RICHMOND — Summer 2012 league action at Galaxy came to a close last week as the final two leagues finished their seasons.

For the first time, Galaxy offered free lineage for the summer leagues this year with all the fees paid by the bowlers going toward the prize funds.

The free lineage contributed to an increase of nearly 80 percent in the number of bowlers in the summer leagues this year compared to last year.

The free lineage and the large increase in the number of summer league bowlers resulted in unusually large monetary rewards for the teams. The amount won by the top teams is noted in the league highlights.

The summer league bowlers want to thank general manager Ray White and the rest of the Galaxy management and owners for establishing these free lineage leagues.

The bowlers were also appreciative of the inexpensive, tasty meal specials provided each week by kitchen manager Jeff Sadler and his crew.

League Highlights

Monday Mixed

Four teams had a shot at the championship of this league entering action on the final night last Monday.

The Pittsnogglers (Paul Miller, Matt Cracraft and Tyler and Andrew Magedanz) held a one-half game lead over Man On (Mark Rogers, Glenn Masters, Lewis Jones Jr. and Neil Haggard).

The Pin Crushers (Mike E. Bryant, Brandon Lutes, Tyler Morgan and Clifford and Aaron Rose) and Help Us (Beverly Shearer, Steve Woltering and Joanna and Bobby Abrams) each trailed the leaders by 1 1/2 games.

The Lexington-based Pittsnogglers won the league title by taking two games and total pins for a 3-1 win over Man On. The loss by Man On dropped them to third place behind Help Us who finished second by downing the Pin Crushers, 4-0.

Fifty percent of the total prize fund in this league was reserved to pay $10 for each game won by each team. The remainder was used to provide additional winnings for the top five teams.

The Pittsnogglers collected $1,977 including the $10 per game award. The amount won by the other top teams was $1,348 by Help Us, $912 by Man On, $684 by The Pin Crushers and $679 by Andi’s Lil Nuggets (Randy Burgess, Sr. and Andi, Cody and Mark Daly).

The remaining 11 teams collected from $290 to $155.

Matt Cracraft bowled the top game on the final night at 256 followed by Randy Burgess Sr. at 247.

Matt Joyce joined the 2011-12 Galaxy 700 club with a 713 series.

A series score of more than 600 was bowled by Mike Hilvers (684), Cracraft (675), Steve Woltering (649), Aaron Rose (635), Dave Kendrick (616), Burgess Sr. (609) and Lynn Estes (605).

The league’s ladies were led by Beverly Shearer with a 566 series and 200 game and Andi Daly with a 530 series and 202 game.

Cody Daly converted an unusual 3-4-6-7-9-10 split.

The names and best scores of the 28 men who rolled one or more 200-level games at this session are listed with the top scores at the end of this column.

The individual leaders for this league will be recognized in next week’s column.

Summer Tuesday Doubles No-Tap

In addition to regular strikes, nine pins down with the first ball in a frame counts as a strike in no-tap leagues.

Team JK (Jeff Napier and Kandi Weller) finished on top as this league completed its season last week. Team JK collected $500 for winning the league title.

The other 21 teams in this league earned from $465 to $155 as the teams earned prize money for each game won.

The teams which finished in the second through fifth positions in this league were: Husband and Wife (Amy and Jeff Sadler), Low Rollers (Kymmi and Bill Bowles), Gutter Kings (Jason Johnson and David Robinson) and Double D (Don Brumfield and Dean Acker).

Jeff Napier and John Hickam each rolled a no-tap 300 game on the final night of action. This was Napier’s seventh no-tap 300 game of the season and Hickam’s second. David Robinson bowled the next-best game for the night at 268.

Napier (794), Matt Joyce (707) and Robinson (701) rolled series scores exceeding 700 on the final night.

The best women’s series on the last night were 720 by Tina Hisle, 674 by Beverly Shearer and 651 by Genny Bryant.

Shearer bowled the top women’s game (277), followed by Hisle (266) and Bryant (263).

Series scores of more than 600 were also rolled by Jeff Sadler (685), Hickam (683), Carl Daniels (658), Jason Abel (631) and Bill Bowles (607).

The individual leaders for this league will be cited in next week’s column.

Woman nearly rolls 900 series

Katie Verbil, a former Wichita State bowler, fell just short of a 900 series in league action in Wichita recently.

Verbil opened her series with two 300 games and extended her string of consecutive strikes to 33 before leaving the 10 pin on the first ball in the 10th frame of her third game.

Verbil finished with a series score of 879 which sets a new record for women in sanctioned competition.

There have been only 21 sanctioned 900 series bowled according to the records of the United States Bowling Congress.

The highest series bowled by a Kentucky bowler is 887 by Anthony O’Neal of Louisville in 2010, while the highest series by a Kentucky woman is 860 by Sarah Jones of Lexington in 2006.

Last Week’s Top Scores

Men’s Games

Matt Cracraft    256

Randy Burgess Sr.    247

Steve Woltering    246

Matt Joyce    245

Mike Hilvers    242

Todd Young    237

Paul Miller    235

Mark Rogers    234

Dave Kendrick    232

Carl Daniels    230

Aaron Rose    228

Neil Haggard    224

Cody Daly    222

Andrew Magedanz    221

Lynn Estes    218

John Hickam    216

Bobby Abrams    212

Jeff Sadler    212

Mike E. Bryant    210

Chris Walker    210

Bill Bowles    205

Brandon Lutes    204

Glenn Masters    203

Paul Dapkus    203

Russell Jones    201

Tyler Magedanz    201

Larry Lindsey    200

T.J. Tudor    200



Women’s Games

Andi Daly    202

Beverly Shearer    200