The Fall 2012 season came to an official conclusion on Tuesday night, complete with prize disbursement and the announcement of the various season-ending awards.This season proved to be a big one for returning bowlers shooting their all time personal bests (obviously rookies had their highest games, series, and average ever in the league this season so we left them off):Highest game?Anita Osthoff, Aubrey Moren, Carl Goetz, David Codding, Dennis Blake, and Steve KiernanHighest series?Anita Osthoff, Aubrey Moren, Bill Krejci, Dennis Blake, John Boren, Scott Murdock, and Steve KiernanHighest season-ending average?Bill Krejci, Dennis Blake, Jonathan Vigliaturo, Scott Murdock, Seth Gunderson, and Steve KiernanFive bowlers also put up scores that put them into the all-time records in league history:Anita Osthoff moved up to take over the 3rd spot of all-time for Women's High Series Scratch with her 556 series in Week #16. That same week she also moved into the 4th place spot of all-time for Women's High Series Handicap with a 673. To round it out, Anita shot a 212 in Week #12 which pushes her into the 5th spot all-time for Women's High Game Scratch.John Boren took over the 5th spot of all-time for Men's High Series Scratch with his 715 series in Week #7.Rookie Cliff Barendsen certainly made his mark in his debut season by taking over the 5th place of all-time for Men's High Series Handicap via his 769 series in Week #8. That same week, he moved into the 5th spot on the all-time list for Men's High Game Handicap with a 297 as well as the 4th highest game on the Men's High Pins Over Average by outdoing himself by 111 pins. Carl Goetz nearly achieved perfection during Week #7 with his 299, tying Ken M. Wilson for the 2nd highest Men's High Game Scratch game in league history. That same game gave Carl the 3rd all-time best game for Men's High Game Handicap with a 303. David Codding, however, did one better in Week #6 when he threw the one and only perfect game in league history to permanently take over the top spot in the Men's High Game Scratch category. Comically, that same game tied him with Orion Kinkaid as the 4th highest Men's High Game Handicap with...a 300. Lastly, Codding's Week #7 average moved him into a three-way tie with Cory Chorpenning and Carl Goetz as the 3rd best Men's High Average.The biggest individual achievements for the season came out as follows:Women's High Series Scratch: Freda Schroeder (560)Women's High Game Scratch: Anita Osthoff (212)Women's High Series Handicap: Teresa Deterding (641)Women's High Game Handicap: Ryan Doll (every game he bowled)Women's Pins Over Average: Anita Osthoff +66Women's Most Improved Bowler: Anita Osthoff +27Men's High Series Scratch: Carl Goetz (728)Men's High Game Scratch: David Codding (300)Men's High Series Handicap:Cliff Barendsen (769)Men's High Game Handicap: John Boren (267)Men's Pins Over Average: Cliff Barendsen +111Men's Most Improved Bowler: Cliff Barendsen +29The results of the Season Favorites were announced at the Tuesday night meeting:Rookie of the Season - Cliff Barendsen (Michael Smith, runner-up)Captain of the Season - Ryan Doll (Ken M. Wilson, runner-up)Carl Goetz Defensive Bowler of the Season - Bill Krejci (David Codding, runner-up)Underdog of the Season - Teresa Deterding (Dave Winger, runner-up)Bob Brunker Good Sportsmanship Award - Rob Kaszuba (John Boren, runner-up)Emily Podhajsky Good Sportsmanship Award - Anita Osthoff (Teresa Deterding, runner-up)Most Fun Team to Face - Bobby Belt and The Facebook Friends (FTOP, runner-up)Most Feared Team - FTOP (Mayan Apocalypse, runner-up)People's Choice: Most Valuable Bowler - David Codding (John Boren, runner-up)Actual individual team MVBs:Ballz Out - Cliff BarendsenBobby Belt and The Facebook Friends - Bill KrejciFTOP - John BorenMayan Apocalypse - Pat SearcyPocket Pounders - Neil RiegerSexual Chocolate - Teresa DeterdingSplit It and Hit It - Dennis BlakeTurkey Hunters - Freda Schroeder and Aubrey Moren (tie)Actual: Most Valuable Bowler - Neil Rieger (John Boren, Cliff Barendsen, Teresa Deterding, and Dennis Blake, runners-up)Cumulative #1 Power Ranked Bowler: Ryan Doll (Cliff Barendsen, runner-up)The Tournament of Champions was won by Andy McLeod in a hurry up and wait win against runner-up Scott Murdock. As this season's champ, Andy received an additional $42 in his prize envelope. Scoot received $22 for second place. Prize money was handed out for the teams based upon wins:1. FTOP (39-25)2. Pocket Pounders (38.5-25.5)3. Mayan Apocalypse (35-29)4. Turkey Hunters (35-29)5. Bobby Belt and the Facebook Friends (33-31)6. Sexual Chocolate (26-38)7. Split It and Hit It (25.5-38.5)8. Ballz Out (24-40)And lastly, David Codding was officially inducted into the GutterAlley Hall of Fame after being selected over Demond Robinson, Janelle "Nellie" (Laube) Lamar, Jason Carpio, Pat Searcy, and Seth Gunderson by the voters of the bowling community.Congratulations to all of the winners this season!

The Finals proved to be the closest one in quite some time as the eight teams lined up to face one another for the last time in the conclusion of the Fall 2012 season of GutterAlley action. One bowler entered The 700 Club, another bowler won his first Tournament of Champions, only two teams swapped places in the league standings, and four bowlers added another title under their belts. Ready for the recap? I know I am...Note: Voting for the Fall 2012 Season Favorites is now open. The ballot will remain available until noon on Tuesday, December 18th. Please take a minute or two and fill it out. Thank you!Mathematically, only two teams had the option to walk away as this season's champs. Meeting up on Lanes 41 and 42, FTOP and Pocket Pounders were separated by the slimmest of margins – half a game. In a showdown of the anchors, the Pounder's Ryan Doll (618) and FTOP's Ken M. Wilson (604) led their teams in a true back and forth. Game #1 went to the Pocket Pounders by a 41-pin margin. Game #2 looked to be going the Pounders way until FTOP's John Boren gave a venom-laced inspirational speech that brought his team back into it and pulling off a 20-pin upset. Game #3 was a winner takes all situation with the victors walking away with the league championship. With the game as tight as one could ask for, it came down to a single roll by Wilson in the bottom of the 10th frame to either win or lose the whole thing...and with a single strike, it was all over. FTOP ended their season with a league best 39-25 record. Congratulations to John Boren, Cory Chorpenning, David Codding, and Ken M. Wilson on being the Fall 2012 league champions! The title was Boren's third, Chorpenning's second, Codding's fifth, and Wilson's twelfth. The Pocket Pounders finish in 2nd place with a record of 38.5-25.5.In the battle for 3rd and 4th place, Mayan Apocalypse went into the matchup trailing opponents Turkey Hunters by two games. By the end of the night, their positions would reverse as the Mayans handed out a 3-1 beat down to the Turkeys. With Hall of Fame nominee Pat Searcy's 586 series leading the way along with a stellar performance out of this week's Most Valuable Bowler Anita Osthoff, the Mayans only dropped Game #1 before predicting – and subsequently earning – the next three wins to push ahead into 3rd place by a total pins tie breaker. The Turkey Hunter's Freda Schroeder led her team with a 560 series in the losing effort. Both teams end the season with a winning record, 35-29. No one gave up or gained any ground in the battle for 5th and 6th place. After putting on a clinic last week, Bobby Belt and The Facebook Friends' very own Bill Krejci rolled his all-time personal best series – an incredible 703 – to not only sweep opponents Sexual Chocolate but also earning him #1 Power Ranked bowler honors as well as a spot on the Top 25 Highest Series of All Time. Welcome to The 700 Club, Krejci! Sexual Chocolate's Jason Carpio put up the highest series for his team – a 536 – but simply could not stop the Krejci train. The Belt ends their run this season with a 33-31 record good enough for 5th place while Sexual Chocolate wraps it up in 6th with a record of 26-38. Down on the final pair of lanes, Split It and Hit It looked to keep themselves from slipping into the cellar as they faced surging opponents Ballz Out. With the Ballz' own Cliff Barendsen putting up a team-leading 521 series, they almost pulled it off. Winning Games #1 and #2 (including a 117-pin blowout in the second matchup), victory looked to be in the bag before the men of Split It and Hit It regrouped and ended the Ballz' quest to ascend the league standings. Split It's Dennis Blake led the team with his 482 series and ends up in 7th place with a 25.5-38.5 record. Cliff and the rest of the Ballz wrap up the fall season with a record of 24-40 in 8th place.Bowlers wondering who will be this season's Hall of Fame enshrinee while knocking back drinks in The 200 Club this week include: Anita Osthoff (202), Bill Krejci (246, 236, 221), Cliff Barendsen (219), Cory Chorpenning (225), David Codding (200), Freda Schroeder (202), John Boren (227), Ken M. Wilson (215, 208), Neil Rieger (204, 203), Pat Searcy (238), and Ryan Doll (246).The grand finale of this season's Tournament of Champions came to an end with Andy McLeod besting Scott Murdock in the big finish. Congratulations to Andy and Scoot, both of whom will receive extra money in next week's prize envelopes. For those of you new to the league this session, next week is what we call the Fun Night. We gather together and hand out the prize envelopes, all of which will contain money for each win that your team has earned. In addition to the dough for the wins, extra money is awarded to the bowlers that achieved the highest individual scores throughout the season. They include:Men's:High Series Scratch - Carl Goetz (728)High Game Scratch - David Codding (300)High Series Handicap - Cliff Barendsen (769)High Game Handicap - John Boren (267)Women's:High Series Scratch - Freda Schroeder (560)High Game Scratch - Anita Osthoff (212)High Series Handicap - Teresa Deterding (641)Also of note, Anita Osthoff (+27) was this season's most improved female while Cliff Barendsen (+29) was this season's most improved male bowler.The Hall of Fame will also induct its latest member. See you next Tuesday!

THIS WEEK'S MVB Anita Osthoff Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Bill Krejci Runner Up: Anita Osthoff	#1 H2H BOWLER Bill Krejci Runner Up: Freda Schroeder
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) "I'm sorry, I can't hear you all the way down there from the 8th place lanes." Ryan Doll, attempting to hear some trash talk from Dennis Blake before the night got underway.

And then there were two...Week #15 is now in the history books and with it came what could prove to be the wildest finish in league history. Every single team could move up or down in the standings once the results of the Finals are tallied. For instance:FTOP could end with the crown or fall to 2nd place.Pocket Pounders could move up into 1st place or fall to 3rd.Turkey Hunters could move up to 2nd or fall to 4th place.Mayan Apocalypse could climb as high as 3rd or fall to an unprophesied 5th.Bobby Belt and the Facebook Friends have a shot at 4th or could drop to 6th.Sexual Chocolate could slide up to 5th or melt down into 7th.Split It and Hit It can aim for 6th or end up in the cellar.Ballz Out are a sweep away from moving up to 7th otherwise they end their season in 8th place.But, all of that will be settled next week. Let's check out what happened to lead up to all of this...In a preview of their matchup next week, Split It and Hit It came out to take Game #1 over opponents Ballz Out. Not to be outdone, the Ballz' Cliff Barendsen put up a 508 series to even the matchup at a game apiece after a Game #2 victory. Split It's anchor Dennis Blake, and his 503 series, managed to turn the tide in his team's favor with a 10th frame 7-pin victory to steal Game #3. Total pins? A dead tie. The 7th place Split It and Hit It will face 8th place Ballz Out once more this season to settle the score.After an impressive second half of the season, the two time reigning champion Turkey Hunters fell just a little shy of being able to sneak up to land a third consecutive title. With this week's #1 Power Ranked bowler Aubrey Moren leading the way with his 640 series, the Turkeys busted down opponents Mayan Apocalypse in a 3-1 matchup victory. Hall of Fame nominee Pat Searcy put up the biggest numbers for the Apocalypse – a 605 – but could only land his team a single notch in the win column. The two teams will once again face off in the Finals. In a week that current league leaders FTOP had a possibility to wrap up the season and walk off with the title, they ran into Bobby Belt and The Facebook Friends...hardcore. With The Belt's anchor Bill Krejci putting up a 592 series along with Jonathan Vigliaturo earning Most Valuable Bowler honors, FTOP didn't stand a chance. Bobby Belt reminded FTOP that their pathway to the crown would not be an easy one by leaving them with the tiniest of leads over the league after handing them a 3-1 beatdown. The Belt, currently in 5th place, will wage war against the 6th place team next week while FTOP will be competing in the championship match. David Codding led the league with a 654 series in the losing effort. Continuing to gain ground in the standings, the Pocket Pounders added more wins to their record after defeating opponents Sexual Chocolate 3-1 in the last week before the Finals. For the second week in a row, the Pounder's Neil Rieger led the way – this time with a 599 series. Jason Carpio of Sexual Chocolate put up the top numbers for his team, ending the night with a 525 and a 2-pin 10th frame victory to earn his team their lone win of the night in Game #2. Sexual Chocolate, still in 6th place, will do battle with Bobby Belt next week while the men of the Pocket Pounders will each be rolling for their first title each.Bowlers making bets on the Finals in the The 200 Club this week include: Andy McLeod (204), Aubrey Moren (233, 222), Bill Krejci (222), David Codding (218, 222, 214), Dennis Blake (204), John Boren (216, 214), Neil Rieger (224), and Pat Searcy (207, 209).The seeding for the Tournament of Champions is all set. Congratulations to the eight bowlers that managed to claw their way to the top spots in their respective divisions: Carl Goetz (#1 seed), John Boren (#2), Phil Schroeder (#3), Aubrey Moren (#4), Andy McLeod (#5), Scott Murdock (#6), Cliff Barendsen (#7) and Teresa Deterding (#8). Want to see who is facing who for the whole thing? Check out the championship bracket.Thank you to everyone that voted on this season's Hall of Fame ballot. Voting is now closed and the winner will be announced during the league's Fun Night on December 18th.See you next Tuesday!

THIS WEEK'S MVB Jonathan Vigliaturo Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Aubrey Moren Runner Up: Pat Searcy	#1 H2H BOWLER Pat Searcy Runner Up: David Codding
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) "I want league night restarted right now. Get those bowlers back in here! Turn those machines back on! TURN THOSE MACHINES BACK ON!!!" Ken M. Wilson, from afar, after his team's lead over the league evaporated to a mere half a game.