Surdich on Bowling: Bowlers to Veterans Link tournament set for Nov. 16

Our association will host its annual Bowlers to Veterans Link tournament at 1 p.m. Sunday. Entry fee is only $10 for three games.

There are five divisions for men, six for women and six for boys and girls, according to your average. There are no plaques, no trophies and no prize money during this special tourney. All proceeds are for our veterans’ hospitals and clinics in California. Last year, we raised $2,309 from the tourney and league donations.

During the afternoon, the board will raffle off a patriotic ball in red, white and blue. The winner can choose the weight when ordering. Atwater vocalist Kenna Campbell will sing the national anthem. Tommy Cardoza, general manager of Bellevue Bowl, is not charging the association for the lineage. Thanks, Tommy. Local winners earn a berth into the BVL state finals in Modesto in March. In the finals, you can win a BVL jacket, watch and medal. Our last state champion was in 2012, when Fred Ruell shot a 597 scratch in the D division.

Black Oak no-tap

Gustine’s Kim Heller was the only area bowler who placed in the senior no-tap Friday. Heller placed in the first game women’s high-game pot. In the overall series for women, she finished in fourth place. She earned $33. Jeff Hurley, the pro shop manager at Black Oak, informed me he has several Storm balls from the PBA pro-am at a special price. In the Hy Road Pearl, he has two at 15 pounds; in the Hy Road, he has 13 and 14 pounds; and in the Hy Road Solid, there is a 15-pounder. The balls are $100 each, which includes drilling. Add $16 for inserts and thumb slug. Call Hurley at (209) 928-9437.

Cal State singles

Results are in from the California State Singles Championships at AMF Visalia Lanes last month. Taking first place in the upper division was Don Sutherland of San Jose with a 1,589 with handicap. Placing third was Larry Valenti Jr. with a 1,532. Larry Valenti Sr. rolled a 1,414 for 14th place. Sutherland took home a check for $475. Valenti Jr. earned $356 and Valenti Sr. $67. Some local seniors might remember Sutherland when the NorCal Senior Tour rolled at Bellevue and Yosemite Lanes a few year ago. He was a director. He rolled a scratch 1,561 for a 260 pace for six games in Visalia, including a 300 and an 827 set.

League highlights

Cindy Souza rolled her third 500 series in a month, a 516. The Friday Night Merchants saw newcomer southpaw Riley Garber roll a 299 with a 700 series. The Central Valley Nisei league had Jeanie Harcksen with a 140 average rolling a 171. The Guys & Dolls had Sharee Frazier rolling a 202 with a 153 average.

Budweiser Invitational

A total of 77 women were bowling in the Merced/Atwater Women’s 500 Club’s 42nd annual Budweiser Invitational recently, setting a club record for attendance. The club had women in Atwater from 10 500 clubs in the state.

In first place in the A division was Ronnette Simon from Merced/Atwater with a handicap score of 891 ($176). In second was Marie Herrera of Merced/Atwater with 870 ($64), and in third was Kim Heller of Merced/Atwater with 834 ($54). In the B division, Marcia Cass of Mother Lode was first with an 804 ($160), Norma Espino of Mother Lode second with 776 ($51), and Jamie Shank of Merced/Atwater was third with 763 ($41). Kiki Abernathy of Merced/Atwater won the C division with an 817 ($167), Ellen Lyon of Merced/Atwater was runner-up with 805 ($56), and Linda Dance of San Jose was third with 785 ($47). High games were rolled by Debbie Couch of Modesto (278), Linda Black of Stockton (276), Maria Herrera of Merced (273), Janie Schropp of Merced (265) and Simon (265).

According to club secretary Kristin Weimer, the club’s next event will be the Holiday Scotch Doubles on Sunday, Dec. 7.

This story was originally published November 11, 2014 at 6:43 PM with the headline "Surdich on Bowling: Bowlers to Veterans Link tournament set for Nov. 16."