By BILL SNIER
NORTH CANTON — Phenomenal. Indescribable. Simply amazing.
The 2024-25 fall-winter bowling season for 19-year-old Canton two-handed right-hander Zach McCutchan has been all that.
And more.
After adding to his season total at Park Centre Lanes with a pair of 800 series and another 300 during a two-week period, the McKinley High School graduate and Park Centre Lanes employee now has seven 300 games and four 800 series — in just his second season as an adult player. He had just one 300 coming into this season.
“You don’t expect something like this just two years out of high school,” said McCutchan, who bowls regularly in three Park Centre leagues but subs in others. “I knew I could average 215 to 220, but I didn’t expect this.
Instead, in the Hannon Electric, Honeymoon Grille and Green Anchor-SharpShooters leagues at Park Centre, he is averaging 238, 236 and 234, respectively. He owns milestone series of 824, 809 and a pair of 804s. For three of the series, he has used a Motiv Pride Liberty. For his high of 824, it was a Motiv Supra Rally.
For that series, bowled in the Honeymoon Grille league, he started with 300 and then added 269 and 255.
“I don’t think anything has really changed for me here. It just goes from pair to pair of me,” McCutchan said. “There are pairs that are a little trickier. When I’m working here, I can see what pair I’m on and I think it through beforehand.
“But when I’m bowling, I really don’t think about it. The higher end seems to be a lot better for me. But I really don’t think about it the whole day. I just throw the ball and do what I do.”
But the night of the 834 he did notice something different.
“It was cooler outside and the ball seemed to be reading a little earlier. So I went out in the bag and got something that was a little cleaner down the lane,” McCutchan said. “It got down the lane farther and didn’t snap as hard off the spot.”
After his 300, he started Game 2 with a 9-pin after problems with his footwork.
“I threw it decent, but it also was not as good as Game 1. I either stuck or slid a little,” McCutchan said.
Another 10-pin spare late led to the 269. His lone open came in Game 3 when he left a 6-7-10.
“I just told myself to get the count. You are fine … just go off the sheet from there,” McCutchan said. “There wasn’t as much pressure. I felt I was throwing the ball great.”
His next 800 series came down to making shots in the 10th frame a week later in the Hannon Electric league. This one was different.
“This one was in the runway the whole way,” McCutchan said. “I feel so confident right now that I can go out in league and shoot 750. But some nights are just a little different.”
His first two 800 series came less than 10 days apart. This pair was no different.
He started with 298 in Game 1.
“The last ball crossed over left and left a 3-9,” McCutchan said. “On the 11th ball, I got it right and it carried and everyone was like ‘just throw it anywhere.’ ”
He was on a 279 pace in Game 2, but settled for 242, leaving a 4-7-9 split in the 10th frame.
“The lanes were playing different. The right lane was hooking too much and the left lane wasn’t turning the corner and kept going light,” McCutchan said. “I kept making adjustments and that’s how the split happened.”
In Game 3, he left a 3-10 split early, but converted.
“I knew I could only miss once to get the 800. I don’t remember what I left, but I knew I had to make one shot at a time and just get through it,” said McCutchan, who doubled in the 10th frame en route to 269 for 809, his second-highest 800 of the season. “I just had to keep my composure and get it done.”
With a season like this, it’s natural to think what is next for the two-hander.
“When I was in high school, my dream always was playing baseball at the next level. The same with bowling,” McCutchan said. “With the season I’m having, it really makes me think about it.
“I never did tournaments much as a kid. No JTBAs or Junior Gold or things like that. But I need to start figuring that out.”
And he also realizes he must bowl other places besides Park Centre to develop his game.
“I work in this house and I grew up in this house. I know what each pair does,” McCutchan said. “But I know I need to go to different houses to compete.”
Possibly the Northeast Ohio Traveling League?
“It’s a possibility,” he said.
BALL UP TO SIX
Meanwhile, at Eastbury, senior Massillon right-hander Brian Ball continued his big season with his sixth 800 series in the Las Vegas Mixed league.
Using a Motiv Primal Rage Revolution, Ball had games of 268, 279 and 268 for 815.
HIs high on the season has been 846, also at Eastbury.