The Fall 2012 season is, without a doubt, the highest scoring session in GutterAlley history: we've seen our first perfect game, a 299, two 700+ series, two 690+ series, and the average average this season is the highest over the course of our twenty-six seasons (157.9). The position round was the best opportunity for teams to flex their muscles and try to edge in on the leads of their closest competitors. In the end, three teams came away with sweeps over their opponents just ahead of them in the league standings. The stage is set now for what will more than likely be an interesting second half. The battle between the top two teams in the standings started off with the Pocket Pounders taking Game #1 over the league leading FTOP, compliments of Steve Kiernan's 235 game. Kiernan would go on to lead the Pounders with a 635 series. Fortunately for FTOP, John Boren was able to put on his cape despite the absence of two of his teammates (some would argue his third teammate was absent as well) to get his team back on track with a Game #2 victory. The final game came down to the wire with FTOP pulling out an 18-pin charity win in Game #3 and a 3-pin total pins victory to extend their record to 24-8 – a full six games ahead of the rest of the league, thanks to Boren's team leading 573 series. The Pocket Pounders, with their one win, manage to hold onto 2nd place for another week.Lanes 43 & 44 hosted the matchup between the Turkey Hunters and Mayan Apocalypse. Fresh off his 299 game last week, the Mayans' Carl Goetz continued his quest for a perfect game by shooting a 279 to start off his night (he threw 11 strikes in the game, with a 9 and a spare in the 3rd frame – so, once again, just one pin away from a perfect game). Goetz would go on to shoot the 4th highest series in league history with his 728 en route to an absolute blow out of the Turkey Hunters. To add to the beat down, lead off bowler Scott "Scooter J" Murdock hoisted his first 600+ series (a 617!) to earn Most Valuable Bowler honors this week. The Turkey's Aubrey Moren led his team with a 594 series in the losing effort, dropping two spots into 5th place. Mayan Apocalypse continue to prophesy doom while climbing one spot into 3rd place.Continuing the domineering performances was Bobby Belt and The Facebook Friends taking all four games from rivals Split It and Hit It. Despite the team pre-bowling, The Belt's scores held up as the night progressed. Led by lead off bowler Jonathan Vigliaturo and his 551 series – the highest across both teams – Bobby Belt easily took Games #1 and #2 before Split It decided to Hit it. With a chance to steal Game #3, the guys fell shy in the 10th frame – despite anchor Dennis Blake's 494 series – and ended the night without a single victory. With their first sweep all season, Bobby Belt and The Facebook Friends ascend the standings two spots into 4th place. The Splits split from 5th to take over 6th place.Second only to the Finals, the position round is the best time to roll your all time high game and series. No one took this to heart moreso than the Ballz Out's very own Cliff Barendsen. Having spent the entire first half of the league in 8th place, Cliff's breakout performance came at just the right time as his 601 series – including a 241 and 207 – to lead his team to a clean sweep over opponents Sexual Chocolate and moving into 7th place. It goes without saying that Cliff was this week's #1 Power Ranked bowler. What makes it even more impressive is that his performance is the second best in league history. Congratulations, Cliff! Sexual Chocolate's Teresa Deterding led her team with a 475 series but it simply wasn't enough to even come close to derailing the Ballz march up the standings. Sexual Chocolate falls one spot into 8th place.Bowlers crowding The 200 Club this week include: Aubrey Moren (224), Carl Goetz (279, 256), Cliff Barendsen (241, 207), John Boren (213), Jonathan Vigliaturo (207), Pat Searcy (203, 213), Phil Schroeder (203), Ryan Doll (201), Scott Murdock (203, 200, 214), and Steve Kiernan (235, 210).The Tournament of Champions continues to heat up as the season progresses. Carl Goetz (19) continues to lead Division #1 with John Boren (12) chasing him. Aubrey Moren (13) and Phil Schroeder (10) lead Division #2, respectively. Division #3 is all but owned by Andy McLeod (19) with Dennis Blake and Anita Osthoff (7 each) battling it out for second place. Teresa Deterding (19) still controls the top spot in Division #4 but Cliff Barendsen (14) is gaining ground. Nominations for this season's Hall of Fame enshrinee are now closed. Voting will officially open next week. See you next Tuesday!

THIS WEEK'S MVB Scott Murdock Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Cliff Barendsen Runner Up: Carl Goetz	#1 H2H BOWLER Scott Murdock Runner Up: Cliff Barendsen
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) "Dammit, quit talking about me rubbing my balls!" Steve Kiernan, responding to John Boren's trash talk.