Locally: Karen Krantz rolls 300 game

Karen Krantz is on a roll.

In successive weeks, the veteran bowler put together 900-plus four-game series in the Michelob Tigress Scratch League at Players & Spectators, punctuating the first with her first perfect game on Feb. 28.

In becoming the second woman this season to record a 300 in the newly sanctioned Spokane County USBC, Krantz strung 12 strikes in her perfect game to highlight a 774 three-game series and 981 for four – a 245 average for the night. She entered the night with a 195 average.

Krantz followed that up Wednesday in the oldest women’s scratch league in Spokane with a 276 game and 904 for four.

Earlier this season, Shari Cawley rolled a 300 at Lilac Lanes.

Bowling

Top qualifier Evan Nash stopped Brandon Roush’s march through the field to win the Junior Bowlers Tour stop at Sunset Bowl last Sunday.

Roush, who went into the five-man finals in third place after vaulting from eighth with a 951 four-game series, beat two opponents to earn a match against Nash in the finals. Nash, who had averaged 259 in compiling a 1,036 four-game total in qualifying, beat Roush 235-228 in the last frame.

Kyle Carpenter, who had a 966 series, finished third; Matt Benner fourth; and Chris Gray fifth. Ryan Connor had a 985 four-game series. Amanda Oens had high game for the girls, a 220. Nash had a 280 to lead the boys.

The final JBT is March 25 at Players & Spectators, which will feature five-game series.

College scene

Linse Vlahovich, a Central Washington sophomore from University High School, was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference pitcher of the week in softball for the week ending March 4.

Vlahovich compiled a 4-0 record as Central went 6-3 and finished second for the third straight year in its tournament in the Tri-Cities. She allowed just three earned runs in 27 innings (a 0.78 earned-run average). All three runs came on a first-inning home run in the semifinals in a game Central won 4-3 in eight innings.

Vlahovich (4-1) struck out 22 and scattered 13 hits in four starts.

“Jessi Reome, a Saint Martin’s junior guard from Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls, earned honorable mention on the All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference women’s basketball team.

Shooting

Amanda Furrer of Spokane was named USA Shooting’s February athlete of the month for her performance at the 2007 Rocky Mountain Rifle Championship that also earned her a spot on the U.S. Development team.

The Mead High School sophomore, the No. 6 shooter in the world in women’s three-position rifle, defeated international sensation Sandra Graziolin of France to earn the silver medal.

As a member of the development squad, Furrer will compete in the 2007 World Cup USA in April.

Skiing

Three athletes from the Spokane Ski Racing Association will compete in the Western Region/Chevy Trucks J3 Junior Olympics March 22-25 at Mammoth Mountain, Calif.

Qualifying for the 13-14-year-old competition during races held in January and February were Charlotte Dubiel, Sierra Schrankel and Dillon Bauernfeind.

Thirty boys and 21 girls from the Pacific Northwest division are in the premier event. Winners of the slalom, giant slalom and super G events qualify for the Whistler Cup, a premier international race in April at Whistler, B.C.

“Mt. Spokane and Schweitzer Mountain racers dominated the top of the boys division at the Pacific Northwest Ski Association’s Buddy Werner Championships for 9-12-year-olds last weekend at Mt. Bachelor, Ore.

Led by Ty Cowles-Meyer from Mt. Spokane’s Spokane Ski Racing Association, who placed first overall, local skiers claimed three of the top five places in the field of 129 boys.

Blake Bowerman from Schweitzer Alpine Racing Association finished third and John Michael Larson from SSRA was fifth.

Cowles-Meyer, 11, who attends St. George’s, qualified for the Western Region/Chevy Trucks J4 Festival March 22-25 at Mammoth Mountain, Calif. The third boys champion from SSRA in four years, he claimed the bronze medal in the slalom and the gold in the giant slalom.

Bowerman was fifth in the slalom and fourth in the GS. Larson placed 10th in the slalom after a third in the GS.

The teams combined for 10 top-10 finishes in boys and girls slalom and giant slalom. There were 127 girls. SSRA placed fourth overall out of 22 teams.

Girls top-10 finishers:

Giant slalom: Margaret Wolf, SARS, fourth; Rachael West, SARS, sixth.

Slalom: Hannah Smith, SARS, sixth; West, ninth.