By BILL SNIER
NORTH CANTON — Thursday night mixed leagues at Park Centre Lanes have produced their share of 800 series this season.
But recently in the Green Anchor/SharpShooters league, there were a pair of 800s on the same night — on adjoining pairs of lanes.
Jack Wells, a 19-year-old North Canton two-handed right-hander and 2024 North Canton Hoover High School graduate bowling in his first season as an adult, earned his first with an 836, including his second career 300 game.
Then, on the pair next door, 46-year-old right-hander Paul Sanko III had his second of the season with 804.
“I had to show this young whipper-snapper beside me I could still do it without a 300,” Sanko said, smiling.
Here’s a look at the two milestones.
HAVING A PREMONITION
Wells, who works as a lifeguard at the North Canton and Meyers Lake YMCAs, feels he is throwing the bowling ball the best he has ever thrown it. Practice sessions and bowling in four leagues will do that.
“The funny thing is the night before at Eastbury, I thought I was throwing the ball really well … that I really had it figured out,” said Wells, who averages between 208 and 239 in his league play at Eastbury and Park Centre. “I went home and said that if I had been on another pair that night, I would have shot 800.
“Then the next night, I go out and do it.”
Wells opened with 300 and followed with 279, leaving only a 4-pin spare in the fifth frame using his new Hammer Effect Tour ball. He started Game 3 with a 10-pin spare and then left a 6-pin in the second frame.
He missed the spare.
“I just rushed it and whiffed it (inside),” Wells said. “After I had that open, I kind of walked away and went, ‘all right, focus back up.’ Then I ran strikes to the 10th.
“Once I realized I only needed 221 to get there, it was like, ‘You’ve done that in your sleep. Just go out there and do it. Throw the ball.’ I really think this is the best I’ve ever thrown the ball right now.”
It starts with Monday practice sessions with his father, Allen, at Spins Bowl-Akron.
“I just find different things to work on with my dad. One time, it’s practicing spares and that week, it was working at really staying under the ball,” Wells said. “I think it’s really helping more, being able to break things down piece by piece.”
Wells sees more oil conditions at Spins that allow him to take videos of different shots and “break down what I’m doing with my hand and arm.”
The ultimate goal for Wells is becoming a professional bowler.
“I’ve talked to a lot of people and they’ve told me to bowl a lot of tournaments, work on your game and really just break things down,” Wells said. “Right now, the next step is to do that and learn from the guys who have been doing this for a while.”
During his senior year in high school, Wells was part of an undefeated Hoover team that featured five 300 games during the season. He did not have one of them.
“It was definitely disappointing, but at the same time, I was extremely happy that my teammates were doing it,” Wells said. “But I finally got mine … and that was definitely a weight off my shoulders.”
GOING BIG TO GET THERE
Meanwhile, Sanko had to go big in Game 3 to reach his 14th career 800 to go along with 22 300 games.
The Troyer’s Dutch Market employee started the night with 238, leaving corner-pin spares but no open frames. But he came back with 289, leaving just a 10-pin on his second ball in the 10th frame.
“I kind of had it in my mind. But I knew I needed a lot that last game to get there,” Sanko said. “I saw what (Wells) was doing next to me. He was throwing a good ball.”
Using his Hammer Toxic, which he also used for his previous 800 in the league, Sanko left only a 2-4-8 spare in the third frame to go with his strikes for complete another 800 run.
“There’s always some pressure there. Even when I make a run at 300 there’s still some jitters on that last ball,” said Sanko, who bowls two leagues at Park Centre. “But I didn’t have to move all night … it was just nice and steady.”
With two 800s so early in the season, is he looking for more?
“When you get them that quick, you are always looking to have as many as possible,” Sanko said. “When you get them that quick, they just seem to come easier.”
Wells also is hoping that is true in his rookie year.