Outstanding Performances Highlight 2011 GAUSBCA Championships

March 11, 2011

Eagle River’s Dynamic Duo of Katie and Larry Lanehart were outstanding in the recently completed Greater Anchorage USBC Association (GAUSBCA) Championships conducted the past two weekends at Jewel Lake Bowl (Singles and Doubles events) and Center Bowl (Team event).  Husband and wife Larry and Katie combined to win four of eight events, taking the Division 1 All-Events and Doubles titles as well as the Scratch Doubles and Scratch All-Events titles of the Open Championships.

In capturing the Open Scratch All-Events, the GAUSBCA Championships’ premier event in which the bowler’s 3-game pinfall earned in their first appearance in each event is combined, Katie Lanehart fired series of 759 in Singles, 717 in Doubles, and 663 in the Team event for a total of 2,139.  Katie’s total, averaging over 237 per game for the nine games, topped Larry’s second-place total of 2,128 by a mere 11 pins.  Katie's 759 series placed second in the Singles scratch event, second to GAUSBCA President Andy Morton's 768.

In the Doubles, Larry fired an outstanding 791 series, and his Division 1 All-Events handicap total of 2,263 topped his second-place wife’s score by 28 pins.  Yes, Larry receives more handicap than Katie!  Their doubles score also earned them first place in Open Division 1 Doubles handicap and as well as Doubles scratch, and Katie’s Singles score placed second with handicap, 4 pins behind Open Division 1 Singles (w/handicap) Champion Garrett Jackson.  The Laneharts’ performances capped a very impressive few weeks, coming on the heels of Larry winning the Alaska 700 Club tournament in mid-February.  Many well-earned congratulations to them both!

 In Division 1 Doubles, Steve Brown rolled the highest 3-game series of the championships, throwing 34 of a possible 36 strikes in an 844 series with games of 300, 264, and 280.  Steve teamed with Faye Kelly to earn second place in Scratch Doubles.

In the Open Championships Division 1 Team Event, the Alaska Wheel Works team demolished the competition by winning the event by an unheard-of margin of 330 pins.  In their record-setting accomplishment led by James Krafft’s 814 series on games of 289, 268, and 257, they set a new all-time five-man team GAUSBCA record scratch score of 3,691 – an amazing average of over 246 pins per man per game.  In setting the record, Krafft was accompanied by Bobby McLennan (717), Doug Morton (746), Chris Clapper (641), and John Robarge (773).  Great bowling guys!

GAUSBCA Open Division 2 Champions (w/handicap) included Seth Marie Westfall in Singles, Glenn Runyan and Mike Lehrman in Doubles, Center Bowl’s “A Really Good Team” in the Team event, and Ronald Six, Jr. in All-Events.  In winning the Singles, Seth rolled a personal best scratch series of 731, and won the event by over 70 pins.

A total of 74 5-person teams competed in the Open Championships Team Event, thanks in large part to Center Bowl’s “Break the Bank” prizes.  To view Break the Bank winners, click the “Break the Bank” link on Center Bowl’s AlaskaBowler.com home page. 

In the Women’s GAUSBCA Championships, Kristen Eggleton topped the Scratch All-Events list with a nine-game total of 1,990.  Katie Lanehart finished second with 1,845, and Kim Eggleton’s total of 1,720 earned the third spot.  Women’s Division 1 Champions (w/handicap) were Mary Bradley in Singles, Katie Lanehart and mom Sue Axtell in Doubles, the “GAUSBCA Hall of Fame” in the Team Event, and Kristen Eggleton in All-Events.

Complete unofficial final standings for all divisions in both the Open and Women’s Championships are available on links found on GAUSBCA’s AlaskaBowler.com home page.  Please remember all handicap scores and event finishes are unofficial until validated by the GAUSBCA Tournament Committee and posted as final.