Spokane Bowlers Hope To Strike It Big In Las Vegas

Rob Cline put an exclamation point on his victory in the second half of the High Rollers league’s split season at North Bowl.

Cline capped the 10-week campaign with a stunning 816 three-game series, putting together games of 279, 248 and 289. It left him with a 221.7 average for the 40-game league.

Cline had a 26.5-13.5 won-lost record to finish two games ahead of Doug Smith (24.5-15.5), a late-season sub when Ed Stevens got hurt. Mike Hanson was third at 23-17.

For winning the local league, Cline and first-half champion Jim Hanson will receive their $1,100 entry fee paid into the Las Vegas High Rollers Tournament June 30-July 4. Top prize there pays $200,000.

Hanson, a local winner last year as well, and Cline both rolled in the Las Vegas event in 1994. Cline made it to the fifth round in the single-elimination format that drew more than 1,400 bowlers and earned $2,200. To win the tournament, a bowler must win 11 matches.

Sean Heath, who also represented Spokane in Las Vegas last year, is expected to return, paying his own way this time.

Hockey

The Spokane Grinders, who have won the title four of the last six years, appear to be the team to beat in the Northwest Classic tournament this weekend at Eagles Ice-A-Rena.

Most of the 36 recreation-level teams are from Canada.

The Grinders’ first game is tonight at 6:45. The event runs through Sunday. Admission is free.

Basketball

Video Tron of Spokane proved to be the class of the men’s 6-foot-and-under division in the 11th annual Wayne Estes Bud Light Northwest Championships last weekend in Anaconda, Mont.

Led by division Most Valuable Player Bobby Jack Sumler’s 27 points, Video Tron hammered X-Men of Lewistown, Mont., 97-68 in the finals. Forty of the 90 teams in the tournament were in the division.

Joining Sumler on the all-tournament team were Ken White, James Bowens and Allen Simon of Video Tron.

Hoopsaq of Spokane finished fourth in the men’s B division, losing the consolation final 87-74 to Grannys/Skakles of Anaconda. Mike Moscrips of Hoopsaq, who had 39 points in that game, and teammate Barry Kees made the all-tournament team.

Laz’t Call/1st Citizen’s Bank of Butte, Mont., won the B division, 90-77 over Am Vets/CJ’s Carquest of Billings, Mont.

The Malta Athletes, who drew players from throughout the U.S., beat Club Seattle 95-90 for the men’s open title behind MVP Quesi Coleman’s 24 points. It was an emotional time for Club Seattle. One of its players, Thurman Holdsclaw, was killed in an auto accident Saturday on his way to the tournament.

Missoula Reds won the women’s open division, 91-87 over Primetime/ Charlie B’s of Missoula.

Billiards

Earl “The Pearl” Strickland, who took up pool at age 9 and turned pro at 20, will be in Spokane for two appearances Sunday.

Strickland, who finished fifth in the Pro Billiards Tour rankings in 1994 and won the World 9-Ball Championship, will be at The Quarterhorse, 1321 W. Second, from 2-4 p.m., and at McQ’s Billiards & Darts, 9612 E. Sprague, from 7-9 p.m.

Strickland will put on an exhibition of trick shots, pass on tips and take on some lucky local players in matches.

Info: John Wenglewski, 327-2591.

Skiing

Schweitzer Mountain made a name for itself in the 10th annual Jimmie Heuga’s Ski Express National Finals last weekend in Vail, Colo.

The Sandpoint mountain was proclaimed National Fund-raising Ski Resort of the Year, raising a record $109,322. Schweitzer administrators are Susie Luby and Mary Demming.

Two Schweitzer teams, Groundhogs (Sue Linderman, Bill Goyen and Phil Carstens) and Dirt Brothers (Scott Barksdale, Brandon Moon and Chrissti Gregorak) were third and fourth, respectively, in team fund raising. Groundhogs raised $23,125, Dirt Brothers $23,107.

When it came to skiing, Schweitzer was No. 1, too. Crud Club 1 (Lisa Callahan, Randy Franzen, Dan Voltz and Reider Wahl) won the team event with Crud Club Uno, also of Schweitzer, third.

Individually, Goyen was the fastest male 45 and over.