Pictured Above: Is Emily Ornelas ( Front Row Center), With Her GCU Teammates. Photo Courtesy Of GCU.
Unexpected Source Of Energy, Helps Phoenix Lefty To Shine At AZ State Women's 65th Tournament.
Emily Ornelas, Rolls 300 Game On April 22, And 299 On April 23, At AMF McRay Lanes In Chandler.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg - Managing Editor thetenpinexpress.com - Director Mesa Metro Association.
Chandler - - - To say the 2016-17 season has been a good one for Emily Ornelas thus far, would be the understatement of the century in the Arizona State women's bowling circles. It has been a great one more like it, and it even got better for her during the weekend of April 22-23 at AMF McRay Lanes in Chandler.
While competing in the 65th annual Arizona State Women's Bowling Championships on Saturday morning. Emily, a left-hander, rolled a 300 game on lanes 13-14 in singles. And, followed it up with a 299 on Sunday morning in the team event on lanes 11-12. The only thing that stood in her way in recording her second perfect game on consecutive days was a solid 7-pin on her last shot in game number two.
What made her performance even more impressive that weekend, was the fact that she had to work her over night job at a Safeway in Phoenix both nights prior to bowling the next morning, and got little to no sleep before it came time to bowl. But, she got a boost of energy from an unexpected source to get through both of her squads on both days.
"I took a 5 Hour Energy Shot prior to bowling on both days," she said, of her energy source. "I was extremely exhausted because I had to work the two over night shifts at my job before I bowled. The 5 Hour Energy Shot I took prior to bowling really helped get me through both days, and it really helped me get through the two squads. The way I was throwing the ball both days made me feel really comfortable out there as well. The pin carry I was also able to get, was another factor in my success."
The ball that Emily used for her 300 and 299 was a Roto Grip Hypercell. The pattern that was used by the state for the event, was a modified white pattern. Being the only lefty on a pair of lanes can work to her advantage sometimes. It did in the team event on Sunday morning.
"The Hypercell is an old ball, but it still works. I had a little surface I had to go through in the middle part of the lane. That little surface, however, is what carried the pins for me," she said, of her 22nd perfect game. "There was another lady that was using the left side on Saturday, but not on Sunday. If I am the only one using the left side of the lane, it could be a big advantage for me. Unless I am not able to play the shot correctly, and bring things on myself."
This is her fourth perfect game this season. Her other three perfect games came at: AMF Christown, Glenfair Lanes, and the Greater Phoenix USBC Women's Championships at AMF Peoria Lanes. She also has one 800 series at Lakeview Lanes in the Sun City Scratch Classic League. Three 800s total.
"The first three shots during practice, is generally when I can tell if I have to move further out on the lanes or not," she says, of reading lanes. "I try not to get too nervous when it comes to throwing the last shot while I am working on a perfect game. I always get nervous, but I have a conversation with my aunt or grandpa upstairs that will help calm me down."
And, what if she had the chance to throw her last ball over again on Sunday, would she have done anything differently?
"I thought it was a good ball. I probably would have moved a little further to the left," she said, if she had a do over. "It was amazing to be able to accomplish what I did this particular weekend. All the practice and hard work I put in, has really paid off."
Outside of Lakeview Lanes in Sun City. AMF Christown Lanes and Glenfair Lanes in Glendale, are two other centers in the Valley where she has scored well and has achieved accomplishments. In fact, she rolled her first of 22 perfect games at AMF Christown during the 2001-02 season. And she had also rolled one of her three 800 series at the Central Phoenix center on October 10, 2007. Her highest book average of 224 for 101 games was accomplished in the Westside Handicap League this past year at Glenfair Lanes.
"Bowling a 300 game is still about being able to control your nerves. I still get nervous if I have an opportunity to bowl another 300 game," she said, of now bowling 22 perfect games. "I have gotten a little better about being able to control my nerves. If I am able to get past the eighth frame, I'm good."
She was also asked what makes her perform at her best, when she bowls in a big women's tournament in Arizona.
"There are so many good women bowlers in the State of Arizona. Such as: Tina Williams, Brenda Burns, Mandy Etem, and Shirley Braverman," she said, of her bowling peers. "Its great to bowl with the ladies I bowl with all of the time. I also bowl with: Jessica Anya, Aricka Jackson, and Cheniqua Johnson, in the Westside Handicap League. Everybody kept texting me and calling me after I shot the 300 game in the women's state tournament. The support I got from everyone was great."
Emily, who will be a sophomore at Grand Canyon University this fall, is also a member of the Lopes collegiate club women's bowling team. The bowling program at the Phoenix Christian University is coached by Ben Canfield.
"I was just planning on going to school and not bowling. But, ASU Coach Jordan Nassberg, told Ben that I was going to attend GCU. Now that I have bowled in college for one year, I am glad I reconsidered," she said, of bowling for the school. "The try out process involved bowling 12 games. We bowled four at GCU, and eight at Christown. Most of us knew we would make the team. The reason I think Ben had try outs, was just to see where we were as a bowler."
The GCU women's team had a good year last year. It had won the Rebel Classic, a Tier 1 Tournament, at The Orleans Bowling Center in Las Vegas. It went undefeated for six games on Saturday, and won the event with a total pin fall of 10,685. Correen Lieber, also of GCU, topped the women's field after the six game block with a score of 1,394. She averaged 232.3 for the six games, and her block also included a perfect game.
"We went undefeated the whole day. I did not know we had that in us," said Emily, of winning the Rebel Classic. "Colleen and I still have to learn how each other bowls. And, learn the mechanics of each others game, so we can help each other out when we have to. Bowling in college is a lot more different than bowling in leagues. There are so many different lessons to learn and its neat to get to meet kids from other schools."
Emily does most of her practicing at Glenfair Lanes. A typical practice session includes working on picking up spares. She said she has worked extremely hard to get to where she is at this point in her career. Part of the knowledge she has gained in bowling, has come by reading books and watching videos. The rest she has done on her own.
"I would like to try to bowl a couple of PWBA Tour stops, and eventually get elected into the Metro Phoenix HOF," she said, of where she wants her game to be in the next five years. There is so much out there to learn about bowling."
And there is no reason to think, that she can't get there.
Arizona State Bowling News - June 8, 2017