WEEDSPORT — After every roll, Kevin Ashby nonchalantly walked back to his seat, occasionally checking his Blackberry. While Ashby’s expression told a story of just another game, the video screen above the two lanes where he was bowling said something much different.
Next to “KA” on the monitor, signifying Ashby’s row of scoring, there was a string of “Xs.” By the end of the game, there were only “Xs,” as Ashby started his day by bowling a 300 in The Citizen Masters at Rainbow Lanes in Weedsport.
“I’ve had many 300s so it wasn’t quite a big deal for me,” Ashby said.
And of the distractions that came with the drama building to the perfection game, Ashby wasn’t aware of the crowd quieting during his approach or the louder roars when he followed through with a strike.
“No not at all, it doesn’t bother me,” Ashby said.
After the perfect game, Ashby slipped a little in the second game, rolling a 192, but still advanced in the men’s winners’ bracket with a 709 series, topping Tim Waters’ 650. The win sets up a showdown today against defending champion Mike Ryan. Ryan also won the tournament in 2004 and 2008. Ryan topped David Ashby 676-651.
“Big day tomorrow, big match tomorrow,” Kevin Ashby said. “I can’t wait to bowl Mike, defending champion. It will be fun. He’s a great bowler.”
The high scorer on the day was the youngest bowler in the tournament. Dan Bibbens, just 20 years old, had a 789 series and beat 1996 runner-up Bob Clarke, who rolled an impressive 720. Bibbens began his day rolling a 277 and followed it up with a 278. The scores at times were so impressive, some of the more veteran bowlers bowed their hands in a tongue-in-cheek moment.
“It’s something that I have to prove to myself that I can hang with these guys,” Bibbens said.
In one of the most highly contested matches of the day, Andrew Perkins took out two-time champion Greg Spinelli in the losers’ bracket. After two games, Perkins held a one-pin advantage. The two both rolled a 231 in the first game, with Perkins taking a one-pin lead by rolling a 173 in the second game.
Perkins advanced in the tournament, rolling a 223 in the third to emerge with a 30-pin win.
“All you really got to do is go one at a time,” Perkins said. “But it’s always nerve racking bowling against someone like Greg because he’s a great guy, a great bowler. I had a little shake going but it turned out well.”
Match play continues today at Rainbow Lanes for the men and at Falcon Lanes for the women.
