Lowe: Prep tourney should be exciting

• By KENT LOWE
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Apr 7, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Just a few notes from the bowling reporter’s notebook while preparing to head to Lafayette for the first prep bowling title to be decided outside Baton Rouge…

But the question that remains is, especially on the girls’ side, will that matter?

I remember last year in preparing to cover the championship round at Don Carter’s, there were some comments in the Lafayette newspaper from some of the bowlers who had come to practice at the Baton Rouge site and how different they found the lanes. I don’t want to say they talked themselves out of it because I’m not sure if the Lafayette teams top to bottom were as good as the Baton Rouge semifinalists, but they certainly could have easily advanced to the finals with a shot here or there.

One thing I’m sure of is that Denham Springs did the right thing by having their girls, the three-time defending state champions, go to Lafayette, I believe, on two occasions to bowl competitively on those lanes.

It’s hard to explain characteristics in a short space like this, but the lanes are different. Throw in a bit of controversy in last year’s boys semifinals in an extremely close match and I have a feeling the atmosphere will be interesting come Friday morning when the semifinals are rolled.

I expect, if the Lafayette teams advanced from Friday’s regional, the center to be rocking for the 11 a.m. semifinals, but it could get rather quiet if the Baton Rouge teams bowl for the titles.

It’s a little hard to call what Denham Springs has done a dynasty after just three years, because there have been much longer state championship streaks in other sports. But it is impressive and now this is their time, with some of their bowlers as seniors, to prove they are the best by winning the title on the road. It should be fun.

I thought it was really great to watch Norm Duke show his prowess by winning the U.S. Open last weekend in the final tour stop of the regular season. He is so smooth going to the line and his ability to repeat shot after shot is something I envy.

Now there is still some bowling to come on television in the next two months starting with the Motel 6 Roll to Riches airing at noon on ESPN. The event will be taped Tuesday evening. Then on April 30, for the second straight year, the Queen’s Tournament will be shown live on ESPN2.

In May comes a most intriguing event, The Clash of Champions, as bowling returns to network TV for the first time in a decade on May 10 and 11. The event features 16 champions from USBC events including the U.S. Open. That means kids, adults, men and women. Basically there will be a shootout format on May 10 to cut the field to the top man and woman and they will bowl on May 11 in the finals. But in the shootout it will be one ball vs. one ball and some junior bowler could knock out a U.S. Open Champion. It will be interesting.

Charles Dunaway has been handling our honor roll for many years and there is no doubt that this is one of those family weeks on the honor roll as a father and son are featured prominently.