Corey Winters wanted a particular bowling ball so much that he was willing to drive quite a ways to get it.
The 35-year-old Middleport resident said he found a MOTIV Evoke ball for sale for a real good price on craigslist recently and drove two hours to pick it up.
“I saw the ball for sale on craigslist for $60, bought it and had it drilled in Buffalo,” said Winters, who is employed as the assistant director of Planning & Development for Orleans County. “I used it the last two weeks in the league.”
Bowling in the Sneezy’s Monday Night League at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion, Winters posted a 620 series on Sept. 9 before exploding for a personal-best 299 game and 817 series this past Monday night on lanes 5-6.
The two-hander’s games of 280-299-238 featured 21 straight strikes – the last 10 in the 280 and the front 11 in the 299. A 4-pin stopped him from a perfect game.
Video-Corey Winters rolling the 12th ball in his quest for a 300 game. The 4-pin remained standing, giving him a personal-best 299.
He shook off back-to-back splits in the middle of the third game to finish with a string of strikes for the 817.
“I wasn’t even thinking about an 800 series at all,” he said. “No one told me what I needed. I was just focusing on each frame.”
Winters, a 200-205 average bowler, said he will be selecting a ring from the United States Bowling Congress for his achievement.
“I never thought I would get an 800 series. I see all of those names on the board on the wall and didn’t think I’d ever get on that,” he said. “But I’d rather have an 800 than a 300 because it shows consistency.”
His teammate, Curtis Foss, added a 280 game and 762 series, while Tegan and Kevin Miller chipped in as the Balls of Oak Orchard team rolled a 2,733 scratch series.
Elsewhere around the Genesee Region USBC:
— Harris Busmire and Mike Lyons registered 276—752 and 277—747, respectively, in the Wednesday Men’s Handicap League at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen.
TOURNEY OPENS UP TO MORE WOMEN
The Genesee Region USBC’s Gladys Ford Memorial Senior Women’s Tournament is changing its name – removing the senior tag and adding a division for USBC-certified female bowlers ages 49 and under.
The association’s board decided to make the change in light of the fact that there is no handicap singles tournament for women other than the singles event that is part of the season-ending Association Tournament in March.
Scheduled for Nov. 9-10 at Letchworth Pines in Portageville, the Gladys Ford tournament now will feature competition in the following age classifications: 75 & over, 70-74, 60-69, 50-59 and 49 & under.
Participants will bowl three games on either of the two days, with squad times at 1:30 p.m. each day. Entry fee is $30 and at least one in five entries will cash. For more information, contact Joann Van Duser at jmvd@frontiernet.net or at 585-370-1671.
Entry forms for all Genesee Region USBC tournaments for the 2024-25 season can be found at www.bowlgr.com – Tournaments/Results tab.
YOUTH TRAVEL LEAGUE TO START OCT. 27
The Genesee Region Youth Travel League is scheduled to open its season on Oct. 27 at Mount Morris Lanes.
Officials are hoping to field a league of eight teams with three bowlers (boys, girls or mixed) on each team. USBC-certified youth bowlers are eligible to participate.
The remaining schedule is as follows. Starting time is 1 p.m. except for Nov. 10, which is 2 p.m.
Nov. 10 – Le Roy Legion Lanes.
Nov. 24 – Mount Morris Lanes.
Dec. 8 – Mancuso Bowling Center, Batavia.
Jan. 12 – Le Roy Legion Lanes.
Jan. 26 – Oak Orchard Lanes, Albion.
Feb. 2 – Mancuso Bowling Center, Batavia.
Feb. 23 – Perry Bowling Center.
March 16 – Rose Garden Bowl, Bergen (No-tap tournament/banquet).
For more information, contact Dan Santini at dansan1609@gmail.com or at 585-738-0032.