Eric Puyleart, who tied a Green Bay-Bay Area USBC Bowling Association record and led the way in almost every scoring category this season, is Press-Gazette Media’s men’s bowler of the year.
Wendy LaFave, who turned in another banner year, repeated as the women’s bowler of the year.
Each year, a group of league officials and statisticians from the GBBA and the Green Bay Area USBC Women’s Bowling Association select the men’s and women’s top bowlers for Press-Gazette Media.
Puyleart was joined on the first team by last year’s bowler of the year, Jeff Lee, as well as Jon Koltz, Sean Martin and Scott Weber.
Joining LaFave on the women’s first team are Ashley Brunette, Caitlyn Polarek, Becky Mencheski and Sue Olson.
Puyleart registered eight series of 800 or better to share the GBBA record for most 800s in a season set by Lee in 2006-07 and equaled by him the following year. Alex Young grabbed a share of the mark with eight in 2010-11.
Puyleart’s highest score was an 877 that was the highest bowled in the association for the 2013-14 season and sixth highest in the history of the association.
He finished with 75 honor scores. In addition to the eight 800s, he had 58 700 series, six 300s, two 299s and one 298. The six 300s was the most by anyone this season, while the 299s tied for third most and the 298 tied for the most.
In addition, Puyleart won the association’s season high-average award — a 246.50 for 90 games in the Riviera Ten High Hardball Busters league. He also averaged 244.02 for 90 games in the Riviera 973, which ranks as the second-highest average in the association. He also averaged 241 in Riv’s Rowdies couples league.
“It’s definitely a surprise,” Puyleart said. “There was a lot of great bowling this year by Jeff Lee, Scott Weber and even by Mike LaFave, who had to switch to left-handed, and he really improved his game during the season.”
As for his season, Puyleart said: “It was a great year. I didn’t realize I was leading in all those categories. I enjoyed bowling in all three leagues that I bowled in.”
In his 877 series, Puyleart came within 23 pins of a perfect 900 score but he said that is not one of his goals.
“That (900) is a very big number,” Puyleart said. “I was very fortunate to have 34 out of 36 once before in ’04 and I thought that was once in a lifetime thing and I was very fortunate to get back to that number.
“I will definitely try (for a 900) but just take it one week at a time and see what happens.”
Lee repeated as average champion in the Green Bay Major with a 238.32 and was second to Puyleart in 800 series with four and in series between 700 and 799 with 43.
Koltz, who returned to the area as a full-time bowler after commuting from Wausau for several years, had the third-highest average in the Major and second-highest in the Ashwaubenon 3-Man Classic, where Weber won his sixth straight average title. Martin posted a composite 216.19 average bowling in the Major and 3-Man Classic.
LaFave led the GBWBA with 12 national honor scores and posted 52 scores of 600 or better. In addition, she had one 300 game and one 298. Her high series was a 789 that ranked second highest in the association.
She won the GBWBA season-average title, posting 218 in the Willow Creek Bellevue Strikers. She also averaged 204 in the Women’s Classic at Ashwaubenon and 216 in Riv’s Rowdies.
Winning for the second straight year, she said, “Really surprises me. I was pretty close to last season (in scores and averages) but I started slow (at Ashwaubenon) and it took awhile to come around.”
One thing that has eluded her in her career is an 800 series, but she said, “It doesn’t bother me anymore.”
“I still can improve,” LaFave said.
“I would like to be more consistent all the way across and have fewer 500 series.”
Brunette, Polarek and Olson also repeated on the first team, while Mencheski moved up from last year’s second team. She replaced Kim Hoffmann, who missed the first team after making it 20 straight years.
Allen, a once-a-week bowler, won the average title in the women’s classic with a 209.78, while Polarek had seven national honor counts and a total record-tying 56 honor scores.
Olson logged the only 800 of the season, an 823, and registered two 300 games. Mencheski tied Polarek for most honor scores with 56 series of 600 or higher, including five national honor series.
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