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Johnny Campos
Johnny has a degree in Journalism from the University of Texas and has been writing about bowling for about 50 years. He has written bowling columns for three different newspapers in Texas and was the bowling writer for the Peoria Journal star for more than 20 years before retiring in 2021. Johnny worked on the PBA road staff for 14 years, the last seven as the National Tournament Director. He is the immediate past president of the International Bowling Media Association, a member of the USBC Hall of Fame Committee, chairman of the Sam Levine Flowers for the Living Award and a member of the IBMA Hall of Fame. He has won almost 40 writing awards over the years from various bowling organizations.
By Johnny Campos
Final numbers add up to second-round win for Johnson Accounting team in Masters League
The draft-day performance by Johnson Accounting team captain Mike McBride in early August last year paid some big dividends on Monday night.
McBride’s team came up with a big 46-4 decision over Mt. Hawley Bowl and claimed the title in the second third of the Perfect Angle Pro Shop/Bill Mastronardi Masters League at Plaza Lanes.
Leading the way for Johnson Accounting were Kevin Audi (McBride's second-round pick) and Jason Hester (third round), who both went 8-0 on the night. Audi was high man on the pair with a 753 and swept Anthony Schnack (613), while Hester’s 639 set was enough to sweep Kile Hardin (604).
Kayla Johnson, McBride’s No. 1 pick in the draft, went 6-2 against Austin Hall (who was coming off a week when he bowled two 300s and series of 751, 754 and 831), beating him in series, 722-710. McBride also went 6-2 against Mt. Hawley anchorman Adam Johnson, winning series 717-587.
Johnson Accounting won all three team games and finished more than 300 pins ahead of Mt. Hawley in total pinfall (2,831-2,514).
The finish was a big improvement for Johnson Accounting, which finished seventh in the first round.
“Our team has a good chemistry that really works well together,” McBride said. “It really helps having Kayla (a four-time member of Team USA) there every week to help with lane transition and getting the guys lined up.
“We have had really good subs this third, with Dan Rogers filling in and Rob Johnson subbing for me last week. Jason and Kevin have very simple games that are easy to work with, and they have been bowling great and doing what I thought they would when I drafted them.”
The win also provided a little redemption for McBride.
“I have been out of competitive bowling for a few years and wanted to prove I still could compete with this league,” he said. “And I have the right team to prove we can. I’m hoping the last third goes just as well.”
Johnson Accounting went into the final night of the round trailing Gary Strait’s Linn Lanes team by two points in the standings. Because the league has no official position round, the two leaders were a few lanes apart on Monday night.
Linn Lanes also had a big night, beating Potter’s Alley 38-12, but came up six points shy of McBride’s team to finish runner-up. The Plaza Lanes team that won the first third finished in third place.
“It was an amazing night,” said McBride. “I would rather have had a position night and bowled Gary’s team. But the schedule is what it is.”
High-scoring night
There were a few high scores posted at Plaza Lanes on Monday.
Tommy Barnwell was high man with an 824 set on games of 279, 246 and 299.
On the same team, Timmy Blanch just missed an 800 with a 797 on games of 256, 254 and 287.
Bob Baker came up a pin shy of rolling a 300 game for the third straight week in the league. Two weeks ago, at Landmark Lanes he rolled a 300 in an 801 set. Last week at Mt. Hawley Bowl, Baker had a 300 in a 736 set. On Monday, Baker had games of 247, 299 and 238 for a 784 series.
Brian Davis was trying for his third trey in the past four weeks in the league, but also came up a pin short.
He had a 300 game in an 812 series at Sunset Lanes. The following week at Landmark Lanes he opened a 731 with a 300 game. At Mt. Hawley Bowl, Davis had the front nine strikes in a 277 game and a 788 series. At Plaza Lanes, He rolled a 741 set in a roundabout way. He had an opening 299 game and closed with a 279. Those two games were sandwiched around a middle game of 163.
The league travels to Linn Lanes in Canton on Monday to start the final third of the season.
Final weekend for city tournaments
The final squads of the Peoria River City Bowling Association’s Open and Women’s Championships will be held this weekend at Landmark Lanes.
In the Open handicap division, a team called Ouch! leads with a 2,790 score. Jeff Wendt leads singles with 792 and doubles (with Jim Petty) at 1,504. Mike Gilbert is the all-events leader with 2302.
In the Open scratch division, the team of Donnie Sweet, Bob Baker, Travis Anderson and Andre Campos leads with 2,923. Ed Roemer and Cass Hermacinski are the doubles leaders with 1,449, and Campos leads singles with a 781 set. Kenny Combs is the all-events leader with 2,248.
In the Women’s Championship, the leaders in the 189-under division are Mt. Hawley King Pins in team (2,939), Wendy Haste and Charmagne Berchtold in doubles (1,428), Mary Breckenridge in singles (754) and Teresa Lynch in all events (2,003).
In the 190-over division, leaders are Hermacinski #1 in team (2,730), Andrea Wagoner and Meme Amwoza in doubles (1,477), Misty Tunyuck in singles (754) and Hailey Jepson in all events (2,213).
Squads are scheduled at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
