' paltry performance last week without him. The Belt, which started out strongly behind Jonathan Vigliaturo's 521 series – including a 225 performance in Game #1 – put up their best fight in Game #1 before dropping it in the 10th frame. The four wins once again find the two teams exchanging positions in the standings, with the Bedfellows reclaiming 2nd while The Belt slips back down into 3rd place.Many in the league have openly wondered, "who can stop the Turkey Hunters?" That answer came in the form of Bowled to Death in one of the closest finishes we've had all season. After a Game #1 rout by Bowled in Game #1 – compliments of a stellar performance from lead off bowler Ellen Neidlinger and her 446 series (including a new personal high game of 178) – the league's reigning champions struck back big in Game #2 to even the series at a game apiece. Game #3 came down to the wire with Bowled to Death coming away with a 9-pin victory but total pins went to the Turkeys...by a margin of a single pin, splitting the series at 2-2. Hall of Fame candidate Dennis "Pops" Laube led the Turkeys with his 563 series. While the Hunters remain firmly out in first place, Bowled to Death gained some ground in the win column but remain in 7th place.Another back and forth battle for supremacy took place down on Lanes 23 & 24 between competitors Ballsagna and the ACE²S. Striking first to take Game #1 was the Balls' anchor Russell Madsen and his team leading 412 series to secure the first win of their night. Not to be outdone, the ACE's anchor Eric Lynch returned to his yesteryear form to shoot a 231 to reverse his team's fortunes in Game #2. Lynch would go on to lead his team with a 531 series. Game #3 was settled by a 5-pin margin in the 10th frame in favor of Ballsagna but total pins netting out in the ACE's favor, splitting the series at 2-2. Neither team rose nor fell in the league standings, however, with the ACE²S refusing to move out of 6th and Ballsagna remaining in 8th place.The last time that Splits or Swallows faced powerhouse team X-Men, their anchor didn't show up and they ended the night with three wins. Well, this time around, they added a new anchor – Jake Parrott – who put on this week's Most Valuable Bowler performance with his career best 528 series to come away with a 3-1 matchup victory. Game #1 was easily won by the X-Men with anchor Ryan Doll's 237 game, en route to a team leading 644 series. From that point onward, though, the night belonged to the Swallowers. After an 8-pin win in Game #2, Splits or Swallows went on to emphatically take Game #3 as well as total pins to improve their record to 23-25...a single game behind opponents X-Men in the standings. The two teams remain in 4th and 5th place, respectively. Bowlers celebrating KU's inevitable loss in March Madness in The 200 Club this week include: Angela Bradford (223), Carl Goetz (236, 246, 213), Dennis "Pops" Laube (233), Eric Lynch (231), Jonathan Vigliaturo (225), Ken M. Wilson (204, 202), and Ryan Doll (237, 209).There aren't that many weeks left until the actual Tournament of Champions takes place with the top eight seeds in the league. Division #1 features a tie between Carl Goetz and Ken M. Wilson (17 points). Aubrey Moren (29 points) continues to be lead Division #2 with Bob Brunker (21 point) in second place. Division #3 has Jonathan Vigliaturo at its top seed (20 points) with Anita Osthoff moving into second (15 points). Russell Madsen (19 points) continues to lead Division #4 with Chris Klee just behind him (18 points).Voting for this season's Hall of Fame nominees is now open. Congratulations to candidates Bob Brunker, Dennis "Pops" Laube, Janelle (Laube) Lamar, Pat Searcy, Phil Schroeder, and Seth Gunderson. Be sure to get in there and vote!See you next Tuesday!

THIS WEEK'S MVB Jake Parrott Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Carl Goetz Runner Up: Jake Parrott	#1 H2H BOWLER Jake Parrott Runner Up: Carl Goetz
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) "They can have total pins. Any team that takes this long to bowl – and remain alive – deserves to win." Eric Lemmon, after staying up past his bed time bowling The Turkey Hunters.