Hill and Price take top honors in Local Association Elite Top Average Tournaments

It was a weekend filled with high rolling as the Greater Lawton-Ft. Sill USBC Bowling Association hosted the annual Jerry Hill and Jean Yamarik Top Average Tournaments on Saturday the 15th and the Lil Johnson Senior Tournament on Sunday the 16th, both at Thunderbird Lanes.

Throw in last Monday’s record-breaking Po-Boy and we have a lot of bowling news for you this week.

The Jerry Hill Men’s Top Average event saw 14 of the associations highest averaging bowlers during the 2022-2023 bowling season square off for six games of qualifying with the top five advancing to a stair-step final.

Mark Hill led the elite list with a 1435 scratch series that started with the high game of the tournament of 288.

Qualifying second was Hill’s number two son Kellan with 1388 followed by Chad Perry, 1357, James Ray, 1308 and Craig Fain, Sr., 1305.

The finals played out with Fain defeating Ray, 224-170 then Perry beat Fain, 248-217.

There were 10 women on hand for the Jean Yamarik Women’s Top Average event, ready for their six games of qualifying to also advance to the top five for a stepladder finale.

Due to the larger difference in averages for the ladies event, this event is handicapped to even the field.

Top seed after six games, with handicap, was Amanda Price with 1362 and second seed was Dena Hicks with 1278. Dena Hicks advanced to the Championship match. Price was waiting in the wings and the down time only proved to help as she came out swinging with a big 249 score to Hick’s 182 for the title.

The Lil Johnson Senior Open was held the next day. The format was simply three games with handicap with a men’s and women’s division advancing the top five scores in each division to a stepladder final.

In the men’s division, Kilmartin finished with a 229 to win the title.

And in the women’s division, Teri Jester was top seed, posting a 717 with handicap on scratch games of 258, 195 and 240. Jester still had game and threw a 212 at Hicks but it wasn’t enough as Hicks fired back with a 241 for the win.

Ryave Wins Po-Boy #6

The Po-Boy tournament hit an all-time high for the number of entries, maxing out at 64 bowlers for the sixth event of the series on last Monday, July 17th.

Ashlye Workman was top seed with 513 with handicap and it took a 443, Diane Frame’s series, to make the cut to the top 16.

Bowlers rolled two games of qualifying to make the cut to the top 16 and the single elimination bracket.

High scratch game winners during qualifying were Sam Bowman, 225, and Nate Baggett, 223, for game one and John Fortner, 235, and James Ray, 234, for game two.

Bowlers who made the top eight cashed due to the large turnout of participants.

Advancement went as follows.

Workman continued her run with a win over McKinney, 241-193, Ryave edged out Lansberry, 215-213, Fortner found fuel and won over Meredith, 265-217 and York posted a 261 scratch, 284 with handicap to advance over Scoggins, 284-230.

The Semi Finals saw Ryave post 258 to get the win over Workman’s 212 and York rolled another good scratch game of 245 to win over Fortner, 268-224 to set the finals where half-brothers York and Ryave went head to head.

Ryave had a 22 pin advantage that came in handy in this round as only three pins separate the two competitors with Ryave coming out the victor over York, 230-227.

As a reminder to all of you Po-Boy Players, the Grand Finale will be held on August 7th at Thunderbird Lanes, starting at 7 p.m.