By BILL SNIER
It finally ended a week ago at Wayne Lanes in Wooster. But not by much.
The Northeast Ohio Travel League’s run of 800 series began at Wabash Lanes in New Philadelphia, extended through Kent (Spins Bowl) and Akron (Spins Bowl) and into North Canton (Park Centre) and Canton (Eastbury) — six 800s in five weeks, including two in one night at Wabash.
“It just felt amazing to do that. When I read your first article I felt like this is exactly what the league needed,” said Ryan Trowbridge, who continued the streak at Eastbury. “Since I first got drafted in 2017, people have talked about wanting to get the talent back, get the prestige of the league back.
“I think with this collection of talent we are doing that. We have a lot of good, good guys who are competitive. It just felt good to represent.”
The NEOTL is a second-shift league and rarely bowls on fresh oil conditions. So why the high scores?
“I really don’t know,” said TJ Charles, who had two of the 800 series — at both Spins Bowl centers — during the streak. “For me personally, if you miss in, you still have some hold there on the second shift and you know you are going to have the free hook outside.
“If you can find that happy medium in the middle and get lined up, scores are just happening.”
Brett McCourry had the high series at Wayne with 791 to end the streak.
On Feb. 15, the league returns to Eastbury to see if it can begin a new one.
GIVING CREDIT
Trowbridge gives credit to Brett and Alex McCourry and their father, Matt, for restoring his confidence.
“I just need to give them a big shootout. When I returned to bowling after two years off, they were a huge reason,” Trowbridge, a 32-year-old Green right-hander who is employed by Christian Healthcare Ministries in Barberton, said.
“When I bowled in the summer with them, they gave me honest advice. I wouldn’t be bowling this well if it wasn’t for competing against those guys.”
Trowbridge had games of 245, 269 and 300 for 814 at Eastbury, his 11th career 300 and fifth career 800 series with a high of 825. He used his new Hammer Hazmat ball, which he had thrown for just one game prior to that night.
“The new Brunswick equipment is really good. I threw that ball basically fresh out of the box,” Trowbridge said.
Trowbridge said competing against Justin McIlvain, who also shot 800 during the travel league streak at Park Centre, that night kept him focused.
“I was going toe-to-toe against him, and he beat me 279-269 in Game 2, and I had to have the last 10 in that game to get close,” said Trowbridge, who had two spares early in Game 2 before his big run. “Then I had to shoot 300 to beat his 269 the last game so I had 22 in a row.”
Trowbridge said his pair had fresh oil that night at Eastbury, but that is usually a problem for him at the start.
“Bowling on fresh is always the toughest for me, just trying to find the proper spot,” he added. “Once the ball creates the transition and the spot, I can take advantage. Justin, Scott (McIntire) and I all transitioned left and we really never had to make any moves because of the fresh.
“I tried to get ahead of the transition in Game 2, but the three (board) and two move I made was too much. I actually looked where Justin’s ball was hooking, I softened my speed a little bit, played it a little more right at a steeper angle and that was the right play.”
Trowbridge walked away from the game following the 2018-19 season.
“I had my best year of honor scores in 2017-18 with four 300s and two 800s. But the following year, I struggled and I just lost my joy for the game,” Trowbridge said. “I just felt like every shot had to be a strike and I was pressing at every event.
“I’m a devout Christian, so I took some time off to focus on my walk with God, and then I found my joy for the game again. That’s where I credit Alex, Brett and their dad.”
His biggest change was going from grips to having no grips in his equipment.
“It allows me to manipulate the ball better, have more control and it has paid dividends,” he added.
He is bowling in two leagues, with averages of 232 in the NEOTL and 224 at Eastbury. The latter has been a challenge.
“I don’t except the challenge well,” Trowbridge said. “But it’s difficult when things are out of your control. But overall, I feel I’m where I need to be at this point.”
CHARLES TIMES TWO
There has been no such problems for Charles, who admittedly is having the best season of his bowling career.
The 40-year-old Jackson Township right-hander had 813 during the second week of the streak (which we documented in an earlier report). He then added 809 at his home center of Spins-Akron — his third of the season and 23rd overall.
All of this while dealing with a dislocated ring finger on his right hand that occurred earlier in the season.
“It really doesn’t hurt until I stop, except when I throw at a 10-pin once in a while,” said Charles, who operates Kreative Touch Property Services and works for Xerox. “It kind of goes away when I’m throwing the ball in the moment. It doesn’t hurt unless I come out of the ball wrong.”
For his second NEOTL 800, Charles had games of 241, 300 (his 53rd) and 268. He was clean all night, but the 300 had a weird twist.
“On the last ball, I threw a perfect shot, but the 10-pin slid all the way over to hit the 7-pin and it went off the back,” Charles said. “I had a lot of weird carries that went my way … a lot of messengers. I guess you could call it a sloppy 800.”
That night, he went back to the Track Sensor Pearl that has treated him well at Spins-Akron in league play.
“I tried it in practice and stayed with it all night. On that side of the house it seemed to give me more freedom,” Charles said.
He wasn’t really thinking about another 800 until he began stringing strikes again in Game 3.
“I had the first four, and I said, OK. But then I took it out to seven and there was a chance,” Charles said. “There was pressure in the 10th because I knew I had to throw the first one.
“I think I tripped a 4-pin on that shot, and then I left the 4-pin on the second shot in the 10th.”
But it remains a career season for Charles.
“I’m just glad I’m able to bowl. I’ve never had a season like this,” he added. “It’s a roller-coaster I’m riding, and I’m going to keep riding it until I can’t no more.”
And the NEOTL continues it scoring roller-coaster ride Thursday night in Canton.