Jensson in prime form at zone roll-offs

Circumstances forced Shirley Jensson out of her comfort zone—and probably not a single person noticed.
Personal commitments left the Fort Frances bowler with no choice but to compete in the Saturday morning shift at the zone P.O.A. (pins over average) tournament in Atikokan.
But in the end, Jensson not only had earned a berth at the provincials, she reigned supreme over the 38 other competitors in the ladies’ division with a final score of +238 over five games.
“Usually at these tournaments, I like to bowl the last shift so I know what I need to beat,” said Jensson. “But I guessed it worked out this time.”
Jensson will be joined on the five-member ladies’ team headed to the provincials March 4-7 in Thunder Bay by fellow Plaza Lanes bowler Amanda French, who finished fourth overall (+145).
The rest of the team includes runner-up Linda Thiverge of Atikokan (+223), third-place finisher Joy Ashton of Dryden (+173), and fifth-place finisher Maggie Burry from Dryden (+130).
Shirley Dolph of Fort Frances just missed out on a top-five berth, ending up in seventh overall (+125).
Other local bowlers competing in the ladies’ division were Kathy Bois in ninth place (+103), Tammie Basaraba in 12th (+71), Jean St. Germain in 14th (+67), Nicole Drennan in 23rd (-40), Lisette Wilson and Emily LaFreniere tied for 24th (-48), Debbie Wagner in 30th (-79), and Amy Wilson in 39th (-171).
Meanwhile, the 43-member men’s division also produced a pair of provincial reps from Plaza Lanes in Robert Tuesday and Carey Basaraba.
Tuesday took fourth spot overall with a +131 while Basaraba earned the fifth and final berth (+115). Felix Kooshet of Dryden led the way (+189), followed by runner-up Jeff Lyons (+147) and third-place finisher Len Strom (+140), both of Atikokan.
Times editor Mike Behan led the rest of the Plaza Lanes contingent, averaging 217 over his five games during the Sunday morning shift but that only translated into a +56 for a ninth-place finish.
Robert Bombay was the only other Plaza Lanes bowler to finish on the plus side in the men’s division, winding up 10th (+55).
Rounding out the Plaza Lanes competitors were Kevin Peltomaki in 17th (-1), Allan Yerxa in 21st (-12), Don Wood in 25th (-27), Ed Yerxa in 27th (-39), Don Smeeth in 29th (-57), Steve Hands in 33rd (-74), Daniel Morrisseau in 35th (-86), Ken Dick in 39th (-102), and Terry Wood in 42nd (-118).
Wood and Bombay were just glad to be around to bowl after having a deer plow into the side of Wood’s new truck on Highway 11 between Bear’s Pass and Mine Centre on the way to the tournament Saturday morning.
There was extensive damage to the truck, but Wood and Bombay escaped unharmed.
“At least I didn’t finish last,” a relieved Wood laughed from his home here yesterday afternoon.
The P.O.A. provincial roll-offs will be held in conjunction with the Hi-Low doubles and the Executive Division provincial rounds, which Allan Yerxa previously had qualified for.