Pictured: MMA President Mike Barrett, Right. Presents Joan Harnish Her First-Place Check, After Winning The Mesa Senior Queens Last December 4.
Notes From The MMA 66th Women's Open Championships.
Winning A Big Tournament, Is One Way To Remove A Goal Reached From A Bowling Bucket List.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg
Managing Editor - thetenpinexpress.com
Director Mesa Metro Association
Chandler, AZ - - - When it comes to the game of bowling, winning a bowling tournament is something we strive for as bowlers.
But, winning a bowling tournament and taking it off your bucket list as a goal reached, is even sweeter.
Just ask Joan Harnish of Apache Junction, AZ. Harnish who bowls out of Mesa East, accomplished this feat last December at AMF Tempe Village.
"It was the second time I tried to win the Mesa Senior City Queens," she said, of winning the title last year. “My first attempt in the Queens tournament was in 2017," she added. "If I didn't open in the 10th frame in 2017, I would have won it. I’ll be trying again in March. I bowled the final match against Mary Sturm at AMF Tempe Village last year. It was a close match. I converted a split in the 10th frame. Mary needed a strike. She threw a good ball, but left a ten pin. Winning the Mesa Senior Queens, is one of those things that I can now take off of my bucket list."
For those of you ladies who are interested in bowling in this event, entry fee is $60 before March 10. On tournament day, it will be $80 at the door. Check-in is at 10:00 am. Bowling starts at 10:30. Qualifying format is five games across 10 lanes. Five ladies need to be entered in order for the tournament to be held.
At AMF Tempe Village last December, Joan stated that she did not do any extra practicing to get ready for the event. But, somehow, she was still able to come away with the dub.
"I did not do any extra practicing to get ready for the tournament," she said. During an interview at the MMA 66th Womens Open, on Saturday Feb 12th at AMF McCray Lanes in Chandler. "I started to apply some things with my delivery at the start of the fourth game. It took me three games to figure out what I was doing wrong. I was a little discouraged with myself after three games."
Bowling in a Masters or Queens event always involves bowling on a sport pattern. She feels there is one very important key, in being successful while bowling on a sport shot.
"I think the key to sport shots is making spares," she said, of sport patterns. And also added. "But also having to be closer to your mark on each shot, than when bowling on a house shot."
Joan has been a member of the Mesa Metro Association since the 2007-08 season. Her highest average at Mesa East came during the 2014-15 season, when she averaged 192 for 93 games in the Two X Twos league. Her previous high average of 191 for 99 games occurred in the same league during the 2015-16 campaign.
"I rolled my 300 game on February 10, 2015," she said, of her only 300 game to date. "The 300 game I rolled was seven years ago. It was my all-time big accomplishment. I never thought I would roll a 300 game."
Joan has been a participant at both the USBC Open Championships, and at the USBC Women's Open Championships. At the USBC Women's Championships, she has an average of 179 for 27 games. She would like to roll an 800 series. When a bowler least expects it, this is when an honor score is usually rolled.
"Right now, I feel my game is the best it's ever been," she said, on where she feels her game is right now. "To still be able to average in the 180s at my age is an accomplishment. I definitely don't get as irritated as I used to. I am able to get over it faster now if I bowl bad in league, and move onto the next game. Getting upset takes all the fun out of it. My goal is to stay as consistent as I can, for as long as I can."
She was an Information Systems Engineer for General Dynamics and a Data Analyst for a medical insurance company, during her adult working career. She has been in Arizona almost her entire life, and bowling has been the perfect work/life balance for her.
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Update On Purple Hammers - Courtesy Of USBC.
ARLINGTON, Texas - The United States Bowling Congress is aware of a claim that a portion of the Purple Hammer bowling balls manufactured at the Ebonite International plant in 2016 and 2017 may have been produced below USBC's minimum 72D hardness specification. The Hammer brand was purchased by Brunswick Bowling Products in 2019, and the Ebonite plant subsequently closed.
USBC conducted an investigation, interviewing more than a dozen individuals, including former Ebonite employees, in an attempt to validate the claim. Brunswick fully cooperated with the investigation.
USBC has confirmed a production change with the Purple Hammer took place in 2017 that resulted in the raising of the hardness of the ball from its original 2016 approval level just over 72D to about 74D. This production change was fully compliant with USBC equipment specification requirements.
During USBC's investigation, multiple former Ebonite employees, including ones with first-hand knowledge, told USBC they believe the production process in 2016 and 2017, prior to the production change, led to some Purple Hammers being unintentionally produced below 72D. No one interviewed by USBC provided evidence Purple Hammers were produced under 72D. No one interviewed by USBC provided evidence Ebonite knowingly distributed balls outside of specification.
The findings of USBC's investigation are inconclusive. However, the credible first-hand accounts describing the potential for an unknown number of Purple Hammer balls to be produced out of specification in 2016 and 2017 is concerning.
Therefore, effective immediately, USBC is instituting a tournament rule at all USBC national tournaments prohibiting Purple Hammers manufactured in 2016 and 2017 from being used in these competitions. The tournament rule reads:
Purple Hammer bowling balls manufactured during 2016 or 2017 (identified by serial numbers that start with either a "6" or "7") are prohibited for use.
USBC has shared this national tournament rule with Hammer's current owner, Brunswick, and has Brunswick's support. Brunswick will offer owners of 2016 or 2017 Purple Hammers the option to exchange their balls for a new Purple Hammer that can be used in all tournaments or a product of their choice. This can be done on-site at the 2022 USBC Open Championships or USBC Women's Championships, or by contacting Brunswick at: consumerproducts@brunswickbowling.com or 800-937-2695.
The Purple Hammer, including the 2016 and 2017 models, remain USBC approved. USBC's equipment specification manual allows for revocation of ball approval when balls at the time of manufacture demonstrate non-compliance to specification. USBC has no such evidence and is unable to locate enough blank balls from 2016 and 2017 to conduct conclusive testing.
Each USBC competition, whether tournament or league, has the option to adopt USBC's national tournament rule on the Purple Hammer or other rules related to equipment restrictions.
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SFT Has Another Great Turn Out At AMF Mesa - Courtesy Of SFT
Mesa - - - Another great turnout today at AMF Mesa. We had 140 total entries today, March 6. (98 qualifying and 42 parlays) averaging 70 bowlers a squad!
Congrats to Eddie Wilcox on winning his 3rd AHT SFT title and $1,300.00!!! Also, congrats to Robert E. Smith Jr for 2nd place for $750.00 and Kyle Ponzo on 3rd place for $500.00!
Thank you to everyone that came out today to bowl this event. Tournament results and event summary will be online tomorrow on our website.
We’ll see you all in two weeks at Mesa East Bowl for another 2-squad tournament!
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Unnoffical Results From Northern And Southern Pepsi Sectionals.
Courtesy Of AZ State USBC.
Northern Pepsi, U8/U10, U10 Boys, Scratch 1 Moon Matthew 4 363 Tempe, AZ.
Northern Pepsi, U8/U10, U10 Girls, Scratch 1 Barney Emily A. 10 345 LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ 2 Butterfield Lillian 8 256 Glendale, AZ.
Place Team Name Entry Score From Northern Pepsi, U8/U10, U8 Boys, Scratch 1 Costantino William J. 7 448 Mesa, AZ 2 Nielson Beantley C. 7 247 Mesa, AZ.
Place Team Name Entry Score From Northern Pepsi, U8/U10, U8 Girls, Scratch 1 Lynnes Sara S. 10 402 LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ 2 Serafini Madeleine L. 8 387 Glendale, AZ.
Northern Pepsi, U12 - Boys, Scratch 1 Henk Caden L. 5 711 Phoenix, AZ 2 Brown Noah J. 4 581 Tempe, AZ 3 Roach Nicholas M. 4 572 Tempe, AZ.
Northern Pepsi, U15- Girls, Scratch 1 Widows Bryn N. 1 844 TEMPE, AZ 2 Rich Alisabeth 3 843 Peoria, AZ 3 Price Kayla N. 4 599 Tempe, AZ 4 London Abigail G. 1 541 TEMPE, AZ.
Northern Pepsi, U18 - Boys, Scratch 1 Bobersky Brendan N. 4 942 Tempe, AZ 2 Kunow Dillan 13 862 Prescott Valley, AZ 3 Villanueva Jaden L. 7 860 Mesa, AZ 4 Krich Seth G. 5 854 Phoenix, AZ 5 Scotford Brockton R. 4 845 Tempe, AZ 6 Vossler Joshua T. 4 818 Tempe, AZ.
Northern Pepsi, U18 - Girls, Scratch 1 Rose Allie N. 4 839 Tempe, AZ 2 Uzzell Taylinn 1 722 TEMPE, AZ 3 Ponciano-Mangrum Amora 2 434 Kingman, AZ.
South Pepsi, U8/U10, U10 Boys, Scratch 1 Salazar Ryker E. 15 352 YUMA, AZ 2 Mistriel Logan M. 15 321 YUMA, AZ 3 Clifton Samuel Z. 13 251 Sierra Vista, AZ 4 Padilla Diego 20 249 Casa Grande, AZ.
South Pepsi, U8/U10, U10 Girls, Scratch 1 Gonzalez Brilynn 13 350 Sierra Vista, AZ 2 De La Cruz Jaida-Marie A. 18 306 Tucson, AZ 3 Lemke Keaira 19 263 Tucson, AZ 4 Gonzalez Breann 13 258 Sierra Vista, AZ 5 Smith Allison M. 13 249 Sierra Vista, AZ.
South Pepsi, U8/U10, U8 Boys, Scratch 1 Amaya Isaac R. 15 269 YUMA, AZ 2 Amaya Isaiah P. 15 221 YUMA, AZ 3 Harden Noah L. 13 208 Sierra Vista, AZ 4 Smith Jonathan T. 13 170 Sierra Vista, AZ.
South Pepsi, U8/U10, U8 Girls, Scratch 1 Smith Katelyn E. 13 140 Sierra Vista, AZ.
South Pepsi U12-U18, U12 - Boys, Scratch 1 Torres Eben A. 15 752 YUMA, AZ 2 Ortega Christian D. 14 617 Eloy, AZ 3 Schrempp Dillon J. 15 580 YUMA, AZ 4 Suchma Gavin M. 15 493 YUMA, AZ 5 Smith Robert A. 13 467 Sierra Vista, AZ 6 Rodriguez Weston Alejandro D. 13 466 Sierra Vista, AZ 7 Matuszewski Timothy 19 379 Tucson, AZ.
South Pepsi U12-U18, U15- Girls, Scratch 1 Mitton Landrey 14 666 Eloy, AZ 2 Salazar Brianna L. 15 552 YUMA, AZ 2 Burks Trinity 18 552 Tucson, AZ 4 Bowen MacKenzie 18 530 Tucson, AZ 5 Meinhardt Jazmyn N. 13 521 Sierra Vista, AZ 6 Williams Delilah 15 465 YUMA, AZ.
South Pepsi U12-U18, U15- Girls, Scratch 1 Mitton Landrey 14 666 Eloy, AZ 2 Salazar Brianna L. 15 552 YUMA, AZ 2 Burks Trinity 18 552 Tucson, AZ 4 Bowen MacKenzie 18 530 Tucson, AZ 5 Meinhardt Jazmyn N. 13 521 Sierra Vista, AZ 6 Williams Delilah 15 465 YUMA, AZ.
South Pepsi U12-U18, U18 - Girls, Scratch 1 Latham Chloe 20 832 Casa Grande, AZ 2 Clark Tayler N. 20 776 Casa Grande, AZ 2 Eldredge Emily M. 13 776 Sierra Vista, AZ 4 Meinhardt Susan A. 13 690 Sierra Vista, AZ 5 Holt Hannah E. 21 633 Marana, AZ 6 Lugo Saida 20 577 Casa Grande, AZ 7 Hughes Hannah N. 13 496 Sierra Vista, AZ.
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