Tyson Nelson: 99 – 61 – 0 Previous Week: 4-4-0
Trevor Cook: 102 – 58 – 0 Previous Week: 5-3-0
Match #1 – Gelardi vs. LaMonica
This should be the highest scoring match of the night. With the top two teams in the league going head-to-head its always bound to be exciting. These teams really have no weak spots in their lineups which means no spots to take advantage of. The top two positions on both teams have no average under 208 which is the highest the low average has been in any match this season. Cyndie Barnett has probably become the most threatening leadoff in the league at the moment, averaging 224.6 over her last 8 weeks, having not shot under 850 since mid-January. The other bowler currently in his groove is Sam Gelardi, putting up back-to-back 1070+ weeks. Team Lamonica has the momentum on their side coming into this week after a big win, but Team Gelardi is certainly never an underdog.
Key Matchup
How could you not want to watch the anchor matchup in this one, brother versus brother. Sam Gelardi #5 average in the league taking on big bro Dwayne Gelardi #2 average in the league. As these two are top three in a vast majority of stats this season, I would expect to see probably a 2100 combined total and at least two 300s. If this matchup ends up being a blowout, that will be the team that ends up with the victory.
Tyson’s Pick: Team LaMonica
Trevor’s Pick: Team Gelardi
Match #2 – Devenney vs. Cousins
This is the ladies match tonight, with almost 40% of the league’s female bowlers in one match. Both teams had fairly strong showings last week with Team Cousins nearly taking a win off Team Stevenson and Team Devenney taking down Team B. Jeffers. Given their positions as 11 and 12 in the standings this could be a good warmup match come time for the B-side playoffs. Cindy Cousins has been the hottest rolling player on this set, throwing a 257 average over her last three weeks, and only losing 3 points over that span. For a little while post-Christmas it looked like Holly Chaikowski had found her groove, but the last 5 weeks averaging 197, she is long overdue for a breakout week.
These two teams matchup very closely in the top two positions so I would watchout for one of the four between Shannon, Gillian, Neil and Mike to have a blowout week. Each of these bowlers has shown the consistency to stay between the 780-840 range, so one of them is bound to break off a 900+ week, which would be a huge momentum shift for their team.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Cousins
Trevor’s Pick: Team Cousins
Match #3 – Cook vs. King
This is a critical match for both teams. Currently sitting 2.5 points out of A-side, Team Cook will be looking to take that 8th spot away from Team King who on the other side will be looking to give themselves some cushion from a team directly behind them. I would say Team King comes in with a decent advantage at leadoff, 15 pins. But with Jayson May averaging 246 over his last five weeks, he makes up for it and then some comparing him to Patrick Walker’s 205-average over the same time span. The edge in the top half leans in favour of Team Cook. That being said, this match will be decided by the bottom half of the lineups which are incredibly strong for both teams.
Key Matchup
The anchors will be pivotal in this match. Trevor Cook is currently sitting second for average in the league at 254. This will be a big wall for Wayne King who has only had a handful of weeks over that number all season. Barring a low week from Trevor, Wayne will need one of his better weeks to keep things at least close enough where his team can support.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Cook
Trevor’s Pick: Team Cook
Match #4 – Lourenco vs. Orne
This is most likely the make-or-break match for Team Lourenco who currently sits 22.5 points back of Team King. Anything less than 20 points by Team Lourenco will drop their chances of A-side to not much higher than zero. On paper these two teams matchup almost perfectly, despite a big difference in standings location. This match also features two of the hottest bowlers in the league right now, with Belle Lourenco averaging 257 over her last three and Darren Maxwell averaging 263 over the same span. The big difference between these two teams is Team Orne is quite clutch in their finishes, while Team Lourenco has a history of falling apart in game four.
Key Matchup
The second position could be crucial in this match. Dave Duncan has been boasting a 229 average at the second position over the past five weeks, a number only beaten by a few seconds in the league over that span. Unfortunately for Dave, David Wastle his opponent is one of those guys, putting up an impressive 245 average in that time. This will be a match of endurance and the first guy to crack might find himself in a big hole.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Orne
Trevor’s Pick: Team Orne
Match #5 – Stevenson vs. B. Jeffers
These two teams are fairly comfortable in the standings, sitting 4th and 5th with room to spare, so this will be a good preview of their roll-offs matchup next month. These two teams have very different lineup structures, with Team Stevenson being very well rounded and competitive at every position while Team B. Jeffers tends to be anchor heavy and relying on one or two other positions for support. That being said, with their anchor Tyson Nelson currently on a cold streak they have only won one of their last three weeks. Given the seven-week win streak Team Stevenson is currently riding, the momentum is most definitely on their side.
Key Matchup
The leadoffs are a complete wildcard in this one. Both Erik Stewart and Scott Saunderson have been on a rollercoaster the last six weeks, with scores anywhere from 650 to 970. So if one of them breaks loose and finds their line this could easily be a 100-pin difference to whoever finds it.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Stevenson
Trevor’s Pick: Team B. Jeffers
Match #6 – Rodych vs. Enns
Teams Enns is right on the heels of Team King for that last A-side spot, sitting only 8 points back, despite their repeated voicing of not wanting to be in A-side. This could be a good tester week for Team Rodych because Team Enns could be one of the top teams they will face in the upcoming B-side roll-offs. With two bowlers coming off season high totals, Dwight Hurd and Craig Enns, Team Enns is looking pretty solid all around giving even A-side quality teams a run for their money. Team Rodych’s bottom half of Matt Rodych and Lexie Sutherland will certainly put pressure on Craig Enns and Glen Howarth. The difference as it has been all season for Team Rodych will come at the top half of the lineup where wins are just too few and far between.
Key Matchup
Not many matchups that will be too critical in this match, but I do think the best match to watch tonight could come at the third position with Craig Enns and Matt Rodych facing off. Craig has been throwing well and Matt is flashing signs of life every other week. If these two hit their rhythm at the same time we could see some close games.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Enns
Trevor’s Pick: Team Enns
Match #7 – Youzwa vs. C. Jeffers
Team Youzwa will be determined this week. Currently sitting in 7th place, they do not have much breathing room from the teams below them. Their matchup is favourable this week going against the current 15th place Team C. Jeffers. The leadoffs see Chris Jeffers come in as the favourite over Mark Prystupa but that is as far as the advantages go for Team C. Jeffers. Team Youzwa still features one of the strongest 3-4 combos in the league with Colton and Chloe coming in at 479 compared to the averages of Anthony and Tim at a lesser 439. Given the scores we have seen from each team it is a safe assumption to make that the ceiling for Team Youzwa is a fair bit higher than that of their opponents.
Key Matchup
I think for this match to have a chance for Team C. Jeffers, Tim Hooper or his spare will need to keep thing close to Chloe Fleming who holds a 22-pin advantage on paper, that can be a big difference for the rest of the team to support when each of them will already have their hands full.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Youzwa
Trevor’s Pick: Team Youzwa
Match #8 – Bartram vs. Hurd
These two teams are both coming off matches with top two teams in the league, but in an unexpected series of events the one who walked away with a win was the previously second-half winless Team Bartram. With that, they are definitely coming in with a good amount of confidence, the true question is how maintainable are those numbers for them. Their opponents on the other hand generally are fairly consistent and when one guy struggles, the rest coverup for him. These two teams have a combined record of 1-11 over the last six weeks, so a win big or small will be huge for team morale. Colton Harris is the most notable over the last four weeks putting up three 900+ weeks and averaging 215, from his previous 187 prior to that.
Key Matchup
Hate to throw the pressure back on Colton but he comes in at the biggest underdog in this match, down 29 pins in average to Chad Hurd who is currently sitting as one of the league’s most formidable seconds. Chad has had his fair share of ups and downs over the last 5 weeks either shooting under 800 or over 900. So depending which one shows up really determines the direction this match will go.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Hurd
Trevor’s Pick: Team Hurd
