Home >  Sports >  Notebooks

Sunday, March 02, 2003

By Phil Axelrod, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

John Hricsina, a member of the PBA Senior Tour who is coming off arm surgery, earned $1,400 by winning the Mickey Michalojko Memorial Scratch Tournament at Colonial Lanes.

Hricsina, of Franklin, averaged 214 in four qualifying games and 236 in the two-game match-play finals.

"The arm felt good," Hricsina said. "I was able to release the ball the way I wanted to."

The other competitors in the finals were last year's champion Chris Judd, Rich Thompsom and Rick Beimel.

Scholastic stars

Hempfield High School won the boys' and girls' titles in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Bowling League team championships.

The Hempfield boys rolled to the title at Noble Manor Lanes, led by Mario Sollechio's 244/680, Nathan Shively's 232/672, James Talamo's 234/623 and Jason Torrance's 214/610. The team's total pinfall was 3,179. Runner-up Chartiers Valley featured Mike Lambros, whose 280 and 728 were the high individual game and series.

Baldwin's Josh Sopko had a 266/657 and Franklin Regional's Justin Pass put together a 231/656 to round out the top five series.

Other top individual scores were recorded by Greensburg Central Catholic's John Rahl (234), North Allegheny's Brad McCullough (230), Ambridge's Bob Schreckengost (232) and Aaron Charlton (223), Our Lady of Sacred Heart's Tony Goodwin (223), Franklin Regional's Jonathan Bright (226) and West Mifflin's Mike Maschio (218).

The Hempfield girls had a 2,522 total at Corpen Lanes, led by Jennifer Ridilla's 227/587 and Tara Kane's 213/586. Runner-up Woodland Hills was led by Shawna Ruffner's 201 and 186s by Heather White and Kelly Kilgour. The top five series were Ridilla's 587, Kane's 586, Oakland Catholic's Devon Zitelli (198/537), West Mifflin's Christina Galonis (192/535) and Penn-Trafford's Danielle Holodnak (205/515).

Everything's ducky

Joe Sawyer (Sewickley) won the Grand Finals and the first-place prize of $750 in the Western Pennsylvania Duckpin Tournament Series with a victory against Don Heinecke (Carrick) at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association.

Sawyer, the seasonal points leader, also earned King of the Hill honors and will start next year as the defending King.

In the highest-scoring match of the tournament, Heinecke eliminated Tony Pyle (Fox Chapel) in the semifinals, 236-217.

Chuck Samstag (Carrick) was the high qualifier with a three-game series of 556.

The tournament trail

Jeff German (Wheeling, W.Va.) defeated Terri Almsay (Pittsburgh) in the final match, 231-226, to win the Head-to-Head tournament at All American Lanes in Steubenville, Ohio. German averaged 236. The Strike-pot has grown to $3,470.

Todd Hadden picked up $400 by winning a handicap tournament sponsored by the Pittsburgh Bowlers Tour at Nesbits' Lanes.

Perfecto

Brian Guerrieri's first 300 also was the first 300 thrown this year in the Allegheny Valley Tavern/Businessmen League at Nesbits' Lanes. He had a 721 series.

On a roll

Dave Justice had a 267/780 in the Coors Light League at New Great Valley Lanes. ... Joe Lowrie Jr. threw a 258/763 in the Wednesday Classic at Pines Plaza Lanes.

A golden oldie

Gildo Martini, 81, who averages 142, rolled a 192 in the third game of a 549 series in the Jednota Br. 2 Men's Sports League at Pines Plaza Lanes.

What's happening

The Miller Lite Head-to-Head tournament at AMF Mt. Lebanon Lanes will resume 8:15 p.m. today after being snowed out last week.

The FunFest Entertianment Center will hold a Scratch Survivor Tournament that starts March 3, with $1,000 for first place and $200 for the runner-up. The event will run six weeks, with the bowlers having to survive the weekly designated score for a three-game series. The first week is 500, followed by 520, 540, 560 and 580. The four high series will compete in a single elimination match-play finals the sixth week. All the competitors must pre-register. For more information call, 412-828-1100.

The Pittsburgh Bowlers Tour is sponsoring a scratch singles tournament today at Nesbits' Lanes, with $1,000 for first place and a $40 entry fee. There will be a handicap doubles tournament next Sunday at Freeway Lanes, with $1,000 for first place and a $38 entry fee.