Bowers powers his way to finals
Joseph Bowers’ scratch 800 spearheaded some serious bowling Saturday at Oak Forest Bowl. It took 704 to make the cut for the men’s finals during the Section 4/ Will County sectional of the 57th Beat the Champions.
Terri Sniegolski bowled new memories, topping the women’s side with a 757 ( 186, 201 and 244 with 126 pins of handicap).
Bowers, 23, from Hammond, opened some eyes, rolling the high game with a 298 in the second game ( he left a 3- 6 on the final ball). He sandwiched that with games of 279 and 223.
‘‘ I came here with an open mind,’’ said Bowers, who bowled four years at Calumet College. ‘‘ I never bowled here before, but they said it was similar to Lynwood, so I came with a similar mindset.’’
Bowers, who used his criminal justice degree to become a surveillance surveyor for Ameristar Casino, averages 242 — yes, 242 — at Lynwood Bowl.
Oak Forest was familiar for Sniegolski, who said, ‘‘ I used to bowl here since I was, like, 3.’’
In 2007, the Tinley Park woman even bowled her first 300 on Lanes 27 and 28.
When her game went to pieces several years ago, she worked for three years with Jim Williams, the retired bowling coach from Oak Forest.
‘‘ I think he gave up on me,’’ she said.
The teaching paid off Saturday.
As far as paying off, in its first 56 years, BTC, for which the Sun- Times is the media sponsor, has raised $ 2,856,618.43 for charity from 5,768,200 entries.
The top 14 men and the top 15 women advanced to the finals in March, where the top prize for men and women is $ 7,500.
Lori Danner, who finished sixth, cannot bowl the finals because of a cruise, so the last two spots came down to a three- way roll- off. Melanie Reed opened with six strikes to win the roll- off with a 277 ( 258- 19). Christina Andes ( 163- 45), seven months pregnant, edged Sharon Young ( 188- 19) by one pin, 208- 207, for the last spot.
Ronda Perry and Sharon Bright tied for second with 744. Erica Merritt, who finished third two years ago, again advanced to the finals.
Herbert Wilson, a sprinkler fitter from Worth, was second. Sam Rolph, an Oak Forest insurance agent, was third and reached his fourth finals. Louis Gorcos, a consultant from Crown Point, Indiana, who was fifth in the finals last year, advanced again.