TERRE HAUTE —
Terre Haute South’s boys team capped off a standout season with a fourth-place finish at the Indiana High School Bowling team state finals at Cooper’s Sport Bowl in Anderson last weekend.
South placed third in the qualifying round with a two-game team score of 2,921, then was eliminated by eventual runner-up Lake Central 456-393 in the first-place game of the Baker-scored stepladder finals.
“We were not surprised how we finished … but it seemed we surprised everyone else,” South coach Sean Pepper said. “These guys worked very hard in practice.”
South had a nearly identical setup at the semistate a week earlier (Feb. 12) at Mike Aulby’s Arrowhead Bowl in Lafayette. Qualifying third, the Braves were nipped 349-335 by fourth-seed Bloomington South in the first round of the stepladder finals.
South team members were seniors Austin Dowell, Cameron Bolinger, Cody Shaw and D.J. Wood, juniors Jacob Vencel and Rodney Lockman and sophomore Nathan Pugh.
All seven bowled in the first qualifying-round game, then the lineup of Dowell, Pugh, Vencel, Lockman and Bolinger bowled the second qualifying game. Bowlers can be substituted at any time in a game under the IHSB rules, according to Pepper.
South also finished third in the local high school league during the regular season. But Pepper, a sophomore at Indiana State University, saw bigger things ahead for his team, saying, “I told people, wait until the postseason … we’ll be OK.”
n South Vermillion senior Scott Johansen placed 15th in the IHSB individual state finals, also at Anderson last weekend, with a three-game 529 series.
Johansen was runner-up at the Lafayette semistate on Feb. 12. Johansen was third in qualifying with a three-game series of 685. In the stepladder finals, Johansen defeated Zach Rhoades of Harrison (West Lafayette) 213-169, Matt Sanders of Evansville Reitz 192-180, before falling to Randy Mewes of Kankakee Valley 173-171 in the championship match.
Johansen’s win over Sanders took on added meaning as Sanders was crowned state champion in Anderson a week later, rolling a 290 game in the title match.
• Also worth mentioning was the performance of the Terre Haute North girls team earning a trip to the semistate in Lafayette.
Team members were Taylor Hartman, Brittany Wence, Lea Zebrowski, Amanda Perry and Brooke Lynch. Head coach was Jerry Wence.
• I remember having a few bad games on the lanes during my bowling career. OK, several, truth be told. But at least none of them were televised. Certainly not in the semifinals of the recent PBA Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas.
Tom Daugherty rolled the lowest score in the history of PBA televised events, a 100 — count ’em, 100 — game in the TOC semifinals. If that’s not bad enough, Daugherty was defeated 299-100 by Mika Koivuniemi.
Definitely a first for the PBA — a dramatic ending to a match with one bowler seeking a perfect (300) game, the other attempting to crack 100.
Daugherty took it all in good humor, even celebrating with a “victory” lap after his converting two pins off a 4-6-7-10 split in the 10th frame to reach 100. Even his 15-year old son found humor in his predicament. His text to Daugherty said, “Dad, that was a pretty solid 100.”
Despite the bad day bowling, it was good day financially for Daugherty in his first PBA televised finals, earning $50,000 for his third-place finish. He calculated his 100 game was worth $500 per pin.
• Speaking of the PBA, the finals of the U.S. Open in North Brunswick, N.J. is at 3 p.m. today (ESPN). The top three finalists will compete for the $80,000 first-place prize money.
A reminder, the final PBA event of the 2010-11 season will be the Dick Weber PBA Playoffs at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis from March 8-13.
• The four-person team of Janie Martin, Machelle Garrett, Rich Thompson and J.C. Dressler claimed first place in the Mixed Team Shootout at Vigo Bowl on Feb. 20.
Second place went to Lynn Burrett, Tracy Kay, Tony Jackewicz, Ryan Nelson. Third-place honors went to Melinda Clark, Amanda Taylor, Fred Modesitt, Brian Taylor.
Next tournament at Vigo Bowl is the Team Shootout on March 19-20.
• The 42nd Terre Haute Bowlers Hall of Fame and Recognition Dinner will be in the Idle Creek Banquet Center at 6:30 p.m. on April 25. Guest speaker will be B. Michael “Mike” McCormick, local attorney and Vigo County Historian.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Brazilian Lanes, Imperial Lanes, Terre Haute Bowling Center, Vigo Bowl or from any member of the HOF Board of Directors.
For more information, contact Gary Busiere at (812) 249-6640.
Dennis Clark can be reached at dennis.clark@tribstar.com
Kegler's Korner
KEGLER’S KORNER: South team fourth at state finals
- Kegler's Korner
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KEGLER’S KORNER: New members of GTHBA Hall of Fame
The “winter” bowling season has come to a close, and with that realization, it’s time to find out who are the newest inductees to the Greater Terre Haute Bowling Association Hall of Fame.
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KEGLER'S KORNER: GTHMBA takes interesting new approach to men’s city tourney
When I served on the Greater Terre Haute Men’s Bowling Association Board many, many moons ago, much discussion was devoted to increasing participation in the annual Men’s City Tournament.
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KEGLER'S KORNER: Valley bowlers in Women’s State Championship
No members of the Greater Terre Haute Women’s Bowling Association are atop any of the leaderboards, but several teams and individuals are listed in the top five of the ongoing 84th Indiana Women’s State Bowling Championship.
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KEGLER'S KORNER: Indiana Women’s State tourney continues today at Vigo Bowl
The 84th Indiana Women’s State Tournament will complete its third weekend of bowling competition at Vigo Bowl (team) and Terre Haute Bowling Center (doubles/singles) today.
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KEGLER'S KORNER: City has history as state tourney host
The 84th Indiana State Women’s Championship Tournament began its lengthy run in Terre Haute on Saturday and will run each weekend — except Easter weekend — until May 8.
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KEGLER’S KORNER: Spare nothing trying to get those extra pins
Throwing strikes are sexy and glamorous, but converting spares (ho-hum) is still the difference between winning and losing — at all levels of bowling.
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KEGLER’S KORNER: South team fourth at state finals
Terre Haute South’s boys team capped off a standout season with a fourth-place finish at the Indiana High School Bowling team state finals at Cooper’s Sport Bowl in Anderson last weekend.
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KEGLER’S KORNER: Bowlers still rolling on ice
While many sporting events around the Wabash Valley fell victim to the recent snow and ice storm, not so for bowlers. But we’re not surprised. Bowlers are a hardy breed.
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Kegler's Korner: South Vermillion boys secure sectional title
South Vermillion extended its recent success in the Indiana High School Bowling Sectional competition, both individually and collectively, last week.
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KRGLER'S KORNER: Tournament action abounds over Turkey Day holiday week
The days leading up to and including the Thanksgiving holiday found Vigo Bowl busy with tournament action.
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Kegler's Korner: Team Drake wins THBC Shootout
Nine teams competed in the 20th Terre Haute Bowling Center Shootout last weekend (Oct. 30-31) with Team Drake emerging as the champion by a slim nine-pin margin.
Team members Chris Drake, Rick Fugate, Sean Pepper and Trevor Monroney had a score of 8,663. Second place went to Team Nichols (Ryan Nichols, David Paulin, David Monroney, Mike Gambill) at 8,554. -
Kegler's Korner: Team Drake takes THBC Shootout
Nine teams competed in the 20th Terre Haute Bowling Center Shootout last weekend (Oct. 30-31) with Team Drake emerging as the champion by a slim nine-pin margin.
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KEGLER’S KORNER: Team Shootout at THBC coming this weekend
Hard to believe, but the Terre Haute Bowling Center is ready to run its 20th — count ’em — 20th Team Shootout next Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 30-31).
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Kegler's Korner: Leturgez, Russell and Bolinger members of TH Bowlers Hall 41st class
A trio of local bowlers were inducted to the Terre Haute Bowlers Hall of Fame in their 41st recognition dinner at the Excalibur in West Terre Haute on May 10. Brandy Leturgez was the lone men’s inductee (bowling achievement). Jeri Russell (achievement) and Lynn Bolinger (meritorious service) were the women’s inductees.
- Kegler's Korner: U.S. Open returns to Hoosier state The U.S. Open returned to the Hoosier state this week at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis, with the nationally-televised finals (ESPN) scheduled for 12:30 p.m. today.
- Kegler's Korner: A little snow can’t stop bowlers from getting in their rounds While a little snow has slowed down the process of playing boys and girls high school basketball games around the Wabash Valley recently, the white stuff rarely keeps bowlers from their appointed rounds.
- Kegler's Korner: Kulick becomes first woman to win PBA event If you missed it, female professional bowler Kelly Kulick defeated Chris Barnes 265-195 in the championship game of the Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions. The victory marked the first female to win a PBA national tour event in, well, ever.
- KEGLER'S KORNER: PBA TH Open set to roll June 10-12
- KEGLER'S KORNER: Crystal Sullivan shoots 299 on tough Greencastle lanes Crystal Sullivan has been a dominate force among women bowlers in Terre Haute through the years. In fact, just as good, if not better at times, than the male bowlers she regularly bowls alongside.
- Kegler's Korner: Scamihorn still a force around lanes Jay Scamihorn has been a frequent high scorer in senior — that’s older folks! — leagues in recent years, frequently recognized for high game or high series (usually both).
- Kegler's Korner: TH Open Pro-Am set for June 12 The Greater Terre Haute Open Pro-Am will be at 7 p.m. on June 12 at the Terre Haute Bowling Center. This is being run in conjunction with that weekend’s (June 13-14) Professional Bowling Association Midwest/Central Regional Tournament.
- Kegler's Korner: TH bowlers hold their own with best in Indiana at Women’s State
- Kegler's Korner: Professional bowling returning to Wabash Valley this summer Professional bowling returns to the Wabash Valley in the form of the PBA Central/Midwest Region Terre Haute Open at the Terre Haute Bowling Center on June 12-14.
- Kegler's Korner: Vincennes University defends championship It must be spring. Vincennes University wins the National Junior College Athletic Association men’s bowling championship and their coach, Gary Sparks, is named NJCAA Coach of the Year.
- Kegler's Korner: TH native Marc Pruett takes on some of PBA’s finest While perusing daily standings from this week’s Professional Bowlers Association Etonic Marathon Open at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis this week, I happened upon the name of Terre Haute bowler Marc Pruett.
- Kegler's Korner: Valley high school bowlers rolling along in state tournament Wabash Valley high school bowlers excelled at the Indiana High School Bowling Association regional at Laurel Lanes in Washington on Feb. 7.
- Kegler's Korner: South’s Dowell rolls 234 to defeat South Vermillion’s Johansen for sectional crown Austin Dowell of Terre Haute South defeated South Vermillion’s Scott Johansen 234-226 to win the high-scoring championship match of the Indiana High School Bowling boys individual sectional tournament at Vigo Bowl on Friday.
- Kegler's Korner: Wabash Valley High School Travel League holds singles tournament As mentioned in last week’s column, a monthly Wabash Valley High School Travel League singles tournament was hosted by Terre Haute Bowling Center last Saturday.
- Kegler's Korner: Unlike NFL, no ties on lanes Take note Philadelphia Eagles quarterback — there ARE ties in regular season National Football League games, but there are NO ties in bowling. Ryan Nichols emerged victorious and claimed the $500 first prize in the 3rd New Year’s Day Sweeper at the Terre Haute Bowling Center. But not after settling a championship match deadlock against long-time bowler Dave Paulin.
- Kegler's Korner: The Landing now offers latest in boutique bowling The Landing at Fort Harrison mini-resort opened to the public last week and its eight-lane bowling facility is nestled right in the midst of this ambitious business undertaking.
- More Kegler's Korner Headlines
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KEGLER’S KORNER: New members of GTHBA Hall of Fame




