Tyson Nelson: 110 – 65 – 1 Previous Week: 6-2-0
Trevor Cook: 111 – 64 – 1 Previous Week: 5-3-0
Match #1 – Devenney vs. Hurd
Sitting in 5th place, 31.5 points ahead of 9th, Team Hurd is fairly safe but could use just more win to secure their spot in the A-side. Unfortunately for Team Devenney as they sit tied for 13th they are one of the more ideal opponents for Team Hurd this week. When your second is averaging 6 pins higher than your opponent’s anchor you know you should have the advantage coming in. Team Hurd has a lot of big game potential throughout their entire lineup and besides a few outlier weeks, it usually takes 3500+ to take a win off them. Team Devenney has looked sharper the past few weeks, shooting over 3300 in their last three, ideally trending up towards that number 3500 number they will need this week.
Key Matchup
Given the only position Team Devenney holds an advantage is at leadoff, I think this will be a focal point of this match. Both teams can be fairly high energy at times, and a strong leadoff performance from either Neil Stewart or Ryan Bannerman could be a big momentum swing for either team.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Hurd
Trevor’s Pick: Team Hurd
Match #2 – B. Jeffers vs. Gelardi
With Team B. Jeffers being on a slippery slope the last five weeks, winning just one match in that time and two of those losses coming to bottom half teams, they are looking like easy pickings for Team Gelardi that has continued to cruise all season. Team Gelardi has secured their spot in the A-side, but still has their sights set on winning both the half and aggregate. With both the most winning leadoff and anchor, Team Gelardi is a force to be reckoned with and certainly will make things difficult for Scott Saunderson and Tyson Nelson. Team B. Jeffers should be safe in terms of making A-side, but they will need to make sure they avoid any small weeks or they may be sweating out the finish of the season.
The thirds will be a big matchup to keep your eye on this week. Robbie Hendrickson and Adam Williamson are coming in from very different directions momentum wise. Adam is riding through a slump over the past four weeks managing just a single week over 800 in that span, while his opponent Robbie has only one week under 900 in that same timeline. If things continue as they have this matchup could be a make or break for this match.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Gelardi
Trevor’s Pick: Team Gelardi
Match #3 – Bartram vs. Cousins
These two teams are going to be looking to refine their shot ahead of the B-side playoffs and look to carry forward some momentum. Team Bartram has seen an absolute surge since having Chelsea Kehler join the team, averaging 3607 and picking up wins in two of three weeks. The anchors are both very capable in this match and we could very easily see both players over 1000. Especially with Jeston Bartram coming in off a strong performance at the Open qualifiers the past weekend and posting back-to-back 1000+ weeks in league. Opposing captain Cindy Cousins will not be an easy match though as she comes in averaging 250 her last four weeks, and has not shot under 950 in that span.
Key Matchup
Both leadoffs in this match are long overdue for a big week, both players have rather under-performed from in my mind what I see their potential to be. Derek Sanderson a lone week over 800 in the second half, and Gillian LaMonica only has three. I might sound like a broken record but one of these two is going to go off tonight, and I will say even be over 850.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Bartram
Trevor’s Pick: Team Bartram
Match #4 – King vs. Youzwa
This has to be considered the most important match of the night, as it has the biggest possible playoff implications. Team King only sits 6.5 points up on Team Cook for that last A-side spot, and cannot afford to take any big losses the rest of the season. Team Youzwa who is 27.5 points up on Team Cook should be safe as long as they can keep over 10 points this week. Coming hot off her season high week of 1110 Chloe Fleming and Karen Armstrong square up as two of the strongest thirds in the league, but both also capable of their ups and downs. Usually when they perform well it has a direct translation to the success we see from their respective teams.
Key Matchup
Again, the anchors will play a big part in this match. Colton Youzwa is coming in fresh off a very dominant performance at the Open qualifiers and his confidence has to be coming in pretty high. Luckily for Wayne King, he has broken out of his slump and has found himself averaging 246 over the last three weeks, making him a strong contender for Colton.
Tyson’s Pick: Team King
Trevor’s Pick: Team Youzwa
Match #5 – Enns vs. Orne
Team Enns is on the outside looking in as they sit in 10th place, 20 points back of Team King and in need of a big win tonight and little help from a Team King loss as well to set them up for next week. Team Orne will look to just keep on cruising as they sit in 3rd place and are only 2.5 points back of Team LaMonica for the second half. Team Orne’s lineup is solid from top to bottom, and holding a distinct advantage in both the leadoff and second positions. Jennifer Duncan comes in 13 pins up on the ever-wily Dwight Hurd, while David Wastle remains one of the most dominant seconds this season and flashes a 222-208 advantage of Garry Bell.
Key Matchup
With the advantage up top going to Team Orne, Team Enns will have to look to their bottom two Craig Enns and Glen Howarth to really provide some support and possibly make up the difference that could be left by their top half. This is easy said than done when facing Linda Orne and Darren Maxwell. Darren especially, as he comes in averaging 256 for his last four weeks.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Orne
Trevor’s Pick: Team Orne
Match #6 – Stevenson vs. LaMonica
Team Stevenson may still be a little sore after the ass-kicking they took last week brought their winning streak to a dead stop. Things certainly do not get easier this week as they run up against the top team in the league, Team LaMonica. Team Stevenson is in the same boat as Team Youzwa, where they are reasonably safe but need to avoid any large losses in the remainder of the season. Team LaMonica’s third and anchor bowlers, Andrew LaMonica and Sam Gelardi, have been putting on a clinic the last few weeks averaging 250, and only having one week sub-950 in the past four between the two of them.
Key Matchup
After a couple rough weeks from Dylan Stevenson and a really ugly week from Erik Stewart, Team Stevenson will need these two to bounce back in a big way. Erik may be considered one of the top leadoffs this season, however his opponent may arguably be the best leadoff in the league in Cyndie Barnett. Not often you can say this but I could see this matchup being close to 900 each, and I expect at least a couple close games.
Tyson’s Pick: Team LaMonica
Trevor’s Pick: Team LaMonica
Match #7 – Rodych vs. Lourenco
Team Lourenco is not mathematically out of the hunt for A-side but 31.5 points back of 8th means they need two very strong weeks to finish and probably a little help from Team King and Team Cook. A tough start to the season really burned them as now over the past five weeks they are averaging a league high 3727. This does bode well for them playing the league’s 15th place team in Team Rodych. Team Rodych has had their struggles all throughout their lineup at various points of the season and will just look to finish the season strong and try to make a run in the B-side playoffs. This match will see another set of strong thirds go head-to-head as Belle Lourenco has posted an impressive 254 average over her last four, and Matt Rodych has put up back-to-back weeks over 970.
Key Matchup
The difference at the top half of the lineup is fairly large, so the bottom two positions will really have the spotlight on them. At anchor Lexie Sutherland will need to get back into her mid-season groove as she faces Ethan Buckman. Ethan has been one of the most consistent bowlers all season and continues to be one of the league’s best corner pin pickers, even occasionally doing it on the first ball. Lexi will need to break out of her cold streak and be at least in the 950 range to keep herself in it.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Lourenco
Trevor’s Pick: Team Lourenco
Match #8 – C. Jeffers vs. Cook
Team Cook is in full desperation mode as they sit 6.5 points back of Team King for the final A-side spot. With apparently a bad split week still to be put in the standings it sounds like they will need two very strong weeks and a little assistance from Team King’s opponents. They do have a favourable matchup going against the league leaders at being on the bottom, Team C. Jeffers. Both Alyssa Campbell and Trevor Cook have really found their groove in the second half and our boasting a combined 485-442 advantage over Tim Hooper and Anthony Novak. Team C. Jeffers will need to get hot and grind out the close games if they hope to keep things close.
Key Matchup
Besides the third and anchor positions, the second position matchup could also be a blowout in the making. Jayson May, over the last six weeks, has been one of the strongest bowlers in not only his position but the league as whole, averaging 249 over that span. His opponent, Al Bristow, has been consistently in the 820-870 range over that same span which means either he needs a breakout week or possibly hope that Jayson cools off and comes down to within that range.
Tyson’s Pick: Team Cook
Trevor’s Pick: Team Cook
