Bowling update: News from the lanes

RIO RANCHO — Kassi Romero and Tom Garcia of Rio Rancho combined forces to win annual Easter Doubles Marathon April 20 at Tenpins & More.

The pair went 7-1 in match play to win over 21 teams, earning 14 points. Romero started strongly with games above her entering average of 183, then Garcia finished well, including a game of 256 to secure the win.

Two teams were tied at 6-2, necessitating a tie-breaker game with husband and wife team Jonathan and Jolene Sokohl shooting 416, including handicap, to put high-scoring duo Wendy Christian and Nathaniel Duran into third with 376.

Earlier, Duran had established a career personal best average of more than 235 over eight games, and Christian had included six games over her entering average with a high game of 247.

Six teams, tied on 5-3 records, battled it out for minor placings, led by Espanola's Johanna and Kenneth Friedrich with handicap-adjusted 441 taking fourth place.

They were followed by Marc Lucero/Martin Neal with 403, Mike and Donielle Waite 375 and a tie on 372 for the teams of Eric Wellman/Dontez Young and Gabriel Gonzales/Brian Bledsoe in seventh place.

Lucero also enjoyed a career night with seven games of nine bowled above his normal 188 league average.

Double-header tournament a success

A new format tournament attracted 54 bowlers in 18 teams of three at Tenpins & More on April 13

The unique point system coupled with a position round each of the eight games created many close and exciting matches.

Husband and wife, Brian and Adrienne Hare added southpaw Andy Zumwalt and proved the winning combination, gaining the maximum six points in three of their matches, along with five points in three other matches to secure the $ 2,400 first-place prize.

They finished with 38 points, six more than runners-up, father and son Gary and Jacob Gill and Colorado's Dale Coffee, a former anchorman for the Cleveland Storm bowling squad.

Third place went to Rio Ranchoans Tom Garcia and Chris Sanders, who were joined by Tijeras' Josh Matthies, on 30 points, one ahead of Albuquerque's Sam Pinge, Carlos Fourzan and Brian Skidmore, who brought down the most pins but won only one point in three of their matches.

In the accompanying singles segment, Pinge finished with 231 to run down Jacob Gill, who closed with 196 for the win — 1,732 to 1,728 — followed by Rio Rancho's JD Nance on 1,713.

Others win cash prizes included Scott Wiley 1,691; Adrienne Hare 1,683; Coffee 1,677; Skidmore 1,676; Brian Hare 1,673; and Santa Fe's Dion Romero, 1,672.

Summer leagues

Summer league sign-ups are coming in for 18 different day, night and weekend slots, catering for youth, adults and senior competitive bowlers. Sign-ups can be done in person at 1416 Deborah Road SE, Rio Rancho, or via email to tenpins@q.com.