The third week of Spring 2026 blew the doors off the quiet part of the season, with three teams surging up the standings while two others slipped hard on the oil and into regret. Personal milestones fell like stubborn corner pins, and the building buzzed as Dennis Walling uncorked the men’s high game of 268 and high series of 608, while JoAnne Barber carved her name into the night with the women’s high game of 149 and high series of 419. With the Tournament of Champions divisions now locked and one-on-one chaos looming, the league officially crossed from polite competition into open drama. Every strike sounded louder, every spare felt heavier, and every missed pin came with a story attached. Read on for the night’s triumphs and tumbles, then finish the tour by checking this week’s bingo results.

Hot-n-Ready®
Hot-n-Ready® came out of the oven blazing, winning three games and the series, and the excitement felt like steam rolling off fresh pizza boxes. Nick Kinney fired a 203 game well above his average and backed it up with a strong 564 series, a night that also happened to mark his 100th career 200+ game, prompting him to shrug and say, “Guess I’ve been reheating this recipe for a long time.” Ian Estey matched the heat with a 212 game well above his average and piled on with a steady 559 series, turning the pocket into a brick oven for anyone standing too close. Seth Gunderson started the night ice-cold with a 156 game well below his average, then surged back with a roaring 215 game that swung momentum right back into Hot-n-Ready®’s favor when it mattered most. With Buck Nasty absent, the remaining trio still cooked up three wins and walked off buzzing, thrilled to see Hot-n-Ready® finally living up to the name. They now sit in 2nd place, climbing one spot in the standings this week.

3 Pins and a Gutter
3 Pins and a Gutter dropped three games and the series, and the devastation clung to every frame that flirted with the pocket before sliding into the channel. Nathan Burrows went heroic with a 190 game far above his average and dragged the lineup to a 469 series, trying to haul the team out of the gutter by sheer willpower. JoAnne Barber delivered a night of controlled fire, beating her average in all three games and finishing with a 419 series highlighted by a 149 game, both of which stood as the women’s high marks for the week. Jesse Sauerbrei chipped in with a 111 game above his average and steadied the lineup with a 311 series, but the team name kept feeling uncomfortably prophetic. “We’re three pins and a gutter for a reason, but tonight the gutter felt personal,” Jesse sighed. One win gave them a brief gasp of hope, but losing three left the team quietly devastated, staring down how close so many frames came to changing the story. They remain in 6th place, holding steady in the standings despite the rough night.

Lanes 3 & 4: Squid Row vs. Walk Offs

Squid Row
Squid Row wrapped all four points in tentacles and dragged them into the deep with a clean sweep, and the excitement rippled through the lineup like a rising tide. Dennis Walling, the #1 Power-Ranked bowler, detonated the lanes with a season-high 268 game and a massive 608 series, including a single game that landed 112 pins over his average, a burst so violent the scoreboard seemed to flinch. Chris Windham, the #1 Head-to-Head competitor and reigning Most Valuable Bowler, stacked games of 197 and 188 well above his average and powered through to a 565 series, also crossing the milestone of 40,000 career pins. Matthew Taylor struggled below his average throughout the set, but Squid Row had already flooded the lanes with momentum. With Ben Spencer absent, the remaining crew swam in formation, and one teammate joked, “Once the tide comes in, you just stop fighting it.” The Squids were ecstatic after the sweep and now sit in 1st place, climbing one spot into the top of the standings.

Walk Offs
The Walk Offs were swept, and the devastation rolled in slow and heavy, like the credits on a comeback movie that forgot to write the ending. Kurt Fredrickson fought valiantly with a 159 game well above his average and a 421 series, trying to will a late rally into existence that never quite materialized. Chris Hagan stumbled with games well below his average, and Mike Fitzgerald dipped to a 93 game below his average, leaving the lineup scrambling for traction. “We kept waiting for the walk-off, and the game kept walking away from us,” Kurt said quietly, staring down the lane long after the final pin fell. Losing every game made the night melodramatic without being cruel, the kind of sweep that lingers in the silence of the drive home. The Walk Offs now sit in 5th place, slipping one spot in the standings after the sweep.

Lanes 5 & 6: Thots & Spares vs. The Queenpins

Thots & Spares
Thots & Spares endured a full sweep, and the devastation felt like watching spare chances dissolve one by one. AJ Hofmann went supernova with a 233 game well above his average and finished with a 570 series, a night that also pushed him to 60 career 200+ games as he tried to drag his team back into the match one frame at a time. Tim Deddens chipped in with a 152 game above his average and a steady 410 series, but Jim Koger’s 102 game well below his average and Scott Murdock’s slide to a 124 game under his average opened gaps no amount of hopeful spares could patch. “We had the thots, but the spares packed up early,” AJ muttered, packing his bag with a sigh. Losing all three games left the team melodramatically stunned, the kind of quiet devastation that sends bowlers home replaying frames in their heads. Thots & Spares now sit in 3rd place, dropping two spots in the standings after the sweep.

The Queenpins
The Queenpins swept all four points and wore their excitement like a crown. Jon Little anchored the royal court with a 183 game well above his average and a strong 501 series, setting the tone with calm authority. Lindsay Sargent erupted with a personal-best 134 game well above her average and a personal-best 358 series, her confidence turning the match into a coronation. Ryan Sisco shook off an early 119 game below his average by surging back with a 182 game well above his average, steadying the throne before the sweep could wobble. “Once the crown settles, you stop worrying about who is reaching for it,” Jon laughed as the team celebrated another clean royal decree on the lanes. The Queenpins now sit in 4th place, climbing one spot in the standings after the sweep.

Bowlers who were on the list for The 200 Club include: AJ Hofmann (233), Dennis Walling (268), Ian Estey (212), Nick Kinney (203), and Seth Gunderson (215)

A new personal best series was rolled tonight by Kurt Fredrickson (421, previous best 416).

JoAnne Barber earned both this season's women's high game and series with her 149 and 419, respectively. In addition, Dennis Walling nabbed both high game and series for the men this season with his 268 and 608, respectively.

NEXT WEEK:

• First, on lanes 1&2, 1st-place Squid Row will chuck some balls with 3rd-place Thots & Spares (hcp 89). Squids are expected to roll a little low, but split the series with Thots; while Thots are forecast to drop their average a bit while they keep the series tied.
• Moving to lanes 3&4, 4th-place The Queenpins will compete against 6th-place 3 Pins and a Gutter (hcp 83). Queenpins might roll a little low, yet still manage to win the series; while Gutterly Pinned ought to hold steady as they avoid getting swept.
• Finally, on lanes 5&6, 2nd-place Hot-n-Ready® will battle 5th-place Walk Offs (hcp 169). The Ready® is predicted to watch their averages take a plunge, yet still manage to win the series; while Walkers are anticipated to drop their average a bit while they avoid getting swept.

^*(Remember, the predicted results above are based on mathematical extrapolations and can be changed by all sorts of factors. If you don't like how your team's results are predicted, you and your teammates have the power to prove the math wrong!)

THIS WEEK'S MVB Chris Windham Runner Up: (See Posting)	#1 POWER BOWLER Dennis Walling Runner Up: Chris Windham	#1 H2H BOWLER Chris Windham Runner Up: Nick Kinney
FROM THE GUTTER (GUTTER QUOTE) (Whispering) "You KNOW it wanted to go down for you." Lindsay Sargent, increasing Scoot's disappointment over a pin that was wobbling but got grabbed by the pinsetter before it went down.