By BILL SNIER
PARMA — Melissa Voytko learned one lesson this weekend at Rollhouse Parma.
Tomorrow is definitely a new day with new possibilities.
After bowling during Friday’s Mixed Doubles Shootout, Voytko didn’t have a lot of confidence coming into Saturday’s first round of the second annual Hit Dem Pockets Queens scratch tournament.
“I bowled in the doubles Friday with Mike King and I had a really rough time,” said Voytko after finishing with just 515 during the kickoff event to Queens weekend.
“It was one of those scenarios where no matter what I threw, when I threw It or where I threw it, nothing gave me a good look. So I was really concerned.”
Saturday’s opening eight-game block justified her fears to an extent.
“I threw the Purple Hammer Saturday, and it kept me out of trouble,” said Voytko, who stood 10th going into Sunday’s four-game cashers’ round, making the cut to the final 12.
“I had an OK look and got to plus-41 at the end of the day, but it was nothing really magical.”
The magic came on Sunday.
After claiming her first Ohio State USBC Queens title in January, the 36-year-old Brunswick left-hander became a Queen times two by stopping six-time Ohio Queens champion Jen Higgins 212-202 during Sunday’s title match.
It was Higgins, a 42-year-old Lewis Center right-hander and former Canton resident, who also was on the losing side to Voytko during the Ohio Queens, falling 197-171 in the title match.
“These are some of the best women in the state and they had good looks and confidence coming in,” Voytko said. “I knew I could do OK today, but I didn’t think I could do what I did. I tried a couple of different balls today and had an incredible look.”
How incredible?
Voytko, who averaged 205.12 Saturday with a high game of 236 (her only game over 220), shot 1,039 during Sunday’s four-game cashers’ round (a 259.75 average). She then added 471 during her two-game match play to earn the No. 1 seed for the three-bowler stepladder finals.
Using a combination of the Roto Grip Hustle PBR and the Ebonite One Remix, with the former being her primary ball, Voytko moved up from 10th to fourth overall to make the cut to the final six for match play. It was the same ball combination she used to win the Ohio Queens.
HEADING TO THE FINALS
Voytko’s run in the cashers’ round included a 214 in Game 10 overall. But she started with 278 and finished with 280 — the two highest games of the two-day event.
In her match, Voytko had to face defending HDP Queens champion and qualifying leader Trisha Reid, a 39-year-old Columbus left-hander — and the only other left-hander to make the final 12 Sunday.
“During the round, I only hit one of Trisha’s pairs during the skips, so my shot felt pretty fresh the entire time,” Voytko said. “But it’s so hard to bowl against Trisha. She’s really intense and I love that about her. I feel I have to perform at my best when I play her.
“She brings out a different focus in me because that’s the kind of player she is. I want to live up to what she does on the lanes.”
After stopping Reid 230-200 in Game 1 of match play, Voytko struck on her first five shots of Game 2 en route to a 241 to claim the match 471-426 and earn the top seed for the finals (based on the two-game match-play round).
ROIUNDING OUT THE TOP THREE
Petrick entered the day just five pins behind good friend Reid and second overall heading into the cashers’ round.
She moved into the top spot after shooting 234 in the opening cashers’ round game, finishing with 2,810 and averaging 241.75 Sunday after averaging 230 on Saturday.
She faced 20-year-old University of Pikeville (Ky.) graduate student Kelsey Cummings in match play and earned a 450-420 victory, running off four straight strikes at the end of Game 2 into the 10th frame. Cummings missed a critical 7-pin spare in the ninth frame of Game 2.
“I was able to get into a zone and locked in,” said Petrick, who used a combination of the Hammer Scorpion and Brunswick Defender. “I was able to repeat shots really well. It seems like the lanes got a little tighter and squirrelly.”
In the other match, No. 2 qualifier Amanda Morrow, a 36-year-old Amherst right-hander who fell to Reid during last year’s HDP Queens, stopped Janet Hill 355-303 as the latter shot just 138 in Game 1.
“That pair was a real struggle. I just couldn’t quite the the ball to react the way I wanted it to,” Morrow said. “Then, I was trying to place the ball and started missing spares because I was doing that. That’s what happens when you’re not rolling it.”
SEMIFINAL BATTLE
Petrick and Morrow squared off in the opening match of the stepladder, with the latter having the first four strikes and the former the first three.
Petrick was able to run off four strikes beginning in the seventh frame. But Morrow, on a double, failed to convert a 3-6 spare in the eighth.
“Me and the 3-6 and 3-6-10 spares have not been getting along the past month,” Morrow said. “Every way you can possibly chop that spare, I do it. It’s more of a mental block now I think.
“It happened, and luckily I recovered. I did my best.”
Morrow then ran off four strikes in a row to finish with 245. After Petrick had her fourth strike, she left a 9-pin on her second shot in the 10th. She converted the spare to squeak out a 246-245 win.
“Jen is a great bowler and knows what she’s doing. It happens,” Morrow said. “Overall, the weekend went great. Maybe next year I can get a win.”
TITLE MATCH
In the title match Voytko struck on her first three shots, but left a 4-7-10 split in the fifth.
Petrick, after leaving 10-pin spares on her first two shots with the Scorpion, changed to the Defender in the third and left a 9-pin before a pair of strikes.
“Carry was an issue. I think I was spinning the ball so it wasn’t carrying,” Petrick said. “I needed to roll it a little more. I think I could have kicked out the 10s if I threw it a little better.”
The two were tied after five frames and it stayed that way until the 10th.
Voytko, after leaving a 10-pin spare in the ninth, doubled to start the 10th before an eight-count on her final ball.
“I just tugged that last one. It was just a brain fart on my behalf,” Voytko said. “I knew we were tied and I had to execute. After throwing those first two strikes, I felt relieved because I had to put some kind of pressure on her. The relief came through on my follow through.”
With a chance for the win with three strikes in the 10th, Petrick left a 10-pin on her opening shot.
“Yeah, I liked the shot off my hand,” said Petrick, who left five 10-pin spares in the match and remained clean. “I’m proud of the way I bowled. It stings right now, but I’ll be fine in about five minutes.”
Did Voytko expect strikes from Petrick?
“Yes and no, because she was having trouble with the 10-pin,” Voytko said. “I’ve bowled Jen so many times and she’s such a clutch player that you always expect the best out of her. I was expecting her to crush the next three, but I also knew she was having a little trouble carrying on that pair, so I had to see what happens.
“I’ve bowled against Jen a lot. Her reputation is incredible and she’s such a great person. I’m pretty terrified when I face her in the Ohio Queens, and I always seem to see her.”
Voytko, a technical sales support trainer for Universal Windows Direct, called the whole experience “surreal.”
“I go back and forth with how much I want to continue bowling because I just don’t have the time to dedicate to it as much as I’d like to,” said Voytko, who has an 11-year-old daughter, Kara (her birthday is Monday). “Kara’s soccer games take up a lot of my time and I love watching her passions.
“But it’s also incredible to me as a ‘part-time’ bowler that I’m still able to hang with the best of them. But I’m at a different point in my life now where I want to follow my kid around and watch her do her thing.”
Mom’s thing these days is winning Queens title.
NOTEBOOK: The original field was 40 players was at 1,624, with Lexi Cloud earning the final spot by 34 pins. … The cut to the final six after 12 total games was at 2,522, with Cummings earning the final spot 26 pins over Stacey Timmer. … After bowling on fresh oil for the cashers’ round, match play was bowled on the burn before the stepladder returned to fresh oil. … Timmer and Tabitha Schlupe fell out of the top six on Sunday, replaced by Voytko and Hill. Hill advanced despite shooting just 175 in Game 12. … First place was worth $2,000… Our thanks to Demetrius Johnson and the HDP staff for their assistance with our reports. … The tournament used the Kegel Challenge Beaten Path oil pattern.
HDP QUEENS SCRATCH TOURNAMENT
(Sunday, at Rollhouse Parma,, Parma)
Championship round
Semifinals: Jen Higgins d. Amanda Morrow 246-245; Morrow wins $450
Championship: Melissa Voytko d. Higgins 212-202; Voytko wins $2,000, Higgins wins $1,000
Match-play cashers
(With match-play pinfalls)
4, Trisha Reid 426, $250 earnings; 5, Kelsey Cummings 420, $200; 6, Janet Hill 303, $215
Other cashers
(With 12-game pinfalls)
7, Stacey Timmer 2,496, $205; 8, Lexi Cloud 2,454, $190; 9, Tabitha Schlupe 2,442, $180; 10, Britney Holben 2,435, $170; 11, Selena Frazier 2,432, $160’ 12 Jillian Treska 2,389, $150.
