|
|
 |
|
|
PBA Experience Trios
|
|
|
|
|
|
Click here
to experience it! |
|
|
|
|
|
RSS Feeds Are Here! |
|
|
|
|
|
Other News
|
|
|
PBA: Missed
Opportunity
MNH:
About Time!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pay Balances
Online! |
|
|
|
|
|
Factor X team members can now pay their tournament balances
online by clicking on the button below:
|
|
|
Bowling
Trivia |
|
|
|
|
|
Hey, Trivia Buffs!
Want to be notified whenever factorxbowling.com updates
its bowling trivia questions?
Click here!
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Revamped Ambusher Offense Falls Short
Written by Matt Coe and edited by Tom Clukay
Posted Wednesday, November 12, 2008 12:12 AM
November 10, 2008. On the schedule, week number
11 of the Monday Night Handicap league, and rematch number one in
2009 between Factor X and the always-tough Ambushers. It’s a match
that both teams mark on their respective calendars each year,
although admittedly Factor X has tended to look forward to it with
greater anticipation than their Ambusher counterparts over the past
few years. Both teams have thrown some mighty games and sets. Honor
scores and high 700 series are not uncommon when these two teams
clash, and luckily for Factor X, they’ve been winning a lion’s share
of the points in these contests. But in 2009, the
 Ambushers
had reason – actually, two good reasons – for optimism, thanks to
their additions of former Puzzle bowler Larry Smith and Emil’s
Animals anchor George Tignor during the off-season. The new
acquisitions have made an already-explosive team even more-so,
turning them into the number one team in the Monday Night Handicap
power rankings in 2008-09. Surely this would be sufficient to put
them over the top against a Factor X band that has been a perpetual
thorn in their side year-in and year-out… or then again, maybe not.
As with the Ambushers, Factor X has added some
additional punch to their lineup this season, too. Granted, the
Factor X acquisitions may not be of the same magnitude as their
Ambusher counterparts, but they are significant nonetheless. First
they added former Keene bowler Clint Hall to their lineup, later
following that up with the addition of another Keene bowler to their
roster, Buddy Wing.
This week’s match-up featured the return of
another familiar face for Factor X, as emergency substitute Henry
Caouette was forced into action due to the unavailability of Buddy
Wing (Celtics game), Clint Hall (knee) and Juanita Clukay, who was
with her father during his heart surgery. The lineup changes
included some anxious moments, with the team not knowing for sure
whether or not they would be able to field a full lineup against the
Ambushers until late Monday afternoon:
“I wasn’t going to take myself out of the lineup
prematurely,” team co-captain Tom Clukay said, “ but I had made it
pretty clear to everyone that my first priority was to my wife and
family. Given Clint’s injury and Buddy’s unscheduled PTO day, all it
would’ve taken was one emergency phone call from my wife, and that
would’ve been it. We’d have had to take on the Ambushers
short-handed.”
Fortunately for Factor X, the story had a happy
ending. The dreaded phone call never came, Mr. Carrier’s surgery was
a success, the team bowled with a full lineup, Henry Caouette made a
triumphant return to the lineup, Factor X continued their dominance
over the Ambushers... and, oh yes… the Celtics won.
More
►
X Takes Over 4th Place
Posted by BowlerCluke Sunday, November 6, 2008 10:49 PM
Factor X took over sole possession of fourth
place heading into next week’s final position round of split number
one, thanks to their 13-7 defeat of USA I; their second victory over
the red-white-and-blue crew this season.
Allen, Caouette Lead Way
Strong performances by Factor X’s Bill Allen and
Henry Caouette helped offset quick starts by Kelsie Pushee and Bill
Marois, Sr. of USA I, paving the way for a come-from-behind 13-7 win
that moved them into sole possession of fourth place heading into
next week’s all-important final position round of split number one.
 As
was the case when these teams last met just two weeks ago, this
week’s match was closely contested and, with the exception of game
number three, came down to the tenth frame. With the exception of
the fact that game number one’s scoring pace this week was much,
much higher than in their previous encounter, both team’s nights
began in nearly-identical fashion to that of two weeks prior, with
two-of-three USA team members winning their head-to-head matches
only to see Factor X take the game 3-2 on a clutch mark in the tenth
frame by Factor X anchor Tom Clukay. Big games by Bill Marois, Sr.
(231) and Kelsie Pushee (198) put USA in position to take the early
lead, but late rallies by Bill Allen (231) and Henry Caouette (213)
closed the gap significantly in the final two frames, putting Clukay
in position to close out the game with a mark in the tenth.
After four consecutive tough-luck losses to X,
USA finally broke through in game number two, thanks in great part
to the continued hot hand of Pushee. Entering the night with a 145
average, Pushee followed her career-best 198 opener with another
well-over-average 172 game, earning her a second consecutive win
over Factor X’s Henry Caouette, 230-217. A 209-201 handicap win by
Bill Allen over USA’s Randy Boutell again put Factor X within
striking distance as the team’s anchor bowler stepped to the line,
but a clutch strike by Marois put a struggling Clukay in the
unenviable position of needing to strike out in the tenth to tie.
Clukay carried a wild Brooklyn strike on his first ball in the
tenth, but when his second shot drifted high for a 4-7 leave, USA
had their first team victory over the X Men 4-1… not to mention a
two-point lead heading into the rubber game.
That final game however belonged to Factor X – or
more specifically, Henry Caouette. Having struggled most of this
season, Caouette’s opening six-bagger helped set the tone early,
bolstering his team’s confidence after their tough-luck game two
loss. Bill Allen returned to game-one form as well, joining Caouette
in applying instant pressure to their patriotic opponents.
The USA response was not the one they had hoped
for. Having bowled brilliantly through games one and two, Pushee’s
two-game scoring spree came crashing to the ground in the finale as
she was unable to maintain her lofty pace against Caouette’s quick
start. To make matters worse, Marois’ inexplicable game three woes
continued as well, with the league’s average leader ending his night
on a sour 168 note. The result was a massive 701-583 finish in favor
of Factor X, earning them nine of the final ten points on the night
for the 13-7 victory.
“Thank God for my teammates,” Tom Clukay
commented after the match. “The way I ended game two, I was missing
everything, not even close on my spares. It cost us that game. I
could see the dejection on everybody’s faces. But the way they
stepped up to start the last game, refusing to let my struggles get
them down, that was big.”
Factor X will get another “big” test next week
when they go up against Degeneration X with third – or possibly even
second – place on the line. Degeneration X handed Factor X their
worst beating of the season when the two teams met earlier in the
season, drubbing the X’ers 18-2.
More
►
|
