Champions and Kings at Tenpins, plus Rams take silver at State

RIO RANCHO — Four winners were crowned this past weekend at Tenpins & More as the 25th annual “Champion of Champions” tournament rolled into Rio Rancho.

The men’s final was taken down by Espanola resident Ken Friedrich who, according to Tenpins & More owner Steve Mackie, drives down “at least twice a week to bowl.” Friedrich beat out the second-place finisher, Lucius Sandoval of Albuquerque, by nearly 200 pins. Rio Rancho’s Trent Irwin took the bronze.

“Friedrich led from start-to-finish in the 143-game event, after opening strongly with 255, 267 and 279 for a rare 801 series,” Mackie said.

On the women’s side, Rio Rancho legend Linda Herrera came out for her record-breaking 25th Champion of Champions event. She closed out strong and beat Johanna Friedrich by 114 pins. Fellow Rio Rancho bowler Becky Fisher took third, finishing 25 pins behind Friedrich.

The senior side was packed with star-studded talent as well and made for an entertaining final event.

“Lane Grado, who learned to bowl in Southern California’s bowling hotbed in the 1960’s and 1970’s, held a commanding 86-pin lead going into the senior’s final match and all but threw it away with a nerve-wracking 151 game,” Mackie said in an email. “This after averaging 221 in the previous five matches.”

There was drama in the youth category as well as Rio Rancho’s Sebastian Medina secured a run after an Albuquerque bowler had to withdraw. Medina took advantage of the opportunity and went 7-1 over the finals to hoist the first-place trophy.

Nine-year-old bowling prodigy Genesis Bajonero took second and Liam Martinez finished third.

In other news...

• The “King of the Hill” series continued this past weekend at Tenpins & More. Jacob Gill became the first bowler to successfully defend his title. He won a close match against the challenger, Haskell Lee, and took home the $400 prize with a 193-175 victory.

- Four area league members won their respective age divisions in the Northern New Mexico Senior Olympics bowling tournament at Strike Gold Lanes this month. Ken Friedrich, Arthana Hampel, Willie Edwards and Perry Hampel came away with gold medals from the tournament that packed the sixteen-lane Center for two days.

• The RRHS Rams Bowling team competed in the NMAA State Bowling Championship on Saturday and took second place, behind Eldorado, 375-323. The Rams have finished in the top 3 in the state for 10 of the 11 years the NMAA has hosted a Bowling Championship. The high school bowling season takes place November-February.

Up next...

Feb. 9 — Superbowl Sunday Doubles Marathon, 8 a.m.