Sunset Country will be represented by two local bowlers at the provincial finals of the annual P.O.A. (pins over average) tournament in Dryden in February.
Teressa Darrah, who bowls out of Plaza Lanes here, topped the 34 women competitors at the five-game zone roll-off held earlier this month at Timber Lanes in Dryden.
“I’ve heard it’s a fun tournament and you get to meet a lot of people,” Darrah said. “I’m looking forward to it.
“I’m kind of surprised I bowled as well as I did to qualify. I hope I bowl that well that weekend,” she laughed.
Darrah, who sports a 172 average, led the ladies with a +115 after rolling games of 253, 191, 180, 145, and 206.
That was three pins better than Elaine Davidson, who finished 112 pins over her 182 average.
Meanwhile, Michael Thayer of Plaza Lanes also qualified for the provincials after finishing with a +203 among the men at the zone roll-offs.
Thayer, with a 153 average, was 22 pins shy of the first-place finisher.
The top teams at the provincials, slated for Feb. 28-March 2, then move on to represent Northern Ontario at the national level.
Darrah has high hopes for her chances to represent the north, but is staying realistic. “I’m kind of a rookie,” she laughed.
She doesn’t know much about her team, recalling that she’s matched up with a man and woman from Dryden, and another woman from Kenora, and that they’ll meet their team coach shortly before the provincial roll-offs start.
She said she might enter a few tournaments between now and then to supplement her Tuesday night league here in town to get ready for the provincials.
But if not, she hoped they’d take some time to practice and get to know each other, and “get together either the night before or the morning before we start bowling.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
