We are now halfway through the Fall 2024 season, and an electrifying eighth week brought no changes to the standings—but the drama on the lanes was palpable! Tension ran high as two matches ended in split results, and one battle saw a staggering number of actual splits, keeping bowlers on edge. JoAnne Barber delivered this week’s top game (152) and series (409) for the women, while Ben Spencer dominated for the men with a high game of 228 and a commanding 614 series. The excitement didn't stop there—read on for all the details and check out your bingo results too!

Squid Row's New Squidrobe (click to see larger)

First up, on lanes 1 & 2: It was a head-to-head showdown between two teams evenly matched in skill, Squid Row and Scootytang. With #1 Power Ranked and #1 Head-to-Head Ben Spencer leading the charge for new-duds-sporting Squid Row with his sensational 614 series, they aimed to seize control. But Tang refused to back down, fueled by Aaron Barber's 568 series, and the two teams fought to a standstill, splitting the series. Despite the deadlock, Squid Row was elated to show off their new shirts and maintain their grip on 1st place, while Tang remained in 6th and contemplating wearing matching team underwear for better luck next week.

On lanes 3 & 4: The air was thick with tension—and the sound of splits—on the notorious split-heavy lanes. The battle between Bowls Deep and Scooter's Succulent Sausages™ produced an incredible 23 splits (only 3 were picked up!) during three very close games, leaving both teams on the edge of their seats. Kent Harms attempted to penetrate Bowls Deep with a solid 518 series, but despite his efforts, they could only scrape together a single victory. On the other hand, Most Valuable Bowler Dustin Schmeltz stepped up with a meaty 565 series, guiding his Sausages to 3 juicy wins. Bowls Deep, devastated by the outcome, clung to their 3rd place standing, while the Sausages celebrated staying comfortably in 2nd.

Finally, down on lanes 5 & 6: The battle between Stealing Pins in the Burrows and Sun Dolphins was as tightly contested. Nathan Burrows set the pace for the Pin Thieves with a strong 420 series, but the Dolphins, with Clayton Burrow delivering a clutch 399 series, matched them point for point. In the end, the series was split evenly, with both teams walking away with hard-fought victories. Stealing Pins in the Burrows remained in 4th place, while Sun Dolphins, holding firm in 5th, splashed away with determination.

Bowlers sneaking into The 200 Club include: Aaron Barber (204,210), Ben Spencer (228), Dennis Walling (210), and Dustin Schmeltz (201)

JoAnne Barber earned both this season's women's high game and series with her 152 and 409, respectively.

In this week's Tournament of Champions brackets: Dennis Walling routed Division 1, while Nicholas Knight vanquished Division 2. JoAnne Barber spanked Division 3, and Brian Schaben cleaned up Division 4. In terms of overall points: Seth Gunderson tops Division 1; AJ Hofmann runs the show in Division 2; Buck Nasty leads Division 3; and Brian Schaben governs Division 4.

NEXT WEEK:

• First, on lanes 1&2, 4th-place Stealing Pins in the Burrows (hcp 117) will throw some gutter balls with 2nd-place Scooter's Succulent Sausages™. Pin Thieves are expected to perform well and win the series; while Sausagemakers are forecast to hold steady as they avoid getting swept.
• Moving to lanes 3&4, 5th-place Sun Dolphins (hcp 114) will compete against 6th-place Scootytang. Dolphins might maintain their current strength as they lose the series but avoid getting swept; while Tang ought to drop their average a bit even as they enjoy their victories.
• Finally, on lanes 5&6, 3rd-place Bowls Deep (hcp 116) will challenge 1st-place Squid Row. Bowls are predicted to maintain their current strength as they get swept; while Mmmm Calimari is anticipated to hold steady as they rack up a sweep.

^*(Remember, the predicted results above are based on mathematical extrapolations and can be changed by all sorts of factors. If you don't like how your team's results are predicted, you and your teammates have the power to prove the math wrong!)

THIS WEEK'S MVB Dustin Schmeltz Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Ben Spencer Runner Up: Dustin Schmeltz	#1 H2H BOWLER Ben Spencer Runner Up: Dustin Schmeltz
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) "It looks like polishing your balls paid off." Brian Schaben, to Dustin, after Dustin began stringing together strikes after performing some ball hygiene.