WOOSTER — Don Hogue admitted he got caught up in the sophomore jinx.
“It was a total reset, I bowled good the first year, and then the next year shows up and all of a sudden you’re starting back at zero,” said the 53-year-old Akron right-hander and owner- operator of NorthStar Pro Shop at AMF Riviera Lanes.
Hogue bowled in 11 PBA50 Tour national events this season, but reached match play only twice, finishing 41st on the points list.
“I was never far enough out of cuts to do anything drastic. I was always sort of hanging around, always close,” Hogue said. “I would be missing by a couple of marks every tournament.”
It helped rooming on the road with fellow pros Jason Couch and Tony Castillo and getting advice from Tony Franklin, Michael Haugen and Pete Weber among others. He also received guidance from Storm Products representative Hank Boomershine.
“It helped to see how they attacked the lanes, and I could vent to Hank. He would talk me off the ledge and get me going,” Hogue said.
It also hurt that his wife, Kim Ellis-Hogue, was unable to attend many events for a variety of reasons.
“She was always there holding me accountable for every shot. You don’t move off a bad shot, and she was normally there telling me that,” Hogue said.
But sitting fourth after Saturday’s eight-game qualifier for the PBA50 J.D. Producing Inc.-Triway Lanes Central Open has given Hogue confidence. Especially with a career milestone approaching in a week.
Hogue will be representing his native Canada in the Pan American Games qualifying tournament at Sebelen Bowling Center in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from Sept. 18 through 24. He captured the gold medal in the Canadian Tenpin Federation’s Masters division qualifier in Toronto to earn one of four male berths for the event.
“It was 24 games on four different patterns, and I was lucky enough to win it,” Hogue said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but something always came up where it didn’t work out.
“Kim talked me into it this time because it was close in Toronto, so I went to give it a shot. I got to reconnect with a lot of people from my childhood.”
Hogue and Boomershine compiled his five-ball arsenal for the trip, which he brought to Triway to test out.
“I really didn’t feel like I bowled badly this season. I finished off the year better,” Hogue said. “These ball all fit perfectly right now. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead.”
NOTEBOOK
MISSING THE CUT: Canton’s Matt Coffelt is an alternate after finishing 17th with 1,627. He was in the top 12 until a 147 in Game 6 dropped him back … Uniontown’s Tony Varn also was around the cut line all day, getting up to as high as ninth. But he shot just 528 over his final three games to finish 21st with 1,615 in the 35-player field. … Strike Zone PBA50 event champion Troy Lint was 19th with 1,621. … Among other area finishers, Canton’s Tony Johnson finished 29th with 1,518, and Burbank’s Jim Dilyard, the tournament host, was 32nd with 1,494. Other area finishers included Austintown’s Ed Carter (18th, 1,627) and Barberton’s Terry Ware (34th, 1,456).
NOTEBOOK: Painesville’s Charles (Butch) Ferrell had the tourney’s high game of 287 in Game 1 en route to the lead with 1,849, just four pins ahead of Jeff Johnson. Hogue was the only other player to break 260, with 268 in Game 2 after leaving a 2-8-10 split in the second frame. … Ashtabula’s Dave Johnson and John Murphy of Greenwood, Ind., were the two super senior cashers, finishing 14th and 15th. Each earned $275. … First place Sunday will pay $1,500. … PBA50 Central Region points leader Michael Haggis is fifth with 1,753 and is the lone left-hander among the top five.