As they neared their latest accomplishments on the alleys at Lincoln Lanes, Dan DeBoer and Yvonne Walker had different thoughts.
DeBoer, who was one fivepin bowling ball away from the second 400 game of his career, wanted to make sure he looked at the arrows on Lane 4 and aim his ball there.
Walker, on Lane 8, one ball away from the fourth 1,000 triple of her career, wanted to make sure she was on the right lane.
Mission accomplished for both.
On separate nights, DeBoer rolled a 408 single in his first of three Tuesday night league game with his That One Team squad.
Walker, in the Thursday night league playing with her Hi Rollers teammates, capped off the night with a 386 game to go along with a 305 and 344 for a 1,035 triple.
“I wasn’t thinking about it (400 game) so I didn’t feel the pressure until the last ball,” said DeBoer, 32, a software development programmer.
“I wasn’t trying to do the math. I just wanted to make sure I was looking at the arrows.”
DeBoer started his night on Lanes 3 and 4 with eight straight strikes, then knocked down a 2-3 pin combo. He spared that and, in the 10th and final frame, rolled two strikes then left the right corner pin standing for the 408.
“That ninth ball, it stuck in my hand and I knew it wasn’t going to hit it (centre pin),” said DeBoer.
The right-hander, who carries a 229 average on Tuesdays, and a 245 average on Wednesday night, finished with games of 252 and 246 for a 906 triple bowling with teammates Terry and Lori Richardson (Tracy Schwartz was not there).
DeBoer’s first 400 game came 17 years ago, when he was a member of the Youth Bowling Council (YBC) at Polson Bowling Centre. His other game was also a 408.
Walker, who has rolled two perfect games, 10 400 games and the four 1,000 triples (1,018, 1,069, 1,066 and 1,036), was sitting with a score of 649 after two games.
“I knew I needed 250 to get to 900,” said Walker, 41, a Lincoln Lanes employee. “I didn’t think about 1,000 until we were there at the end. Then, I wanted to make sure I was on the right lane. I don’t like looking at the numbers as I bowl.”
Walker, who holds a 257 average on Thursdays, and 243 on Sundays, was bowling on Lanes 7 and 8 with regular teammates Irene Walker (her mom), Barb Lemay, Heather Leask and Art Forster, sparing for Cam Botterill.
“Everybody was really nice and quiet, nobody was talking about anything,” said Walker. “Heather came and sat down beside me but that was about it.”
Asked whose accomplishment was more superb, both bowlers pointed at one another.
“Starting off with a 400 game is awesome,” said Walker of DeBoer’s feat.
Said DeBoer of Walker’s 1,000 triple. “Oh no, Yvonne’s is definitely more impressive. She was on the whole night. Three 300-plus games is amazing.”