Surdich on Bowling: Simpson takes Black Oak senior no-tap title

Hilmar’s Judy Simpson captured the women’s division at the recent 11th annual Black Oak Lanes Senior no-tap championship, topping 78 competitors from the Valley and foothills with a handicap score of 935.

She shot great handicap games of 316, 291 and 328 and will receive a check for $82. She was the only woman from our area who placed.

It was a little different on the men’s side. Left-hander John Krone placed seventh with an 820 for $38, Ed Rowen tied for 11th with a score of 793 for $24 and Bill Simpson, Judy’s other half, tied for 15th with a 786 for $16.

Central Valley Seniors – The Central Valley Senior Bowling Club handed out more than $1,650 in prize money Saturday as Yosemite Lanes in Modesto hosted the club’s monthly singles event.

Fresno’s Milo Coronado won a roll-off with Steve Sutton for the championship. Coronado totaled 1,025 and earned $193. Sutton cashed for $163, and local bowler Keith Docherty placed third for $146.

Docherty was the second seed going into the roll-off with Sutton but lost the stepladder match. This was the first time Docherty rolled in a sanctioned tournament outside of Bellevue Bowl in a long time. Our local association vice president, Dave Egleston, finished sixth for $95.

The club will be at West Valley Bowl in Tracy on April 16 for another singles event.

Spring Crazy no-tap – It was more than crazy for the annual Spring Crazy no-tap tournament last Friday afternoon at McHenry Bowl in Modesto. In the first game, bowlers had to bounce their first ball off the bumpers, and if they knocked down nine pins, it counted for a strike. Knocking down eight pins on the first ball in the second game counted as a strike and knocking down nine was a strike in the final game.

T.J. Jensen took third place in the women’s overall series, Bill Simpson was fourth in the second high-game pot with a handicap 330, Janie Schropp placed second in the second high-game pot with a 327, and Judy Simpson must like no-taps as she took first in the third high-game pot with a 294. All came home with a few bucks in their pockets.

Up next at McHenry will be a regular no-tap April 10 at 1 p.m.

Update from Los Banos – I received an update from Frank Liao, general manager of the new Aqua Entertainment Center being built in Los Banos. Liao said the laser tag arena and party zone are finished. Installation on the AMF lanes, approaches and lane machines will start next week, and it looks as if the family entertainment center could open in mid-May.

Locals should drop by and take a look at what is happening in the old theater building. For information on leagues, parties and more about the center, visit aquafuncenter.com.

Pioneer awards – Local bowlers Dana Lee and Clarence Allen have been elected to the Merced County Bowling Hall of Fame for 2016 in the Pioneer category. They’ll be inducted April 16 during the Hall of Fame dinner at the Atwater Community Center.

Lee was sponsored by her friend and teammate Rae Coonce, and Allen was sponsored by his good friend, Carol Almeida.

This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Surdich on Bowling: Simpson takes Black Oak senior no-tap title."