Air Force vet flying high to start Mesquite bowling season

Doug Love has been a top-5 bowler in Mesquite since 2007, when he first moved to Mesquite from Anchorage, Alaska.

And his top-notch bowling skills were evident for the umpteenth time in Men's League action when he lit up the scoring monitors with 23 strikes paving the way for the highest series rolled at the Virgin River Bowling Center in the first month of the 2019-20 season, a stellar 693. His scoring explosion began with a clean 237 game, followed by a 225 and 231. Amazingly, Love rolled his series gem using a urethane Roto Grip Rhino Pro bowling ball he purchased in 1994.  

His bowling resume includes a career-high 298 game and a career-high 764 series that included a string of 17 consecutive strikes spanning two games. A perennial deuce average bowler during his 14 years bowling in Alaska, he once averaged an eye-popping 188 bowling as a left-hander following rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder

Tireless in his efforts at promoting the sport and in helping other bowlers improve their game, he is also the driving force behind the annual Larry Ford Memorial Tournament which raises scholarship monies for youth league bowlers.

Love, who grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania, retired from the Air Force after 23 years of military service that included two tours of duty in Vietnam.

A huge fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Penguins, he also bleeds the black and gold of the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers.

In other action, Matt Surina's 676 included a clean 237 and a seven-bagger in a 223, while  Phil Hayden (650) enjoyed his best outing of the season along with a six-bagger in both 236 and 233 games. Jack Baker (649-236) also delivered a strong outing, Dennis Craft (625) showed terrific consistency with games of 214, 211 and 200, and James Hartley (623-211) aims to continue a string of 600s.

Rob Cormani (613-216) posted his first 600 of the young season, David Astley (607-215), an avid Dallas Cowboys fan could be headed for a breakout season, and sparked by a 244, Joe Keim (607).is poised for much higher scores.

In single-game play, it was a week where Dave Maves chucked a huge 266, Jeff Jacobson drilled the pocket for 10 strikes in a 258, Al Gans had an eight-bagger in a 255 and John Gerger put together seven strikes in a 231. Bruce Hooley continued a run of deuce games with a 225, John Collins punched out a 223, Rod Averett landed a six-bagger in a 219 effort and  Nick Medina delivered a 206.

Finally,  Henry Clark, Ken Meacham, John Kinnear and Jorge Munoz tossed games of 206, 204, 203 and 202, respectively.

On the women's side of the ledger, it was a week where Bev Cormani (562-204), a Utah Utes football fan looks to build on her breakout season of last year, Sue Astley (528), a humongous Boise State football fan popped the next best series including seven strikes in a 212 game, and Dee Day (522), an avid Seattle Seahawks fan with a career-high 279 game trailed Astley with the next best series.

In single-game play, Evelyn Santos logged a 204, Holly Roth bagged a 203 and Reiko Schultz pocketed a 201.

Oh, bay-bee!

A nifty 541 series by Johnny Harper was 131 over average and included a 199 game ... Laura Roberts tossed a 181 game which was 59 over her 122 average ... Barbara Cagianese received a 150 game award for a 155 ... Dan Trower received a 175 game award for a 177 ... Charlene Heiden fired a pair of 178 and 173 games that were well over her 138 average ... Ruth Reilly delivered another good outing with a 430 series on games of 140, 129 and 125 ... Brian Rasha is edging closer to his first 200 of the young season.

High scores

Jeff Jacobson 692; Al Gans 650; Mike Rogers 639-245; Jon Fjeld 623-237; Dave Maves 620; Dan Aslin 617-258; Mike Yoder 257; Jan Kusy 240; Gil Nimi 232; Ronn Karr 235; Bill Oatts 226; Ryan Baeza 224; John Collins 223; Darrell Haglund 221; Will Venski 215; John Hollaway 212; Orlyn Meyer 212; Randy Henderson 212; Tom Bullard 211; Rob Hartman 211; Wayne Reeter 207, Darwin Wimer 206; Ray Schultz 206; Brian Collins 205; Dan Erhart 205; Bob Monson Sr. 203; Cliff Hennebry 203; Steve Cominski 203; Dave Greatland 202; Jorge Munoz 202; Red Powell 202; Holly Roth 521.