Two Team Race To The Wire
Yanks Continue To Win, Face Tough Schedule

South Glens Falls - The Yanks breezed past Hi-Lo Thursday in the Forever Young league, knocking them from title contention. The league leaders followed a familiar formula, winning the opener by a small margin, then firing twin games in the 160s and coasting to a victory. The Yanks are 23-5 over the last seven sessions.

The Tomahawks will not go away. Don Williams shot 651 on games of 212, 248 and 191 and Roy Brady contributed 650 (235-184-231) for a sweep against the always-tough Marauders. Audrey Baker and Roger Nelligan bested their averages in each game, to no avail. The Tommies trail the Yanks by 5½.

The Singers saw their hopes of a title probably evaporate as they were upset 3-1 by P+C. Barb and Joe cling to third place, with all the money riding on next week's Yanks showdown. Trailing by 8½ may be too steep a hill to climb.

The CC's and Frosty + One played what is considered a suspended match. Gary Frost is scheduled to make up his absence, but for the time being his team won the match 2½-1½. Rookie sensation Nick Gebo used the opportunity to act as a pacer with Frosty leadoff man Patrick Scanlan and fired an outstanding 711 series on games of 248, 229 and 235.

The Racy Retirees swamped the slumping Librarians 4-0 behind Cathy Tracy's 189-470 effort. The Gamblers swept the vacancy as Mary Tessino rolled a sensational 497 set to pace the weekly ladies' scores.

The real action begins next week, as the league enters upon the final three Thursdays of play. A dozen points are available.

The Singers (28) take on the Yanks (36½) in the marquee contest, while both of the Tomahawks (31) will have to shoot 191 against the vacancy to earn their points. And that's just to whet your appetite.

Week 14 has the Yanks and Tomahawks doing battle. The final session is a position round - and, perhaps a rematch between the Tommies and Yanks.

High drama at Pine.

Four Weeks Of Heavy Lifting Ahead
Yanks Win, Tommies & Singers Loom

South Glens Falls - The Yanks remained atop the Forever Young league standings with a 3-1 victory against the Racy Retirees Thursday afternoon at Pine Lanes. Ingrid Basso once again put a well-above-average 163 game in the middle to pick up anchor Mark Basso and provide a tense ten-pin win in a crucial spot.

The Tomahawks brought out the brooms and swept P+C to move into second place, just 5½ points behind. Don Williams took the day's high honors with a 613 series on games of 216, 210 and 187. Partner Roy Brady was right there as well, with a pair of deuces included in a 591 effort.

The Singers bowled the vacancy and came away with three points and a virtual tie with the Tommies at 27-17. Joe Sycuro barely missed the 500 level with 494. The team made a fine comeback after coming up short in the opener.

The CC's pounded the Gamblers 4-0 as Chuck Boykin put 226 at the end of a fine 561 set. Carol Finkle set the standard for the ladies (as usual) with her 179-416.

Frosty + One beat Hi-Lo 3-1 thanks in part to rookie Patrick Scanlan's 183 second game, and The Librarians continued on their recent downward spiral - falling 4-0 to the Marauders. Roger Nelligan rolled a 173-495 for the winners.

There are four weeks remaining in the season. In two weeks, the Yanks face off against The Singers. Following that, they get the Tomahawks. The fifteenth week is a position round, so any predictions now certainly fall well within the margin of error.

Brady, Yanks Continue To Impress

South Glens Falls - The record book took a pounding Thursday afternoon as Roy Brady took high honors in the Forever Young league with a mistake-free 722 series on games of 268, 247 and 207. The single and triple were season-highs, just short of the 277-725 rolled in 2010 by teammate Don Williams. Williams added 213-204-178 for 595 as the Tomahawks took a 3-1 decision against the CC's. Chuck Boykin paced the losers with 202-184-193 (579).

The Yanks continued on their torrid streak, surviving a first-game scare to sweep The Librarians and maintain their 5½ point lead in the standings. Mark Basso had 184-518 and mom Ingrid finished up with a blistering 166 game for the winners. The Yanks are 16-4 over the past five sessions.

The Singers swept Frosty + One behind anchor Joe Sycuro's fine 194-535 to move into the runner-up spot alone. Hi-Lo took three from the Gamblers as Curt Williams fashioned a 232-577.

In other action, the Racy Retirees beat the Marauders 3-1 and the league welcomed a new sub, Nick Gebo, who responded with 643 (217-210-216) - pairing with Paul Pribis to get four points versus the vacancy.

Carol Finkle showed the way for the women with a 168 game, and Barb Trottier had 454 for the best series.

The league is now at the two-thirds mark, with five weeks remaining on the schedule (20 available points).

Yanks Sweep; Add Three To Lead

Long Branch bartender Sam Noonan

South Glens Falls - The Yanks widened their breathing room from the top perch of the Forever Young league Thursday with a resounding 4-0 victory over Frosty + One. Leadoff Yank Ingrid Basso showed the way with 163-454. Her individual games were 30, 39 and 13 pins above her average. The spread between first and second place is now 5½ with six weeks (24 available points) remaining on the schedule.

The Tomahawks, The Singers and The CC's are all nestled in second place. The Tommies rolled over the Racy Retirees 3-1 behind Roy Brady and his season-high 655 on games of 235, 217 and 203. Anchor Don Williams contributed his third consecutive 600 or better series, a 613 on games of 211, 221 and 181.

The Singers dropped their match 3-1 to the Gamblers, who got an outstanding 223 and 177 effort from Phil Camp (548) in the second and third games to claim the win. Joe Sycuro rolled a steady 525 for the losers, with all games in the 170s.

The CC's took care of Hi-Lo by 3-1 with Chuck Boykin's 214-550 leading the way. Curt Williams had 191-534 for Hi-Lo.

Michele Gottlieb bowled all by her lonesome on lanes 13 and 14, taking The Librarians to a sweep over the vacancy via her amazing 207 finale. Her 499 set was tops for the ladies, as well.

P+C topped the Marauders in action further down the standings ladder.

Mid-Season Congestion At The Top

Bowling fun in 1956

South Glens Falls - The top seven teams in the Forever Young league are within 5½ points of each other after Thursday afternoon's Week 8 action at Pine Lanes.

The Gamblers lost their opener to the league-leading Yanks, then rebounded to a 3-1 victory behind anchor Phil Camp's 181-500 effort. The result closed the margin between first and second place to 2½. The Singers stayed in the runner-up spot by virtue of their 2-2 split against the Marauders. Hi-Lo climbed to within three with a 3-1 win against the vacancy, as Curt Williams led the way with 190-510.

Don Williams and partner Roy Brady are having trouble getting their act together for the Tomahawks. Williams blasted a season-high 650 on games of 242, 173 and 235 while Brady had his worst output of the year. The Tommies still managed a 3-1 triumph over the pesky Librarians duo.

The CC's captured the lone sweep of the day with a win over P+C. Chuck Boykin paced the whitewash with 209-574. Frosty + One welcomed rookie Patrick Scanlan to the fold and he certainly didn't disapppoint, throwing a trio of games in the 140s to pace a 3-1 nod over the Racy Retirees.

Carol Finkle was best in show on the distaff side with a 169 single, with Mary Tessino's 426 the high series.

Yanks Improve Margin With Sweep

Paladin

South Glens Falls - The Yanks whitewashed the Marauders 4-0 Thursday afternoon at Pine Lanes, increasing their Forever Young league lead to 3½ points in the process. They took the opener by 19, the second game by only four, then put the hammer down, waltzing away to a 76-pin romp. Mark Basso's 486 paced the victory.

The Singers handled the Racy Retirees 3-1 to remain in second place. The Tomahawks and Hi-Lo split their match, while The Librarians continued their recent slump, dropping a 3-1 verdict to P+C.

Don Williams rolled a league-best 626 for the Tommies on games of 193, 245 and 188. Teammate Roy Brady added 200-577. Curt Williams paced Hi-Lo with 210-582.

Other action saw the CC's winning three against the vacancy, and Frosty outpointing the Gamblers 4-0. In related news, Frosty will henceforth be known as Frosty + One, with the addition next week of Patrick Scanlan to Gary Frost's roster.

For the ladies, Mary Tessino, Barb Trottier and Carol Finkle shared a high single game of 158. Carol topped the series list with her 445 effort.

Yanks Roll, Take League Lead

Matt, Kitty & Doc

South Glens Falls - The Yanks broke clear of the pack on Thursday, thrashing P+C (once again without the C) 4-0 and opening a 2½ point margin over The Singers as the Forever Young league completed the sixth of fifteen weeks. The Singers rose to the runner-up spot in the standings via their 3-1 win against Hi-Lo, while the Racy Retirees used a sweep of their own over The CC's to jump into a three-way jumble with the aforementioned Hi-Lo and The Librarians, three points behind.

The Gamblers' victory over The Librarians was sufficient to move into sixth place - next door, the Tomahawks suffered a brutal defeat at the hands of under-manned Frosty.

A mere two points separate second place from eighth as the season cruises along.

Roy Brady (235-570) and Joe Sycuro (202-539) had the lone sets worth a mention on this day, when the lanes were flooded with oil.

Audrey Baker's 189-468 was the best ladies' score.

Trio At The Top, One-Third Through

The Outlaw Josey Wales

South Glens Falls - Three teams share first place after five sessions in the Forever Young league after Thursday's action at Pine Lanes.

Hi-Lo crushed the Racy Retirees behind anchor Curt Williams' 602 series (207-185-210) to grab a piece of the top spot, along with the Yanks and The Librarians. The Yanks bowled the vacancy and came away with three points, while The Librarians weren't so fortunate, bowing to Frosty's main man, Gary Frost, by a 3-1 score.

The Singers swept the Tomahawks thanks to Joe Sycuro and his league-best 609 set (222-199-188). The Toms saw their four-week unbeaten match streak snapped abruptly. Roy Brady paced the defeat with 203-232-604 and received feeble aid from anchor Don Williams (202-575). Those two squads now are in a virtual tie for fourth place.

The CC's, with Chuck Boykin's 200-514 showing the way, handled the Marauders 3-1. The Gamblers (Phil Camp 201-519) and P+C split their match.

Carol Finkle (179-447) once again led the distaff side of things.

Librarians, Tommies Duel For Position

A little Wii action

South Glens Falls - The Librarians shrugged off a 66-pin opening-game walloping at the hands of The Singers and roared back to a 3-1 victory in Thursday's Forever Young action at Pine Lanes. The win puts The Librarians back into first place with an 11½-4½ record after four weeks of play.

The Tomahawks (11-5) continued their early-match struggles, digging themselves a second successive weekly 0-2 hole to climb out of - then rallied to a 2-2 draw against the Gamblers. Roy Brady rolled another exceptional set, a 637 beauty on games of 204, 223 and 210. His series would have been much better without the three 10-pins he missed. Teammate and anchor Don Williams shot a plain-vanilla 598 (206-190-202). Phil Camp was outstanding for the Gamblers with 221-565.

The Yanks lost 3-1 to the CC's, while the Racy Retirees got three points against the vacancy. Both are two points behind the league leaders. Bill Pike was all alone (literally) for Hi-Lo versus the totally absent P+C duo - and took three points for his efforts.

The Marauders pounded poor Frosty (Gary Frost's new team name) in the week's lone sweep.

Carol Finkle paced the ladies with 199-474. Chuck Boykin (224-568) and Joe Sycuro (222-521) rang up the league's other 500 or better sets.

Tommies Back On Top

South Glens Falls - You fall or get bucked off, better to hop back on and get the memory out of your system.

Tomahawk anchor Don Williams drew a wide-open tenth-frame split in the second game, relegating his team to an eight-pin defeat and an 0-2 hole with a game to go in Thursday's Forever Young action at Pine Lanes. Undaunted, thirty minutes later he blasted a final-ball strike to win the total pin point by a single stick and secure the Toms' 2-2 split against the Yanks.

Williams completed his afternoon's work with a less-than-spectacular 228-567, leaving the heavy lifting to leadoff man Roy Brady, who didn't disappoint in a 633 set on games of 193, 232 and 208. Roy continues to lead the circuit in average after three sessions at 204.

Mark Basso provided the punch for the Yanks with a pair of games in the 180s and 533 overall.

The draw moved the Tomahawks back up into sole possession of the league lead (at 9-3) by a half-game over those Yanks and The Librarians, who suffered their first losses of the young season - three in fact - versus Hi-Lo.

The newest addition to the league, the 11th team headed by Gary Frost and ably manned by sub Roger Feuerstein (181-502), was the lone squad to sweep all four points. Gary and his still-unnamed partner will have some bowling to make up soon, but for now they're unbeaten at 4-0.

Seven teams are at or above the .500 level after three weeks of play.

The tandem of Audrey/Roger will hereafter be known as the Marauders. Frost's team (#11) needs a name. Frostbite was suggested to a lukewarm reception.

Carol Finkle had the high single game for the gals (177) and Mary Tessino had the best series (451).

We would like to add three (3) new bowlers, one for the Frost team and two to make it a 12-team league. Please spread the word. Thanks!