Before this season even began, it was blatantly apparent that some really heavy hitters were going to be participating in this session. Names that dominate the league records and the Top 25 lists were slated to lace up their shoes to and face one another over the course of 17 weeks. What have we seen so far? A perfect game. A near perfect game. A 700+ series. The best part? This season isn't even half way over. There's no telling what else is in store.The first matchup of the night pitted the Pocket Pounders against opponents Sexual Chocolate. Both teams put up a great fight with almost every game coming down to the 10th frame in a showdown, with the Pocket Pounders come away with the win each time. Putting up the biggest numbers for the Pounders this week was Neil Rieger, who ended his night with a 586 series to lead the team to a clean sweep and improving to a 17-11 record and rising into 2nd place. Despite Sexual Chocolate's high rolling Jason Carpio and his 627 series, the team simply couldn't put together a winning combination and remain in 7th place. Down on Lanes 43 & 44, FTOP's John Boren wanted to make sure that the rest of the league knew that his was the team to be most feared when going up against them. Setting a season high with a 715 series – behind games of 239, 255, and 221 – and earning #1 Power Ranked bowler honors, Boren took his team along for a 3-1 matchup victory over opponents Bobby Belt and The Facebook Friends. The team remains in 1st place despite anchor Ken M. Wilson increasing his chances of overtaking his own below average slump league record and costing them the sweep. The Belt's Seth Gunderson put up the most fire power for his team, ending his evening with a 552 series but slips one spot down into 6th place.Teams tend to pick on Ballz Out each week. Split It and Hit It was no exception. After dropping Game #1 by a mere three pins to the Ballz, compliments of Cliff Barendsen's team-leading 429 series (and snappy hat!), Split It decided to hit it and hit it hard. Reversing their team's fortunes, the men stormed back for a 4-pin victory in Game #2 and then a blowout victory in Game #3 to take the night 3-1. Anchor Dennis Blake handily led the comeback with a 548 series including his first 200+ game, a 210. With the wins, Split It climbs one spot up into 5th while Ballz Out remains in 8th place. In their first matchup of the season, the Turkey Hunters sized up opponents Mayan Apocalypse and let 'er rip. With anchor Aubrey Moren returning to form from his past two seasons to lead the reigning champs with a demonic 666 series and Most Valuable Bowler honors to boot, the night seemed to belong entirely to the Turkey Hunters. That's when the Mayans' Carl Goetz decided to make another brush with league history. Rolling eleven consecutive strikes, Goetz stood on the cusp of joining David Codding in the rarest of feats by bowling a perfect game but fell a single pin shy to come away with the league's second 299 game. Naturally, Goetz led his team with a 698 series and brought the matchup to a 2-2 split. While the wins keep the Mayans in 4th, it did cause the Turkey Hunters to slip one spot into 3rd place and setting up a rematch in the position round next week.Here's the video of Carl's 10th frame...For those of you new to the league, the position round is the half way mark of the season in which the schedule is set to pit teams adjacent to one another in the league standings against their placement opponent. First place bowls second place, third takes on fourth, and so on. This season's matchups will be as follows:#1 FTOP (21-7) vs. #2 Pocket Pounders (17-11)#3 Turkey Hunters (16-12) vs. #4 Mayan Apocalypse (14-14)#5 Split It and Hit It (14-14) vs. #6 Bobby Belt and the Facebook Friends (13-15)#7 Sexual Chocolate (10-18) vs. #8 Ballz Out (7-21)Bowlers lamenting the lack of Octoberfest beer in The 200 Club this week include: Aubrey Moren (237, 240), Carl Goetz (202, 299), David Codding (269, 203), Dennis Blake (210), Jason Carpio (235, 200), John Boren (239, 255, 221), Neil Rieger (206), Ryan Doll (216), and Seth Gunderson (202). The Tournament of Champions continues with Carl Goetz (13 points) leading Division #1 with John Boren (9) in second. Division #2 find Aubrey Moren (13) in the lead with both Jason Carpio and Phil Schroeder (7) sharing second place. Despite a round two loss, Andy McLeod (16) continues to dominate Division #3 while Anita Osthoff (7) gains some ground. Even missing a week, Division #4's Teresa Deterding (18) continues to dominate Division #4 while Cliff Barendsen (8) steps up into second place.Get ready for the always volatile position round when anything can – and typically does – happen. To put things into perspective, here's what can come about next week:
- FTOP will remain in 1st place no matter what as a sweep by their opponents would still have them out in front by total pins
- Pocket Pounders can go no higher than 2nd but can fall down to 4th place
- Turkey Hunters could move up to 2nd place or fall to 5th
- Mayan Apocalypse could move as high as 2nd place or slip to 6th
- Split It and Hit It has the opportunity to climb to 2nd or topple to 7th
- Bobby Belt and the Facebook Friends can aim for 3rd or drop to 7th
- Sexual Chocolate can flip to 6th or topple to 8th
- Ballz Out could move up into 7th place but fall no lower
Scoot's predictions call for FTOP to stomp the Pocket Pounders, the Turkey Hunters to quicken the Mayan Apocalypse's demise, Bobby Belt and the Facebook Friends to trip up Split It and Hit It, and for Sexual Chocolate to bully Ballz Out. Guess we'll have to wait until next week to see how it all plays out.There's only one more week to nominate bowlers for this season's Hall of Fame ballot. If you haven't nominated any of the 56 eligible bowlers, please do so today!See you next Tuesday!
THIS WEEK'S MVB
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FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE)
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Pos. | Team name | Record | Percent | Total Pins | Change |
1 | FTOP | 21-7 | .750 | 15,751 | n/a |
2 | Pocket Pounders | 17-11 | .607 | 14,669 | +1 |
3 | Turkey Hunters | 16-12 | .571 | 14,118 | -1 |
4 | Mayan Apocalypse | 14-14 | .500 | 14,388 | n/a |
5 | Split It and Hit It | 14-14 | .500 | 11,551 | +1 |
6 | Bobby Belt and the Facebook Friends | 13-15 | .464 | 13,631 | -1 |
7 | Sexual Chocolate | 10-18 | .357 | 12,191 | n/a |
8 | Ballz Out | 7-21 | .250 | 9,116 | n/a |
Men's High Series Scratch | Women's High Series Scratch |
John Boren - 715 Carl Goetz - 698 Aubrey Moren - 666 David Codding - 645 Jason Carpio - 627 |
Anita Osthoff - 469 Freda Schroeder - 415 |
Men's High Series Handicap | Women's High Series Handicap |
John Boren - 751 Aubrey Moren - 718 Carl Goetz - 710 Jason Carpio - 670 Neil Rieger - 653 |
Anita Osthoff - 615 Freda Schroeder - 520 |
Men's High Game Scratch | Women's High Game Scratch |
Carl Goetz - 299 David Codding - 269 John Boren - 255 Aubrey Moren - 240 Jason Carpio - 235 |
Anita Osthoff - 171 Freda Schroeder - 156 |
Men's High Game Handicap | Women's High Game Handicap |
Carl Goetz - 303 David Codding - 269 John Boren - 267 Aubrey Moren - 257 Jason Carpio - 249 |
Anita Osthoff - 219 Freda Schroeder - 191 |
Men's Pins Over Average | Women's Pins Over Average |
Carl Goetz - 104 John Boren - 70 David Codding - 62 Aubrey Moren - 62 (t) Jason Carpio - 53 Dennis Blake - 52 |
Anita Osthoff - 32 |
Welcome to the club, Carl. Kick the shit out of that pin on a daily basis.