Top women bowlers vie for state title

Judy Lou of the Northwood Jewelers team from Toledo gets high fives from her teammates at Interstate Lanes in Rossford.

Judy Lou of the Northwood Jewelers team from Toledo gets high fives from her teammates at Interstate Lanes in Rossford.

Over a four-month span the Toledo area will be the top destination for Ohio's female bowlers.

Nearly 7,000 women bowlers from all over Ohio will travel to the area to compete in the annual state tournament.

The 82nd Ohio USBC Women's Bowling Association Championship Tournament is being held at Interstate Lanes in Rossford and Southwyck Lanes in south Toledo. The event, which is held on the weekends, started March 1 and will run until June 1.

Denny Nealand, who is the president of the Greater Toledo USBC Association, said 358 teams have competed already.

"It's really starting to kick into high gear now," Nealand said. "They traverse their way across the state every year so that they can showcase their talents and vie for a championship."

He said a total of 1,381 teams and about 6,900 individual bowlers will compete in the state tournament.

"Just about 7,000 lady bowlers plus their families will be coming here," he said.

The event is a handicap tournament with team, doubles, singles, and all-events competitions. Handicap is 80 percent of a 630 scratch three-game series. A separate actual all-events competition also is being held.

Brenda Hughes of the Strike Force team competes in the USBC state championship at Interstate Lanes in Rossford.

Interstate Lanes is hosting the team events and Southwyck Lanes is hosting the doubles and singles competitions.

"Basically we will have 30 to 36 teams competing every weekend up until Memorial Day," Nealand said.

Nealand said many local bowlers already have participated in the event.

Jodi Woessner, who is from Oregon, currently has the high actual series of the tournament with an 811. Woessner, who is one of the top bowlers in the area, was inducted into the Ohio Women's Bowling Association Hall of Fame under the Superior Performance category in 2005.

Nealand said the scores generally have been high. He said his organization already has given out six plaques for bowlers who posted a series of 700 or greater.

He said state USBC officials have set a standard lane condition.

"They've given us a specific oil pattern and that's what they are putting down at both centers," he said. "If these lane conditions keep up, the scores should continue to be high."

The entry fee is $2 for handicap competitions and $5 for the actual all events per person. For more information, call the GTBA at 419-537-0523.

Nealand said the GTBA has hosted all four of Ohio's state championship tournaments. Toledo has hosted the state tournament for men, women, youth, and senior bowlers.

"It's been a great opportunity to host all four," he said.

Contact Mark Monroe at:

mmonroe@theblade.com

or 419-304-4760.