BATON ROUGE - A new event on the All Star Lanes bowling calendar last month was the “Nifty 50” senior tournament that Mike Ross put together as tournament director and the numbers seem to indicate it was a success in its first go.

In all, close to 200 bowlers took part in the singles competition and there was also doubles and team competition and the payouts weren’t too bad for an inaugural event.

It again reminds me how many good senior bowlers there are in Baton Rouge and the number of pretty strong senior leagues we have in this city.

In the all-events category (singles, doubles and team play), Terry Tachera won the $150 top prize for a 2,116 handicap score with Betty Hullinger second at 2,098 ($91.76). On the men’s side, Michael Maher topped the handicap division with a 2,133 scores ($192.60) with Les Hanson second at 2,128 ($115. 56).

In scratch all-events, Karen Beam was the topper with 1,727 (191.9 average), while Brian Yoches averaged 223.9 (2,015) to win by eight pins over Justin Davis.

In handicap singles, Brenda Williams earned the $343.20 for a 706 series with Patricia Volentine second at 694 ($211.20). Frankie Sambo and Michelle Smith both shot 691 with each earning $125.40.

The payout of $434.56 for men’s singles when to Bobby Underwood with a 762 score. At 751 was Al Babin ($260.62) with Steve Beam third (749, $183.40) and Duke Koontz with 726 ($144.79).

The duo of Connie Schloss and Elizabeth Warren rolled 1,390 to win women’s doubles and $380. Colleen Cross and Debra Dickens was second, scoring 1,373 for $206.25 and a 1,370 got Vera Young and Cheletta Arthur third place and $123.75.

In open doubles, John Hoffman and Terry Tachera took the title with 1,488 for $643.50. Asad Mohammad and Justin Davis was second at 1,413 ($396). Kenny Bueche and Bobby Hebert were third (1,398, $272.25) with Roger and Ralph Rivet taking fourth and $222.75 with a 1,393 score.

Congrats to the winners and a good tournament for senior bowlers.

Capital City Strike Out

At the close of the advance entries for this weekend’s 13th renewal of the Capital City Strikeout youth scratch scholarship tournament, a total of 56 entries were in with another group of entries expected by the close of business on Friday.

There will be new champions crowned in the two U18 divisions in 2026, but two defending champions will be back in the mix this year, although both will be competing against each other in the same U15 competition.

Easton Smith of Colonial Lanes won the U15 division a year ago and will be back to defend the title, while Logan Nguyen of Westside Lanes, who won the U12 title in 2025, will move up to the U15 division this year.

We’ve already discussed the lane patterns in a previous column, but Saturday will feature eight games of qualifying, four on each of two patterns, before the cut to the double elimination match play which begins at 9 a.m. on Sunday. That will be decided on a different pattern from the two on Saturday to determine the champions in the divisions.

This has turned into a wonderful continuation of the Labor Day weekend tradition of a big youth bowling tournament in Baton Rouge which began many years ago at the now closed Circle Bowl.

In its first 20 years, the event has given out right at $50,000 in college scholarships which is quite a number for a tournament like this. And there is more to be one in a post-qualifying shootout for some added scholarship money.

We’ll have all the results next Monday on Labor Day when we get together again.

Until then, good luck and good bowling,

                                                 Kent Lowe