Post Messenger Recorder -

The Pranksters continue to be the crowd pleasers of the second half after a couple of strong performances, with the latest coming against the Jones’ Plumbing Pipe Benders. Their illusion this past week was to pull 100 plus points out of the hat. To the crowd’s amazement, all four Prankster couples performed this feat with ease. Headlining the show were Rodney Latham and Dean Herfel, who successfully pulled 110 points from their hat beating out fellow Pranksters, Chris Hook, Dave Losenegger, Laurel Grindle and Greg Burreson, by 1-point. However, this trick was countered by Pipe Benders Betty Krantz and Mark Losenegger, who put a 110-degree bend in their pipe in their attempt to plumb a victory. This match came down to the eighth and final frame, where the Pranksters had a perfect round to win by 22 points.

With a bye on January 3rd, It’s Time traveled to the western range of the Norsk Cowboys for their first match of the half, where Tom Burns and Dan Dahlk lay in wait. Little did they know what Tom and Dan had in mind, they wanted to wrangle a perfect score out of the Mounties. They were close, too, if not for Jim Day and Tom Magnuson who loosened the girth of Tom and Dan’s saddles by two notches in the fourth frame. Tom and Dan finished with this week’s high score of 118 points to drive the Cowboys into their first win of the second half.

Dewey Haag’s and Randy Skogen’s 113 points helped the Riley Shufflers shake loose their first win of the half as well. Shufflers Steve Vogt and Derek Skogen assisted by slamming the door on Kendal Wenger and Brett Eichelkraut (Cheese Eaters) in the third frame where Kendal and Brett ended the frame with a goose egg instead of a wheel of cheese. But, not all was lost for Kendal and Brett as they outscored Stan Hook and Pat Maclean (Shufflers) who finished with a 79, this week’s low score.

While on the subject of skunks, I must mention Opie Taylor and Shawn Farrell’s close encounter with this smelly kitty. They just missed the spray when Barb Judd and Don Williams held them to just one point in the third frame. However, the power move by Barb and Don was not enough for the Hay Shakers to slow the Express. On the backs of Dave and Charlie Steinhauer’s 110 points, the Express pulled into the station with a 19-point win.

Standings: Norsk Pranksters 2-0; J&M Bar 1-0; Harley Blue Express 1-1; Kleeman’s 1-1; Norsk Cowboys 1-1; Riley 1-1; S’Wisco Taphaus 1-1; It’s Time 0-1; Jones’ Plumbing 0-2.

Schedule for January 17: Kleeman’s @ It’s Time (8:00); S’Wisco Taphaus @ Norsk Pranksters (8:00); Norsk Cowboys @ J&M Bar (8:00); Jones’ Plumbing @ Harley Blue (7:00); Riley Shufflers – Bye.