To say Mary Jane Kelly was surprised would be to hear her exclaim, ‘‘Holy crap, this happened.’’
Kelly won the women’s side of the Section 3 sectional of the 57th Beat the Champions on Saturday at Lawn Lanes in Chicago with a 778.
Jamie Clemons won the men’s side with a 731 on games of 212, 191 and 245 with 83 pins of handicap.
Kelly is only in her second year of bowling. She started bowling because of her boyfriend, Ken Hinkle. When the BTC letter arrived announcing she had made the sectionals, she said, ‘‘He said, ‘I never got this letter, and I’ve been bowling for 30 years.’ ’’
Kelly averages only 117 at the Sunday Morning Friends at Bluebird Lanes. BTC uses a minimum average of 120, so she had the maximum of 243 pins of handicap to go with games of 140, 204 and 191. Handicap for BTC is 90 percent of the difference between one’s average and 210. The 204 is the highest game she ever bowled.
‘‘I go all the way to the right side and just fling it,’’ said Kelly, an Oak Lawn woman who works as an occupational therapy assistant.
As for Clemons, it was comfort level.
‘‘I just got comfortable in my shorts and mismatched socks,’’ the 24-year-old Chicagoan said.
His grandmother Vanessa Pitts bowled on the women’s side in the morning but did not advance. She did have advice for him.
‘‘I told him to talk to his ball,’’ she said.
‘‘I did,’’ said Clemons, who bowled at his home center.
The top five women and top four men advanced to the finals in March, where the top prize is $7,500.
Anthonie Calvin advanced by beating Paul Schroeder 246 (192-54)-195 (195-0) in a roll-off for the final men’s spot.
‘‘Very interesting, it put you in that tournament mindset,’’ said Calvin, a real estate broker from Alsip. Other men advancing were Tony Baller, an accountant from Forest Park, and John Bond, an actor, singer and radio personality from Chicago.
Doris Cajigas, a North Sider who works for Walgreens, finished second with a 704 and reached the finals for the second time.
Other women advancing were Barbara Mims, a retired clerk from Chicago, Tracy Banks, a Country Club Hills woman who is a chemist for Fuji Film, and Sharon Watkins, an accountant from Lansing.
Before the bowling, there was a moment of silence for Rich Supanich, the patriarch of the family owning Lawn Lanes, who died Jan. 22.
In its first 56 years, BTC, for which the Sun-Times is media sponsor, has raised $2.856,618.43 for charity from 5,768,200 entries.
Follow me on Twitter @BowmanOutside.
NOTE: There was a moment of silence for Rich Supanich, the patriarch of the family that owns Lawn Lanes, who died Jan. 22.
* * *
SCORES
Section 3 Sectional
At Lawn Lanes, Chicago
(Top five women and top four men, pending verification, advance to finals)
Saturday’s Results
Women
Bowler, center G1-G2-G3-HCP–TOT
Mary Jane Kelly, Bluebird 140-204-191-243–778
Doris Cajigas, Habetler 181-213-181-129–704
Barbara Mims, Skyway 182-162-181-156–681
Tracy Banks, Skyway 180-201-225-72–678
Sharon Watkins, Skyway 167-131-232-145–675
Dichelle Casey, Bluebird 188-205-217-62–672
Karen Thomas, Skyway 159-170-188-153–670
Linda Greenwood, Bluebird 142-178-180-159–659
Diane Bagrowski, Lawn 137-184-131-205–657
Anna Piecuch, Habetler 163-115-157-216–651
Eileen McBride, Timber 146-163-169-170–648
Dannielle Ware, Skyway 109-170-139-229–647
Myra Simmons, Skyway 148-169-147-167–631`
Darlene Long, Bluebird 157-146-168-148–619
Vanessa Pitts, Lawn 149-179-149-140–617
Renee Thomas, Bluebird 137-138-116-226–617
Wynetta Thomas, Skyway 176-145-145-151–617
Ruth Cordes, Diversey 141-157-126-186–610
Rebecca Gilton-Harden, Skyway 154-125-137-186–607
Sammie Jackson, Bluebird 123-139-177-162–601
Lena Kennedy, Bluebird 138-136-122-205–601
Jeanette Gallarzo, Diversey 127-110-112-243–592
Patsy Wilson, Bluebird 151-150-140-148–589
Karen Mlinarick, Lawn 101-124-163-194–582
Dawn Sidney, Habetler 172-202-188-16–578
Heather Bosko, Habetler 142-185-158-89–574
Kimberly Mioni, Lawn 172-174-174-51–571
Patricia Ortiz, Lawn 136-154-152-129–571
Karen Buganski, Habetler 178-119-152-118–567
Laura Wolfgrom, Timber 106-113-118-229–566
Sossie Nalbandian, Waveland 105-113-100-243–561
Rochelle Sims, Skyway 108-129-143-175–555
Yvonne Carter-Gordon, Bluebird 145-139-130-140–554
Easter Singleton, Lawn 68-106-128-243–545
Sandra Look, Habetler 149-117-131-145–542
Vivian Brazil, Bluebird 137-144-133-126–540
Zandra Ballentine, Skyway 101-137-107-191–536
Tina Kastl, Diversey 95-89-109-243–536
Carly Stanger, Habetler 184-164-133-54–535
April Dial, Habetler 128-150-145-102–525
Miriam Izaguirre, Habetler 104-157-147-108–516
Mirna Cajigas, Habetler 124-135-122-116–497
Nia Tripp, Skyway 71-79-96-243–489
Steph Mielcarek, Timber 85-79-81-245–488
Men
Bowler, center G1-G2-G3-HCP–TOT
Jamie Clemons, Lawn 212-191-245-83–731
Tony Baller, Habetler 214-266-209-35-724
John Bond, Waveland 210-222-193-81–706
*Anthonie Calvin, Skyway 168-181-183-164–696
Paul Schroeder, Habetler 211-253-232-0–696
Robert Myers, Skyway 210-174-203-94–681
Octavis Channell, Skyway 231-204-241-0–676
Jordan Johnson, Skyway 197-240-224-13–674
Rob Deignau, Habetler 209-195-258-0–672
Eric Smith, Lawn 214-210-219-27–670
Johnnie Williams, Bluebird 161-158-165-186–670
John Bartalone, Habetler 190-218-211-48–667
Brian Reed, Skyway 1442-203-176-143–664
Alvin Cannon, Bluebird 187-152-222-97–658
Jose Ramirez, Lawn 182-263-155-54–654
Luis Sosa Jr, Habetler 181-177-201-91–650
Steve Johnson, Timber 160-199-168-118–645
Rogers Hardy, Skyway 159-208-178-97–642
Lionel Tally Jr, Skyway 233-206-183-16–638
Tom Kokinakos, Diversey 131-159-148-189–627
Michael Stewart, Skyway 122-176-220-102–620
Simon Landon, Diversey 202-140-157-116–615
Dennis McBride, Timber 174-169-165-105–613
Herman Dickens, Skyway 194-200-141-72–607
Brian Seyller, Lawn 172-203-162-67–604
Winston Hall, Bluebird 184-159-139-121–603
Omar Wilson, Bluebird 193-202-200-8–603
Roy King, Skyway 141-169-209-75–602
Willie Davis, Bluebird 185-209-189–18–601
Robert Van Houghton Jr, Habetler 187-216-191-0–594
Joseph DeFrancesco, Habetler 162-147-95-189–593
David Piotrowski, Lawn 176-197-181-37–591`
Willie Wright, Lawn 112-144-89-243–588
Len Wojcik, Diversey 143-140-178-126–587
Chris Pie, Timber 187-163-191-45–586
Shawn Garretson, Timber 146-138-122-172–578
Devin Lampkins, Skyway 179-200-161-37–577
Steven Spychalski, Habetler 174-153-156-94–577
Dan Walsh, Diversey 165-134-119-156–574
Ken Ford, Skyway 135-163-154-118–570
Donald Leon Powell, Skyway 157-194-176-40–567
Clint Blowers, Timber 150-141-119-156–566
William Hill, Bluebird 192-152-180-40–564
Troy Johnson, Bluebird 188-196-178-0–562
Michael DeBacker, Habetler 191-191-175-2–559
Michael Doman, Habetler 155-164-182-56–557
Mario Diming, Bluebird 166-141-148-94–549
Victor Lobello, Habetler 153-156-112-124–545
Darnell Miller, Skyway 174-157-161-51–543
Mario Thurman, Bluebird 149-162-189-32–532
Steve Pappas, Habetler 129-133-142-118–522
John Mikols, Lawn 195-158-167-0–520
Danny Weinmeier, Habetler 180-175-162-0–517
Ronney Reyes, Habetler 131-175-187-0–493
William Whitaker, Bluebird 156-153-144-24–477
Kenny Irizarry, Waveland 122-131-131-86–470
Dion Dawson, Bluebird 166-163-DNF-32–361
DuPre Wilson, Bluebird 152-132–DNF-32–316
* Advanced by winning roll-off 246 (192-54)-195 (195-0)
Sectionals
Today: Section 1, Sunset Bowl, Waukegan, noon
Saturday: Section 4/Will County, Oak Forest Bowl, men at noon, women at 3 p.m.
Feb. 18: Section 2 at Elk Grove Bowl, noon . . . Fox Valley, Mardi Gras Lanes, DeKalb, 11 a.m.
Finals
March 4: Women, Classic Bowl, Morton Grove, 11 a.m.
March 11: Men, Waveland Bowl, Chicago, 10 a.m.
