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Huge performance brings Matt Hills closer to bowling milestone

willie theis
·6 min read
Matt Hill rolled his first-ever 700 series last week with a 712 on games of 198, 246 and 268 that included 20 strikes at Dixie Bowl. A former star athlete at Virgin Valley High School in Mesquite, he was a state champion in the high jump and the varsity football team's kicker. He's now the general manager at Burton Lumber in St. George.
Matt Hill rolled his first-ever 700 series last week with a 712 on games of 198, 246 and 268 that included 20 strikes at Dixie Bowl. A former star athlete at Virgin Valley High School in Mesquite, he was a state champion in the high jump and the varsity football team's kicker. He's now the general manager at Burton Lumber in St. George.

Matt Hill achieved one of his bowling goals with an electrifying performance at Dixie Bowl.

And fueling the run to his first-ever 700 series was avoiding open frames along with some clutch strikes late in his third game.

His milestone feat began with an opening 198 game followed by a clean 246.

And next, oozing confidence on the approach, he continued pounding the 1-3 pocket with clutch strikes in the 9th and 10th frames as part of a 7-bagger paving the way for a clean 268 game and a scintillating 712 series.

Hill grew up in Mesquite, Nevada where he was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and track & field at Virgin Valley High School. Two of his sports highlights at VVHS included winning the state championship in the high jump, and kicking a 42 yard field in a football game. And amazingly, he kicked his PAT's and field goals barefooted.

After high school he moved to St. George where he played both softball and golf, and is the General Manager of Burton Lumber where's he's been employed for some 25 years.

He's a fan of the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Denver Bronco's, and as an avid football fan, he traveled to the iconic Rose Bowl in January to watch the Utah Utes play Penn State in the Rose Bowl game.

Hill's been a great addition to the St. George bowling scene since first taking up the sport in 2016, and with a current high average of 199 after 48 games, reaching another milestone of finishing a season with a 200-plus average certainly looks doable.

In other pin action, Bob Lehnen (726-258) smoked Sunset Lanes with a standout performance in Elks & Friends League action, and propelled by a 256, Michael Garcia threw a season-high 698 set that raised his Thursday Mixed Nuts League average to 195, and Trent Nay's (675-255) strong effort ended a recent scoring funk.

Meanwhile, Stan Rasmussen put a 673 pasting on Dixie Bowl including clean games of 236, 235 and only one open in a 202, Joseph Graham averaged 219 between Dixie (657) and Sunset (654), and Chance Evans (651-256) continues elevating his game.

Skyler Moss (651-256) can still knock 'em down, Kevin Kidman's (649) scoring explosion included a clean 222 and 17 total strikes, and after a 655 set two weeks ago, Jerry Bundy rolled a 633 last week.

In single game play, Jacob Bouck (575) took high-game honors after running the front 10 in a 289 gem, John Potter (701) ran the front nine in a 277, Nick Mace (602) logged a 255, and Jay Ankeny (611) punched out a 247.

And 86-year-old Doyle Mouser threw an impressive 243, Bob Hurd pocketed a 232, Phil San Antonio posted a 226, Kailand Papagayo rolled a 213, Jim Milner tallied a 211, and Justin Kee smacked a 205.

And senior league bowler Tom Schwab had an 8-bagger in a 252, and Al Schedin's 222 included a 5-bagger.

In women's action, Susan Hill's (638-246) scoring output led all scoring and raised her Industrial League average to 187, Ashley Thomas averaged 203 between Sunset (616) and Dixie (607), and Sherri Snarr (613-217) put together another good week.

Tina Wilson's 572 included a clean 202, and Pat McCabe came up with a superb outing in Industrial League play with a season-high 566 on games of 207, 202 and 157.

And a first-rate effort by Shelley Hurst (551) included five strikes in a clean 199, and Annette Chugg's competitive 522 in Dixie Queens League action included a clean 197 and only one open in a 170.

And don't be surprised if octogenarian Bonnie Kabey's (506) still throwing 500-plus scores when she becomes a nonagenarian, Lisa Jones (504-201) had a nice outing, and Donna Jo Judson chucked a 502.

In single game play, Lisa Moss (524) fired a 225, PJ Redhouse (565) tossed a 216, Hailey Bundy (553) smacked a 213, Linda Lipper logged a 212, and Anne Brosier (541) uncorked a 202.

Oh, bay-bee!

Lisa Provstgaard punched out triplicate 144 games ... Pat Verchota picked up the 5-7 split ... Urainna Wright spared the 3-9-10 ... Maxine Thurston converted the 2-10.

Senior league scores

Bob Lehnen 640-246; Tom Schwab 252; Dave Myers 236; Manny Hartmann 229; Al Schedin 222; Greg Ward 222; Tim Swigart 220; Doyle Mouser 211; Doyle Mouser 211; Dennis Craft 211; Jim Hamm 203; Dan Sanzone 202; Jerry Bundy 201; Gayle Wendt 529; Vickie Pearson 528-203; Diana Swart 527; Margie O'Neill 526; Karyl Moeller 522-201; Debbie Lehnen 514-220; Donna Joi Judson 509.

High scores

Jorge Grajeda 677-256; Jeremy Telford 666-248; Jeremy Turlington 665-257; Lew Agius 657-236; Dale Knight 655-255; Matt Polatis 644-246; Rod Post 644-226; Larry Rumple 641-239; Russ Harkins 635-229; Mo Davis 635-227; Tor Lowry 633-244; Scott Bowden 624-248; Wil Mariluch 621-249; Duane Sullivan 620-246; Robert Dickey 620-279; Ron Floreani 620-246; Scott Brosier 620-234; Alfred Oliver V 617-220; Brendan Thomas 617-212; Randy James 617-253; James Austin 615-223; Chuck Irvine 614-227; Billy Logan 613-227; Ken Schloman 613-225; Gregg Sant 612-224; Wes Wells 612-232; Kyle Clark 610-216; Will Hutchinson 610-214; Max Stayrook 609-224; Nick Johnson 609-227; Ron Hanson 609-229; Devin Werner 608223; David Lee 607-216; Tyler Thomas 605-244; Scott Ferreira 603-256; Shane Wilson 234; Dennis Craft 226; Niko Garcia 226; Jeff Anderson 225; Mike Foote 225; Iloha Otuafi 225; Dave Myers 223; Doug Clarke 223; Richard Berry 222; Fred Foerster 216; Randy Halverson 216; Randy Halverson 216l Stanford Benally 216; Mike Gabriel 215; Al Oliveira IV 214; Bill Stauffer 213; Patrick Webster 213; Ben Stang 212; David Crawford 212; Jackie Syddall 211; Jake Heaton 211; Gage Petersohn 211; Tyler Mickelson 211; Dick Saunders 2109; Jay Strausser 210; Lindsay May 210; Wayne Nunley 203; Mark Cruz 203; Jim Bice 203; Keith Reynolds 203; Shawn Wonder 201; Rand Wilson 200; Margie O'Neill 610-221; Dawn Thomas 566-204; Karen Balicki 565-228;Ann Rasmusen 548-212; Sharon Reading 542-207; Indianna Polatis-Nay 540; Kayla Hammond 539-200; Diana Stauffer 527; Bryeann Barckley 526; Stephanie Miller 524; Mila Thornton 518; Debbie Lehnen 517-202; Autumn Telford 513; Bev Keeley 510; Kara Kopf-Rasberry 509; Diana Schaarf 509; Tina Cruz 507; Colleen Bedford 503; Nina Gibson 502; Linda Handke 501.

Willie Theis covers league bowling in St. George for The Spectrum & Daily News.

This article originally appeared on St. George Spectrum & Daily News: St. George's Matt Hill impresses with huge series at Dixie Bowl