A nail-biting seventh week of Spring 2025 saw the standings frozen in place, but that didn’t mean the competition was anything less than electrifying. One bowler shattered their personal best, while others clawed for every pin in a battle of grit and determination. JoAnne Barber dominated the women’s lanes with a 132 high game and a 379 series, while Ben Spencer reigned supreme among the men with a jaw-dropping 266 high game and a 645 series. Now, let’s dive into the action!

First up, on lanes 1 & 2: FILPB vs. Gutterly Hopeless. Fueled by a lonesome Aaron Barber's 499 series, Eff It took no prisoners, delivering a brutal clean sweep over Hopeless and celebrating their iron grip on first place. The "team" erupted with excitement as each strike and spare pushed them closer to a perfect night. Meanwhile, despite JoAnne Barber's best efforts with a 379 series, Gutterly Hopeless lived up to their name, suffering a crushing defeat that left them reeling in despair. With no wins to show for their effort, they remain stranded in 5th place, searching for a spark to reignite their season.

Ben seemed destined for a 300. It's coming.

On lanes 3 & 4: Squid Row vs. . With the unstoppable force of #1 Power Ranked and #1 Head-to-Head Ben Spencer leading the charge, Squid Row inked up 3 hard-earned wins. Their energy was electric, their strikes relentless, and their position in 2nd place rock-solid. On the opposing side, AJ Hofmann fought valiantly with an impressive 552 series, but his Team Name Loading struggled to keep pace, managing only a single win. Though holding firm in 3rd place, they left the lanes knowing they had been outmatched, vowing to bounce back stronger.

Cat of the Kittens had more to celebrate than her teammates did.

Finally, down on lanes 5 & 6: In a razor-thin handicap showdown, Bowls Deep vs. FFK. Driven by Ian Estey's 498 series, DEEEEEEP surged through the night with 3 powerful wins, their celebration echoing down the lanes as they tightened their grip on 4th place. Meanwhile, Scott Lawson's 459 series and the heroic efforts of Most Valuable Bowler Cat Atwood gave Kittens a fighting chance, but in the end, they could only claw out a single victory. As the final frame was bowled, Kittens slinked away, still in 6th place but determined to sharpen their claws for the next battle.

The standings may not have budged, but the intensity on the lanes was undeniable. With only a few weeks left, every pin matters—who will rise, and who will crumble under the pressure? Stay tuned!

Bowlers who stumbled into The 200 Club despite still nursing their St. Patrick's Day hangovers include: AJ Hofmann (212), Ben Spencer (266,210), and Dennis Walling (202)

A new personal high game was set tonight by Ben Spencer (266, previous best 265).

Adding to the excitement, the 266 rolled by Ben Spencer is this season's new high game for men.

In this week's Tournament of Champions brackets: Nobody claimed victory in Division 1, and in fact we aren't even going to talk about Division 1 as it was a complete embarassment, while Scott Lawson claimed victory in Division 2. JoAnne Barber routed Division 3, and Brian Schaben had his way with Division 4. In terms of overall points: Ian Estey governs Division 1; Scott Lawson reigns over Division 2; Tim Deddens and Buck Nasty run the show in Division 3 in a tie; and Brian Schaben holds the reins in Division 4.

NEXT WEEK:

• First, on lanes 1&2, 2nd-place Squid Row will battle 6th-place FFK (hcp 100). Squid is expected to maintain their current strength as they win the series; while Kittens are forecast to drop their average a bit while they avoid getting swept.
• Moving to lanes 3&4, 1st-place FILPB will chuck some balls with 4th-place Bowls Deep (hcp 154). Eff It might maintain their current strength as they sweep the series; while DEEEEEEP ought to drop their average a bit while they endure a rough night.
• Finally, on lanes 5&6, 5th-place Gutterly Hopeless (hcp 66) will roll against 3rd-place . Hopeless are predicted to have a bit of an off night and get swept; while Team Name Loading is anticipated to raise their average while 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 Cat Atwood Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Ben Spencer Runner Up: Dennis Walling	#1 H2H BOWLER Ben Spencer Runner Up: Dennis Walling
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) "You're still at three inches!" AJ, to Scoot, despite all the pills and creams Scoot has tried from gas stations and the internet.

Pos.	Team name	Record	Percent	Total Pins	Change
1	FILPB	19.5-8.5	.696	13,644	n/a
2	Squid Row	18-10	.643	14,197	n/a
3	(Team Name Loading)	14.5-13.5	.518	12,091	n/a
4	Bowls Deep	13.5-14.5	.482	10,748	n/a
5	Gutterly Hopeless	10.5-17.5	.375	10,274	n/a
6	FFK	8-20	.286	11,628	n/a