Area women capture state championships

by Curt Backa

8-31-2010

The weather has certainly made it seem like bowling season.

Some leagues have already started and many will wait for after the Labor Day holiday to get started.

But, there is a lot of kegling news to catch up on.

First, a pair of Great Falls-based women's teams brought home state championships from Anaconda.

Little's Lanes, with Missoula's Dawn Hanninen, Butte's Brenda Rathbun and Great Falls' Doris Kimmerle and Barb Lankford, won the scratch division of the team event. The foursome totaled 2,540 to beat out Great Falls' Classic 50's, who had 2,479.

Classic 50's, with Guyla Streit, Tracy Rigor, Hanninen and Rathbun, turned out to be the A Division champions with a 2,878 pinfall.

The Fort Benton duo of Janet Myers-Jewell and Melissa Jordan won the Division C doubles with a 1,531, while Cut Bank's Stacey Roush was the Division B singles champion, totaling 2,205.

Myers-Jewell's effort also included the top prize in the Division C all events with a 2,278 total.

In other top efforts, Rigor teamed with Sally Callery for a fourth in the scratch doubles and she added a fourth-place in the scratch singles and a fifth in Division A singles.

Great Falls' Janet Huston took a fourth in Division B singles, while Lankford was fifth in scratch all events.

For the men, the Bowles, Michael S. and Michael L., won the Division A doubles crown in Billings. The pair totaled 1,549.

Great Falls' Willie McGee and Al Pearsall turned in a fifth-place finish in the same event with a 1,503. Their effort was also good enough for second in the scratch doubles with a 1,428. Kristen Dehn and Mike Carrethers were a few sticks behind in fifth with a 1,382.

Shelby's Justin and Mitchell Johnson won the Division C doubles with a 1,540, followed in second by Conrad's Larry Banka and Ron Widhalm, who finished with a 1,517 total.

Finally, Duane Zeier was fifth in Division A singles.

If you ever bowled with Nobi Sirucek, it was certainly an experience you will never forget.

The personable and magnetic Sirucek, 73, died earlier this summer from that ugly disease called cancer.

"She lived to bowl," said her husband, Dale. "Bowling was her life."

I interviewed Nobi a couple of times and her enthusiasm for our sport was unmatched.

If you didn't feel like bowling, a few minutes with Nobi and you wanted to bowl.

If you weren't bowling well, somehow some time with Nobi and things got better.

If she didn't bowl well, there was always going to be a better day.

Sirucek, a silky smooth lefthander, was voted to both the Great Falls USBC and Montana USBC Halls of Fame for her superior performance, but certainly her love of the game would have qualified for induction.

Our best goes out to Dale and the family.

She is already missed.

If you haven't been in Little's Lanes recently, take a tour.

Mel and Ruby Willey spent the summer refurbishing the 1st Ave. North facility, including new carpet and a new paint job for the second-floor bar.

Sparkling.

Speaking of Little's, reservations for the annual John Willey Memorial Tournament are currently being taken. The tourney is set for Oct. 2-3. ... The Elks is looking for a few women bowlers for its Wednesday morning Morning Glories League. Phone Rod Hackett at the Elks, 454-1305, for more information. ... Interested in bowling in a league this fall, phone your favorite establishment and get into the action. Leagues and teams are always looking for single bowlers to fill their rosters as well as substitutes. ... In news from around the state, Mark Hodges has taken over the operation at King Pin Lanes in Butte. ... In unfortunate news from Dillon, Ned-Eva Lanes has closed.

With most leagues starting this week it is a good time to refresh everyone's memory on what honor scores it will take to be listed in this elite column.

For the women, any 200 game or better and any 600 series or better

For the men, games 225 or better or any series 650 or better will make the list.

Games 50-pins or more over average and series 100-or-more total pins over average for both men and women will be listed.

Senior women need a 190 game or better and a 575 series or better. Any 200 game or better or 600 series or more is needed for the senior men.

Games 45-pins or more or series 100-or-more total pins will make the grade.

Converted splits, Dutch 200s, all-spare games and any other bowling oddity will also be considered.

Curt Backa, a bowling oddity himself, is a Tribune sports writer, copy editor and kegling apologist. Backa, when not asking where the summer went, can be reached at 791-6569, 800 438-6600 or e-mailed at cbacka@greatfallstribune.