High school senior rolls perfect game

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Feb 13, 2001 by STEVE THOMPSON Capital-Journal

- City bowling

Matt Mace

By STEVE THOMPSON

The Capital-Journal

Matt Mace was discussing bowling with Wes Beck on Friday, Feb. 2, when Beck made an observation based on personal experience.

"He said you have to be lucky to bowl a 300 game," Mace recalled.

Less than 24 hours after their conversation, Mace had his own proof. Bowling Saturday, Feb. 3, in the youth scratch league at West Ridge Lanes, Mace recorded the first perfect game of his career during a 300-205-200 -- 705 performance.

Sure enough, he had a bit of luck in the sixth frame, when the 3- pin (he thinks) --- spun across the lane and nicked the 4-pin, which took out the 7-pin for strike number six. Six more strikes and Mace had reached a milestone.

"The hardest one was the 11th (strike)," said Mace, an 18-year- old senior at Shawnee Heights. "By the 12th one everyone had stopped bowling and it was kinda quiet. I just went through the same routine and got another strike."

Ironically, Mace's 300 came in the league in which he has the lowest of his three averages --- 177, compared to 187 at Gage Center Bowl and 180 at Meadow Lanes. He credits some advice from his dad, Henry Mace, with helping him break through.

"I bowled in the King of the Hill Tournament at Gage Center and had 400-something and didn't qualify," Mace said. "My dad said, 'Well, what were you doing wrong?' I said I was going too fast and missing spares. He told me to slow down a little bit, I was throwing too hard."

The advice paid off, not only on that Saturday but on the following Thursday (Feb. 8) as well. The right-handed Mace followed up his 300 with a 237-235-234 -- 706 series at Gage Center, giving him the two best league series of his career (he shot 713 last March in a tournament in Wichita).

Mace, who works part-time at the Kansas Department of Revenue, hopes to bowl at the University of Kansas next fall with his sister and current Jayhawk team member, Michelle.

Notes

- A few hours after Mace bowled his first 300, Tom Johnson Jr. rolled his second perfect game this season. Bowling in the Saturday Night Special League at West Ridge, Johnson shot 182-194-300 -- 670. His previous 300 came on Feb. 16 at Gage North.

- Mace wasn't the only 700-shooter among the youth last week. Tyler Graves, who also attends Shawnee Heights, rolled 206-279-245 -- 730 at Gage Center. Chelsie Bahr paced the girls with a 234-187-202 - - 623 series at G.C., while Matt Phelps posted a 287 game at G.C.

- A pair of seniors --- Hal Gakeler and Gerry Sanders --- also topped the 700 mark last week. Gakeler shot 225-243-247 -- 715 at Gage Center, while Sanders rolled 224-259-222 -- 705 at G.C. Marion Lierz (212 -- 576 at G.C.) and Eleanor Kruggel (204 -- 569 at G.C.) paced the women.

- The results of last weekend's Topeka Women's 600 Club Lisle Grauer Valentine Tournament at Gage Bowl North are listed below.