JACKSON TWP. — Jeff Mowls had not even done the math to see where he stood.
Despite starting with 258 and 297 in the Wednesday junior-adult trio summer league at Park Centre Lanes, the 55-year-old left-hander wasn’t really thinking about 800.
“I’m bowling with my daughter (Breanna Mowls) and a girl from Lake High School (Ashley Cunningham) so I don’t really get too excited about it,” said Mowls, shipping manager for Paarlo Plastics and Lake’s girls bowling coach who owns 19 career 800 series and 38 300 games.
In fact, on his final ball of the night in Game 3, Mowls did exactly what he has been doing during the summer.
“Ashley likes it when I throw a backup ball. So every night, on the last ball, I throw it,” Mowls said. “I strike more times than not with it.”
That night he did — and it meant another milestone.
Mowls finished with 245 that final game to give him 800 on the nose after three strikes to finish following a 7-10 split in the ninth frame.
“The first frame of that game, I left a 3-9-10 and missed the spare, chopping the 3-9. The ball just didn’t react on the first shot, and then it didn’t react on the spare,” said Mowls, who averaged between 224 and 230 during the fall season. “So I got my (900 Global) Zen out the bag and ran off the next seven strikes.”
Then came the 7-10 in the ninth.
“I thought it was over, even though I didn’t do the math or anything,” Mowls said. “I just did what I usually do. I just started laughing when I found out.
“I just did what I usually do in the summer. It is what it is.”
Mowls had 258 in Game 1, using his new Storm Nova (he also purchased the Zen after the winter season). He left three solid 8-pins.
Then in Game 2, he ran off the first 11 strikes before leaving seven on his final shot.
“I can’t even tell you what I left .. I think it was the 4-7-10,” said Mowls, who is averaging 240 in the league. “I threw the ball so badly. I had no ball speed and it kind of floated off of my hand.”
One thing Mowls has worked on is going straighter up the boards and hooking the ball less.
“I’ve always hooked the ball in the past. This year I’m feeling more comfortable going straight again. That’s what I’m working on,” said Mowls, who had five 300s this season, but this was his first 800.
That’s with the help of new equipment. “I just like my new toys,” he added.
800 FOR WEARY
Mowls isn’t the only area bowler to crack 800 in the summer. Louisville’s Rob Weary shot 269, 290 and 266 for 825 in the Tuesday doubles league at Eastbury Bowling Center.
The 38-year-old right-hander, who is employed in the body shop at Serpentine Chevrolet, used a Hammer 3D Offset and Storm IQ for his 16th career 800 and second this season.