

Jack Scaccia Memorial show a doozy


With 98 entries between today’s two qualifying shifts, it was a mad scramble to make the cut, and the show, for the Jack Scaccia Memorial on a demanding lane condition all day long.

It was the epitome of a grind, and a grueling test.

Continuing the trend of recent day conditions, making it tougher meant oil, oil, and yet more oil. When your ball hit the back part of the lane, and was expected to hook, it skidded more, and then maybe decided to hook. It was as if the ball were the thinker sculpture, stopping for a momentary pause before deciding whether or not it would do as the bowler wished, most times ending with a negative result.

Lane 6, specifically, was particularly evil and unkind from the start, but when the oil carried down, it turned into the bane of every bowler’s existence, save Dan Kryzak who somehow miraculously conjured a 257 game on lanes 5 & 6 the three-game finals out of thin air. Add 80 to that score for proper perspective as lane 6 had roughly 70 feet of skid on a 60 foot lane.

Sonny Dorstek had a very good showing, making a good run before losing in the round of 8 in a close match to Dan Furman 204-212.

Ryan Sickler also had himself quite a tournament.

After converting the 4-6-10 during the three game finals, Ryan, who will be going to Saginaw Valley State University in the fall, found himself in deep trouble after finishing his three game finals with 590, ending up at minus-10.

The cut was -16 after two games, and it was borderline impossible to tell if it would go up, stay the same, or go down. Adding to that, Ryan was one of the first pair of lanes done, leaving him guessing while watching everyone finish around him.

As the final pair finished, and the scores were tabulated, there was a tie found for the 16th and final spot for match play between Ryan and Craig Taylor, both bowling 590.

The scores were double checked, and when verified, a 9th- and 10th-frame rolloff was necessary to determine who would make it to match play. Ryan struck on his 9th frame shot, and then got up on the right lane and found it hooked much more than left, leaving the 6-7-10. Shooting his spare, and coming close to making it, rattling both the 6 & 10 pins out of the pit, it was up to Craig to decide it, as he needed a double and one pin to beat Ryan.

On Craig’s first shot on the left lane, the ball hooked hard, crossing over, and striking on the off. Craig got up on his second ball in the 10th, let it go, and the ball again hooked hard to the left, crossing over again, and striking again.

It was unbelievable, but with neither bowler having a practice shot on either lane, there was absolutely no way to tell, other than to completely guess, at what the ball was going to do. It was almost roll it and hope you were close. Craig rolled his next ball down the middle, securing the roll-off and the last match play position.

What happened next was a testament to the essence of sportsmanship.

Craig apologized multiple times for what happened, both out loud and to Ryan directly. Ryan, true to his nature, took it in stride and very well under the circumstances, and the pressure of the situation.

It would be understandable, with all that is at stake, including the prestige of possibly winning the tournament, and the $4,000, if a bowler in Ryan’s shoes needed a few minutes to take deep breaths after losing the way he did.

Instead, he shook Craig’s hand, said no hard feelings, and also said that’s the way bowling goes sometimes.

It was truly a gentlemanly way of handling things, and both Craig and Ryan should be commended for their actions and how they displayed such a level of sportsmanship.

It was the highlight of the day for me.

Congratulations go out to the four survivors of the day long bowling gauntlet who have made the live TV finals.

R.J. Martinez will go up against Matt Sherman, and Alex Weglarz will face Dan Furman in the other semifinal.

Make sure you get out to watch what will be an entertaining show featuring four high-quality bowlers who have earned their way to the show.

William Brouillette

2 Responses

  1. chris eggleston says:

    Must say. Bowled both squads, loved the shot. An emphasis was put on shot making and spares. +9 and +29 to advance were numbers I always like to see. Bowled next to rj. In second squad and he was rolling ball better as good as I had seen all day. Congrats to finalists.

  2. rj says:

    thanks chris