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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Surina On Roll For Pba Event

Chuck Stewart Correspondent

Matt Surina is on a roll again, and his timing is certainly good.

The American Bowling Congress national champion takes a hot hand into this weekend’s PBA Regional Tournament at Silver Lanes.

Tuesday, Surina hammered out a 299 game and 1,019 four-game series to help his team set a city record during the Budweiser Scratch Trio league at Diamond Bowl.

More on that later.

Surina, one of 20 local bowlers in the field of 80 for the PBA event, will be in with some fast company.

“There are some good bowlers,” agreed Gary Mage of Spokane, the Northwest Regional director of the PBA. “We have 21 who have won regional championships.”

Among them are Jim Frazier of Spokane, a former PBA national winner; Scott Alexander of Federal Way, Wash., who won the PBA national championship last year and won the last Regional PBA event two weeks ago in Wenatchee; Hugh Miller of Centralia, Wash., the winningest bowler of regional titles with 18, as well as four national championship events; and Mike Bouvia of Portland, voted a co-bowler of the year in the region last year with Surina.

National PBA regulars Dave Husted and Marshall Holman will put on an advanced bowlers clinic from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday at Silver Lanes in conjunction with the tournament. There are spots open. Call 535-2961 for information.

The pros practice from 3-4:30, with the first of three pro-ams during the weekend that will attract 250 amateurs at 4:30. Husted and Holman are expected to take part before leaving town for a benefit event. The second pro-am is at 7:30.

Saturday’s schedule calls for pro qualifying from 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. A third pro-am is set for 7:30.

Sunday, the top 16 pros come back for 16 games of match play, with the top five advancing to the stair-step, TV-style finals about 4 p.m.

All except the clinic are open to the public.

Surina was joined by Mark Davis (884 four-game series) and Dean Miller (959) on the Clean Cut team in compiling a 2,862 series to break the Spokane Bowling Association three-man, four-game record of 2,800 set three years ago.

Jim Young, Chris Carman and Dave Saccheri of Gung Ho Restaurant had set the mark in the same league in 1992.

That wasn’t the only noise in the Budweiser Scratch Trio on Tuesday, reports secretary Phyllis Edelin.

Jason Dellapenta fired a 300 game, Kelly Snyder had an 822 three-game series and a 1,076 for four and Mike Sorte had a 289-1,015 for four.

Bicycling

Between 800 and 900 riders are poised for the fifth annual Tour de Lac ride between Spokane and Coeur d’Alene Saturday and Sunday.

“We’re a little bit smaller than last year,” said Ardene Patten, secretary for the sponsoring Holy Family Foundation. Last year, 1,039 took part. “But we have two cruise options on Lake Coeur d’Alene, and both are filled.”

She said there appear to be more tandem bike entries than in past years, and “quite a few families.”

There are two-day rides of 200 miles and 80 miles. Those choosing the longer option leave Riverfront Park at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, with riders on the shorter setting out at 8:30. The groups meet at City Park in CdA for an overnight stay. Riders leave CdA at 8 and 9 a.m. Sunday.

The shorter route travels the Centennial Trail.

Softball

Sports Cellar and WTB/CdA RV Resort of Coeur d’Alene are in Shreveport, La., this weekend for the Amateur Softball Association Men’s Class B National Slowpitch Tournament. Sports Cellar had placed first and WTB second in the Quad Park B league in Post Falls.