One of the largest amateur bowling tournaments in the Northeastern states starts this week at Yankee Lanes in Keene, NH and offers $44,000 in prize money according to tournament manager Jeff Barden.

For the first weekend of this tournament, Feb. 1-2 the event offers an early bird special of $1500 each for 1st place scratch and 1st handicap team scores.

The popularity of this event is that itattracts bowlers from all parts of New York State and the Northeast as it enters its 54th year.

The popular tourney continues on the weekend of Feb. 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 and March 1 and March 7-8.

Squad Times are Saturdays at 9 a.m., noon, 3 and 6 p.m. Sunday's squad time are 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m.

Entries must be received one-half hour prior to each squad and total entries close at 2:30 p.m. on March 8. All entries are on a first come basis.

This tournament will offer team event, singles and doubles.

Entry forms are available online at Northeastern Open Bowling Championships 2020 and entry forms can be mailed, emailed or faxed.

The contact person for this event is Jeff Barden at 603-381-5084, email at jbarden@netourney.com and the fax number is 603-352-5537 (the bowling center).

Mailing address is PO Box 10383, Swanzey, NH 03446.

Teams may consist of any combination of five bowlers.

The tournament is certified by the United States Bowling Congress.

Yankee Lanes is located at 477 Park Ave., Keene, NH.

The entry fee is $30 per person per event. All events are $5 per person.

The oil pattern for this tournament is 41 feet oil pattern distance, forward oil total 13 mi, forward boards crossed 260 boards, reverse brush drop 41 feet, reverse oil total 9 mi. reverse boards crossed 180 boards, oil per board 50 ui. volume oil total 22 mi. and total boards crossed 440 boards (see attached diagram for the oil pattern).

Ed's Outlook

No. 5 qualifier Sean Rash of Montgomery, Illinois, won four consecutive matches, defeating top qualifier Ryan Ciminelli of Lancaster, South Carolina, in the finale, 289-234, to win the PBA Oklahoma Open Sunday at FireLake Bowling Center for his 15th career title.

The finals of the second tournament of the 2020 Go Bowling Pro Tour season aired live on FS1.

Rash, who made educated adjustments and executed flawlessly through four matches, started the championship match by converting a 10 pin and then threw 10 consecutive strikes for back-to-back near-perfect games. The 37-year-old righthander flirted with the gutter on the shorter oiling pattern on the right lane and played a near-flawless inside line on the left throughout the finals.

Rash, who was joined by wife Sara in the closing ceremonies, also revealed the couple is expecting their third child in July.

“We were trying to figure out a good time to announce it,” Rash said. “This seemed like as good a time as any.”

Bowling Tip

By Mike Luongo

The wonderful world of bowling gives bowlers the opportunity to use performance bowling balls.

These balls are made of urethane, urethane with reactive additives, with or without particles.

All performance balls come out of the box with either some degree of matte finish, a compounded finish or polished finish.

When a manufacturer chooses a box finish for a bowling ball, many times it is for shelf appeal. All companies want you to choose their products. What you need to know as a customer is that the cover of your performance ball can be adjusted to best fit your needs.

What does this mean for a customer? To maximize your scoring ability on a given lane condition , the cover stock of your bowling ball should match the lane condition. If your ball is grabbing too early, you will need some polish, if the ball is already polished, use a higher degree of polish, preferable something with a slip agent. This will help you get the ball down the lane with less effort.

The telltale sign of a ball grabbing the lane too soon is when you see the ball start to hook and then it stops hooking. On the other hand, if your ball is skidding too far down the lane, you will need some surface friction on the ball. How much friction you need will depend on your ball speed, rev rate and the amount of oil on the lane. The degree of matte finish could be as little as 4000 or as much as 320.

Reminder....these are adjustments to fine tune your ball reaction. It is up to your Pro Shop professional to help you purchase the ball or balls with the proper core and cover to match both your game and the lane surface on which you bowl.

Depending on how serious you are about your bowling, and how many centers you bowl in, you may need more than one ball to help you match the conditions.

And always remember.....your equipment should be cleaned each time it is used.

Mike Luongo is a Certified IBPSIA Pro Shop Operator, Master Instructor, USBC Silver Level Coach and an Advisor-Special Events Assistant with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. Have a question, email him at mike.luongo@stormbowling.com.

BOWLING SCORES

BEECHWOOD LANES

Villa Roma Mon. Ladies

Two weeks of bowling scores from this league.

For the week of 1-13 Rebecca Rhodes 156, 166, Julie Bauer 162, Lindsey Bauer 150, Jaclyn Kimmes 156, Tracy Puerschner 179, Barbara Cady 152, 167, Pam Wayne 154, Lillian Zieres 178, 169, 162, 509.

For the week of 1-20 Sue Naughton 174, Rebecca Rhodes 157, Danielle Meyer 178, Laurie Brockner 150, Tracy Puerschner 174, Kristina Verrico 150, Lois Erdman 166, Barbara Cady 169.

PORT JERVIS BOWL

Thursday Ladies

Erin McDonagh 225, 256, 192, 673, Kim Witkowski 219, 135, 193, 547, Sherri Laird 184, 183, 171, 538, Celeste Fitzpatrick 184, 171, 173, 528, Carol Flynn 198, 162, 155, 515.

FOX BOWLING CENTER

Wednesday Men's Independent

Doc Bolduc 235, 242, 669, Carl Davis 266, Bill Gleim 214, 216, 245, 675, Rob Johnson 206, 216. 227, 649, Dan Keesler 203, 233, 219, 655, Zuke Wormuth 211, 235, 225, 671.

Thursday Night 3

Ray Cornwell 214, 609, Shane Dirig 255, 223, 670, Gino Jones 210, 216, 221, 647, Dan Wormuth 237, 224, 655.

Friday Couples

Andy Bullis 259, 269, 724, Shane Ding 236, 212, 630, Brianna Meres 209, 183, 535, Rick Mills 202, 213, 612, Tia Robinson 193, 197, 561, Dan Wormuth 257, 614.

Sat. Youth Mixed

Landon Fuller 78, 121, 163, 362, Olivia Johnston 95, 119, 104, 318, Landyn Robinson 104, 118, 107, 329, Cooper Wormuth 72, 79, 137, 288.

Sunday Mixed

Mike Bowker 224, 218, 232, 674, Reva Jones 190, 189, 521.

KIAMESHA LANES

Monday Men's

Jon Wilhelm 213, 290, 225, 728, Pedro Agapito III a 212, 255, 238, 705, Ron Totten 257, 202, 234, 693, Kevin Stackhouse 229, 215, 246, 690, Billy Schubert 226, 197, 266, 689, Damien VanLeuven 229, 195, 255, 679, Jim VanAken 266, 239, 179, 684.

Tues. Mixed Firefighter

Kyle Giordano 234, JJ Wilhelm 232, 184, 214, 630, George Severnak 225, 201, 225, 651, Trasey Barres 195, 164, 160, 519, Edward Walsh 257, 166, 202, 625, Mary Lee Williams 200, 509.

Friday Mixed

Wayne Atkins 216, 213, 225, 654, Shane Cunningham 194, 245, 244, 683, David Graham 209, 231, 235, 675, Eddie Lake 207, 248, 244, 699, Bill VanAken 210, 234, 235, 679, Michelle Dennis 197, 499, Valerie Mott 209, 497.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the Sport of Bowling and brings over 60-years of sports journalism experience in writing and compiling the information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, bowl a 300 game or an 800 series, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email to edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax to 845-205, 4474. View this column and Ed's photos at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.