A bowler/golfer has one goal in mind: to roll a 300 game and to drop in a hole-in-one. The feat is a rare one but Warren Riker accomplished both within a six-month window at the age of 69.
“Definitely shooting 300 is tougher,’’ said the Phillipsburg resident following his perfect game in the Thursdays Mixed League at Warren Lanes. “I had the hole-in-one this past August at Oak Hill (in Holland Township). It landed 10-15 feet from the cup and rolled in.’’
Up until six weeks ago, Riker’s bowling game was within his normal range of 171. He decided to ask teammate Lew Ramsey for a tip to kick start his game.
“He told me to bring my arm straight back and roll the ball around,” Riker said. “I used to bear claw it. That’s all I’ve done and my average is up to 188. I’ve had 600s and even a career-high 787.’’
Riker jumped from the gates with a huge 253 before slipping to 181. He said the only difference was a couple of missed 10-pins. But no 10-pins stood from there on out.
“I’ve never had more than six or seven in a row from the start of a game,” Riker said. “I started thinking about 300 after I had the eighth one. When I went up for the 10th frame my wife, Tracy, just said go up and bowl and not rush.’’
Having made quick work of the first two racks in the 10th, Riker patted the rosin bag, heeded his wife’s advice and calmly watched as his ball sawed through the rack tossing the 5-pin into the 7-pin for the 300.
“I let it go and it went right where I wanted it. I’ve been looking to do this for a long time,’’ he said.
With two of sport’s rarities in the bank, Riker looks to bump his average into the 190-195 range. He competes twice a week at the Phillipsburg center.
Heckman strikes twice
Aaron Heckman, 18, of Bangor rolled a pair of 300s on the same day at Town & Country Lanes in Bethlehem.
Aaron Heckman confessed to having a bout with jitters as he stared down another crack at 300. The 18-year-old Bangor resident capitalized on a bit of a high hit, exhaled and reflected on a day to remember. A day when he shot a pair of 300s within hours at Town & Country Lanes in Bethlehem.
“I can say when I stepped up for the last ball the nerves hit me like a truck,’’ Heckman said. “Shooting a pair of 300s was great but I would have liked to have had 800 in the morning league.’’
Heckman’s regular stint began with 255 before peeling off the next 12 for his seventh career 300. A couple of untimely 10-pins throttled his final game netting 228 and 783. That total lands him second overall for the season.
The Lehigh Valley Junior Traveling league convened in the afternoon and a switch to a pair of lanes that proved difficult. Heckman managed 173 but a ball change made all the difference and sent the right-hander toward another 300.
“The lower end of the house was more oily,” he said. “After I made the ball change I had 17 in-a-row.’’
Heckman’s magical day concluded with 232 for 705. The 300 is the league’s second of the season. Matt Stauffer tossed 300 at Blue Valley in December.
Pearson is perfect
Perfect games from the junior ranks, men’s and women’s boosted the season total to an impressive 124 as the calendar hits March.
Sammie Pearson picked up her sixth career perfect game as the Oakwood product struck in the Friday Starters League. She clicked off a 760 to put her in the second spot on the Top 10 for the season.
Brent Tishuk rebounded from an opening game of 221 in the Friday Trios League at Blue Valley with his 140th career 300. He then needed all of his 279 to get to an even 800 series, his 119th.
Chico Santiago captured his fourth 12-bagger of the season in the Monday Triples League at Oakwood during a 789 set. Jason Mack rolled a 300 at Blue Valley to round out the week’s treys.
Tyler Vitelli topped the area scoring last week with a 278-277-253—808 effort in the Wednesday Nite Men’s circuit at Oakwood. Following Pearson’s 760 was Shannon Quick at Blue Valley with a 729 and a 712 from Ashley Leindecker at Town & Country.
The Juniors continue their strong play led by Heckman. Jackson Bauer at Oakwood rang up his fourth trip over 700 with a 727. Nathan Salobecke opened with 178 at Town & Country but then peeled off 247 and 288 for 713. Joining Heckman with 700 in the Junior Traveling League was Jackson Dewalt at 704.
Chloe O’Donnell topped a quintet of girls surpassing 600. Her 662 at Town & Country held off Jenna Garman’s 650 in the traveling league, which included Kayla Lowin (616) and Sicora Floyd (619). Alyssa Rieger used a 227 en route to 627 at Oakwood.
Quick & Miller shine
Shannon Quick won the Easton Area USBC Queens Tournament and Sheri Miller claimed the Princess portion of the event that was contested last weekend at Warren Lanes.
Quick got on a roll shooting 269 and never looked back to finish with 203 and 257 for a 729 scratch total not needing her 3 pins of handicap. Jen Scott was close at 714 with handicap winding up second. Quick pocketed $120 and Scott $60.
Miller led a field of 53 women averaging under 170. She picked a good time to not be average shooting a 522 scratch against her 121 norn. Tack on 130 pins of handicap and Miller breezed to a 49-pin victory over runner-up Christine Konetchy’s 603. Alyssa Shaner climbed to third with 589.
Miller took home the $100 top prize and the tournament paid down 10 spots where Melinda Graham claimed it with a 542 total.
Dave Goodman can be reached at badgood2@aol.com
https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/2020/03/warren-riker-adds-perfect-game-to-his-recent-hole-in-one.html
2020-03-01 12:00:00Z
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