By BILL SNIER
NORTH CANTON — When Don Sprout saw the flyer for a senior trio tournament, he decided to ask Don Ondecker and Rick Kmetz to team up.
“We just knew it was going to be a good fit,” the 66-year-old Alliance right-hander said.
He turned out to be right.
The trio combined for 2,150 total pinfall to take first place in the Poling Painting Senior Handicap Trio tournament Friday at Park Centre Lanes.
The Kmetz Properties team finished just seven pins ahead of the Vans team of Mark Boron, Ron Bell and Mike Spitale (2,143). And it could have been more.
“When I first came in, they had me with a 194 average,” Sprout said. “But I said no, and they looked at a 230 average, but we settled on 216.”
The handicap event was based on 70 percent of 220 to determine the handicaps of each individual player. The winning team received 12 handicap pins overall.
Players from the senior traveling leagues in Stark and Summit were able to use their 2023-24 averages to determine handicaps; others used their 2022-23 book averages.
“When I started bowling in the Summit league, I asked (co-tournament director Jim) Mitchell about averages, and he told me they are normally 10 pins lower than where you would normally play,” Ondecker said.
Kmetz, a 64-year-old Canton right-hander, shot 279 his last game en route to a 727 series while Ondecker, a 65-year-old Clinton right-hander, had 732 with a 269. Sprout had 655 on the day.
“We just had a good time with each other,” said Kmetz, who kidded with Sprout about changing balls going into Game 3 when he had his 279.
Sprout said timing was his problem during the event.
“And watching them strike all the time kind of upset me,” Sprout added, laughing.
All three said bowling in their home league center was an advantage. But Ondecker also added staying on the same pair for all three games helped.
“When you move pairs, you have to take a couple of shots to get lined up, so it’s a big advantage,” Ondecker said.
But a win still is a win.
“We want to bowl in all the senior stuff we can,” Kmetz said. “That’s what brought us out here.”
NOTEBOOK: The event drew 27 teams with Mitchell and Boron serving as tournament directors. The tournament was open to bowlers age 50 and older. … The tournament format was three games on the same pairs. … Quinn Simpson had the day’s high game of 290 and there were several 279s. … Spitale had the high series with 781. … Mitchell and Boron plan to hold another senior handicap doubles event at 11 a. . March 22 also at Park Centre with a $70 entry fee per team. Handicap again will be 70 percent of 220 per player. … Poling Painting sponsored the first event with 11 teams cashing.
POLING PAINTING SENIOR TRIO
(Friday, at Park Centre Lanes, North Canton)
Final standings
1, Kmetz Properties (Rick Kmetz, Don Sprout, Don Ondecker) 2,150, $486 earnings;
2, Vans (MIke Spitale Jr., Ron Bell, Mark Boron) 2,143, $363;
3, Foxfire Lounge (Forrest Friley, Brian Buehler, Jack Reed) 2,112, $255;
4, Furbay Electric (Joe Altimore III, Bob Eckenrode, Tommy Graham) 2,109, $145;
5, Ramble On (Lou Bogavich, Jim Pinter, Bob Guilliams) 2,108, $172;
6, EZ Web Center (Steve Snyder, Maria Licht, Erich Licht) 2,102, $150;
7, Street-Protect-Principle (Bobby Moyers, Mark Herdlick, Jack Lenhart) 2,080, $141;
8, BullDogs (Howard Washington, Bob Casto, Chris McCalister) 2,079, $132;
9, LLR (Mike Parker, Joe Depalmo, Bill Reese) 2,072, $126;
10, Bowlers Advantage Pro Shop (Merle Tingley, Wayne Hanson, Jeff Cyphers) 2,070, $126;
11, Three Amigos (Brian McCauley, Chuck Spencer, Bruce Class) 2,068, $126.