Beat the Champions: Section 3, scores and story, Clemons and Kelly are the tops

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.