As I wiped my shoes before I entered the local bowling alley I was a bit unsure about how January's competition might pan out. In my whole lifetime I could only recall a dozen times or so that I had ever been bowling, and here I was going to take on Tara Sadd, a member of the Hastings High School bowling team, who has practice twice a week for two hours. I had a feeling this game of bowling may end up with a couple more than a few gutter balls for me and a very different story for Sadd.
We both got our shoes on and each of us got a ball, she of course had her own special ball while I was using a generic ball furnished for me by the bowling alley. Sadd started the game out very strong by picking up a spare. In the opposing lane I threw two right in the gutter. The next two frames went the same way for Sadd picking up a spare each time while I was trying to figure out where I could throw the ball so it would not end up in the gutter. At the end of the forth frame I had some serious catching up to do and now was the time to do it. Sadd had only taken out eight of the pins and I only needed to knock down the three pins to pick up the spare and maybe put me back in it. As I let the ball go I knew it was not good enough. I only got the front pin.
I had let my opportunity slip right through my fingers.
The next frame Sadd came back and launched one down the lane that sent pins flying in every direction for the first strike of the match. Once again in the other lane I was struggling just to knock down the majority of the pins set before me. Finally in the eighth frame I hurled the ball down the lane with just enough spin that brought it back in for a needed strike, but I would have to be perfect for the rest of the game and hope that Sadd would falter in order for me to win.
The end result was anything but that. Sadd kept up her assault on the pins picking up two more spares in the last three frames. Sadd ended the match 171to my miserable 96 points.
Coming into the competition I was very unsure of the outcome. I knew I would need to bring my A game and hope that Sadd was worn out from her practice she had just finished but no such luck. I had been beaten again.