Traverse City Record-Eagle

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February 20, 2010

Veliquette champ, Caldwell throws 300

Elk Rapids senior upends Schmerheim

BY DENNIS CHASE

TRAVERSE CITY -- Justin Veliquette carries a 180 average.

But the Elk Rapids senior was well over that Friday, averaging 208.5 in winning the boys title in the Great Northwest Bowling Conference individual championships at Timber Lanes.

Velliquette beat St. Francis senior Spencer Schmerheim 199-172 in the finals.

"I got a lucky break in the final when (Schmerheim) started off with two splits," Velliquette said. "That really helped my confidence. I got a quick start on him and coasted to the end."

Schmerheim, who carries a 173 average, was riding a torrid three-game streak heading into the final. Schmerheim rolled games of 237, 264 and 259 in advancing to the championship. But a tough start put him in an early hole in the final.

"The oil started to move and I didn't move with it," he said. "The ball was over-reacting.

"I started with two splits and splits are generally pretty difficult to pick up."

Velliquette was 10th and Schmerheim 14th in the qualifying round, where the top 16 advanced.

Velliquette then beat Andy Tuck 194-155, No. 1 seed Joe Caldwell 207-177 and Jordan Blodgett 257-230 to reach the final. Caldwell had rolled a 300 in the qualifying round.

"I think moving lanes, the different conditions, threw him off a little," Velliquette said.

Schmerheim, on the other hand, didn't even know if he would make it out of the qualifying round.

"I made it by just four pins," he said.

He followed that, however, with the best three-game set of his career, upending Kam Wise 237-205, Jackson Robb 264-254 and Chad Rosinski 259-194.

"I was focused and I was hitting my mark," he said. "That's (three-game set of 760) respectable."

Velliquette is bowling for just the second year for the Elks.

"We had really good seniors last year so I was under the radar," he said.

Well, he isn't any longer. And neither is Schmerheim.

"I was impressed with the way I bowled today," the St. Francis senior said. "I'm happy."''

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