The end has finally come. Bowled my last ball sunday at around 5pm. It was in a tournament, 2 game head to head, had to be beaten twice to get nocked out. Pretty common format. 32 man feild, i ended up coming 5th. The tournament was at my home center, and i had alot of the croud behind me which was great, got me kinda pumped up haha.
First round: Against a little known lefty. Both of us were clean through the first game and the first 6 frames of the 2nd game. Then he opened 2 frames. I was clean through the whole 2 games. Bowled 448 to his 350(he couldnt XX), was really happy with how i bowled.
Second Round: Against a member of the state team, that i KNOW im better than, but yea. haha. Bowled 172, 222. Had 3 opens in the middle of the first game. Was down by 20 or so. Coach had a word to me and i got a few "cmon matty you can do it"'s from the croud. Strung some strikes near the start of the game, croud was going wild, and i guess i let the addrennilin get a lil too high, shanked it and left a huge split. Opened the frame. Only 5 behind. Opponent doubles then spares, 14 behind. I double spare, back to 5 behind. *9th frame* We trade spares. Knowing i was only 5 down i let him bowl his whole 10th frame. He spares and X's leaving me with a chance to take the game. Meanwhile cause we had a close game we finished the block last, so everyone was watching, which i love hahaha. Steped upto the first ball, crushed the pocket to peices, sent the whole croud nutsh*t. 2nd shot of the 10th, ball felt great off my hand, but for some reason skidded right thru and left me a 1-2-10 split. Took 2 from the spare, lost by 5.
Round 3: Pretty Uneventful block. Had my opponents number for 15 of the 20 frames. He doubled early, i turkied in the 4th-6th and never lost the lead. Bowled a 428 block in a canter, never looked or felt like loosing this one really. It didnt even cross my mind that it could be my last 2 games ever.
Round 4: The draw put my against the same guy that beat me in round 2. I was determined not to go out knowing that someone got my number twice in one day. And revenge is the sweetest taste of all, so i was determined for this one, and the croud got me more fired up then i had ever been b4. First game we traded closed frames and opens, he had the advantage going into the 2nd game by 2 pins. 2nd game i bowled a 222, and this time the ball was in his court. Bag out to win by less than 10. He pulled it on the first shot, and i won.
Round 5: Won pretty easily, strung strikes at the start of the first game, never lost the lead. Was against one of my friends. He was tryin gto play mind games with me, but i blocked him out. bowled 220 221 against his pair of 180's.
Round 6: Against one of the best juniors going. I never felt confident going into this round. And this is where my career stops. I kept up in the first game and bowled 200 to his 210. But he strung the first 6 strikes of the next game and never looked back. So i decided to make the most of my last game, and just take it all in. I got to the 10th frame, said to myself, "last frame ever, holy crap." Sent it a little wide, left a 2-8 sleeper. And missed it :-( i opened my last frame, so that was a huge downer.
But all in all it was a great day. Something to remember. The croud was great, and i enjoyed every moment of it.
Good luck and high scoring
the now retired, matt.
