The thirteenth week of Fall 2024 turned out to be a rollercoaster of triumph and heartbreak, where strikes lit up the lanes and gutter balls cast long shadows. One bowler achieved a career-defining moment, and the competition saw seismic shifts in the standings. JoAnne Barber captured the woman’s high game (143) and series (384), while Dennis Walling stole the spotlight for the men with a blazing high game (223) and series (580). And while we were all distracted Scootytang -- a team that had been in dead last only five ago -- has been quietly creeping up the standings and tonight reclaimed a second-place position.

On lanes 1 & 2: In a clash as evenly matched as their quirky natures, Bowls Deep squared off against Sun Dolphins. With Nicholas Knight leading the charge and shining like a knight in bowling armor with a 430 series, Bowls Deep surged forward to claim 3 crucial wins. Their elation was palpable, as cheers echoed through the alley while they held tightly to their 5th-place spot. On the opposing lane, Ryan Sisco bowled his heart out, delivering a jaw-dropping 509 series that almost single-handedly kept Dolphins afloat. However, with only a single victory to their name, the Sun Dolphins swam away dejected, remaining in 6th place.

On lanes 3 & 4:Balls were swinging left and right in a dramatic showdown as Scootytang dealt with the criminal mischief of Stealing Pins in the Burrows. With Aaron Barber anchoring the team and the mighty Most Valuable Bowler Buck Nasty adding firepower, Scootytang secured 2.5 wins. Despite their victory, there was a tinge of frustration as they had hoped to sweep the series. Meanwhile, #1 Power Ranked Nathan Burrows delivered a heroic 508 series for the Pin Thieves, who managed to eke out 1.5 wins in an uphill battle. Scootytang celebrated their ascent to 2nd place in the standings, while the Pin Thieves were cited with a misdemeanor and sentenced to another week in 4th.

On lanes 5 & 6: In a meaty duel of epic proportions, Squid Row tangled with Scooter's Succulent Sausages™. Dennis Walling was unstoppable, smashing pins with his mighty tentacles and his 580 series as Squid Row devoured their competition, netting 3 decisive wins. Their joy was electric as they tightened their grip on the 1st-place throne, proving that the sea is theirs to rule. Meanwhile, Scott Murdock put up a valiant fight for the Sausages, rolling an impressive 464 series, but it wasn’t enough to keep them from being grilled in the standings, slipping to 3rd place with only one win to their name.

Bowlers rolling into The 200 Club include: Dennis Walling (203,223), Matthew Taylor (216), and Ryan Sisco (208)

A new personal best series was rolled tonight by Buck Nasty (476, previous best 468).

In this week's Tournament of Champions brackets: Nobody claimed victory in Division 1 (though Dennis Walling came closest), while nobody claimed victory in Division 2 (though Ryan Sisco came closest). Nobody claimed victory in Division 3 (though JoAnne Barber came closest), and Nathan Burrows trounced Division 4. In terms of overall points: Dennis Walling dominates Division 1; Scott Murdock calls the shots for Division 2; JoAnne Barber is in the driver's seat in Division 3; and Chris Lenz runs the show in Division 4.

NEXT WEEK:

• First, on lanes 1&2, 1st-place Squid Row will roll against 2nd-place Scootytang (hcp 24). Calimari is expected to roll a little low and get swept; while Tang is forecast to raise their average while they rack up a sweep.
• Moving to lanes 3&4, 5th-place Bowls Deep (hcp 58) will spend some quality time with 3rd-place Scooter's Succulent Sausages™. Bowls might roll a little low and lose the series but avoid getting swept; while Sausagemakers ought to drop their average a bit even as they enjoy their victories.
• Finally, on lanes 5&6, 4th-place Stealing Pins in the Burrows (hcp 18) will challenge 6th-place Sun Dolphins. Pin Thieves are predicted to roll decently and sweep the series; while Dolphins are anticipated to hold steady as they endure a rough night.

^*(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 Buck Nasty Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Nathan Burrows Runner Up: Ryan Sisco	#1 H2H BOWLER Nathan Burrows Runner Up: Buck Nasty
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) "Joe, can you just go ahead and play this song on loop every week?" Dennis Walling, after Scoot's inability to control his urge to boogie when Stayin' Alive by the Bee-Gees began playing caused him to miss an easy 10th-frame spare.