Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Rosie's 300 a first for Bellevue alleys

Women’s perfect game at Mountain Sun Lanes


Rosie Soto Photo by

When Rosie Soto started bowling four years ago, she had lots of potential and one ball, bought as a starter ball by her boyfriend Mike Weems. Now Soto has seven bowling balls and one 300 game to her credit.

And she still has a very proud boyfriend in Weems, a 300 bowler himself and proprietor of Bellevue's Mountain Sun Lanes. Just last Friday, Weems emailed the Idaho Mountain Express with the big news.

He wrote, "Just wanted to let you know that last night we had our first 300 game by a woman bowler at Mountain Sun Lanes and that was by my girlfriend Rosie Soto. It was her first 300 game in her career."

Soto, 29, threw 12 consecutive strikes with her 15-pound Storm ball by Gravity Shift in her first of three games Thursday during Mixed League action at the Bellevue alleys. She averages 198 in Mixed, and 207 in Wednesday Night Women.

"Funny thing was, for the last month and a half I've been in a slump, not concentrating well and making a lot of mistakes," said Soto, who rolled a 700 series about 18 months ago.

She said, "Thursday night I finally felt loose. Every shot felt like a good shot, although there were probably a couple of strikes I shouldn't have gotten.

"There was so much adrenalin going. The last three frames were the most nerve-wracking. I heard other bowlers gathering around to watch, but I never looked up. I had to concentrate. When I got that last strike, it was the most awesome feeling."

Soto, Mountain Sun Lanes event coordinator who also runs the Calle 75 taco stand at the Bellevue facility, said she expects to receive the traditional 300 diamond ring from the U.S. Bowling Congress. After Thursday's momentous occasion, she did celebrate right away with friends and fellow bowlers downtown in Bellevue at Mahoney's and Silver Dollar.

Growing up in Baldwin Park, Ca. near Los Angeles, Soto said she wasn't involved in athletics. Then she met Weems in Los Angeles, and came back with him to his hometown of Bellevue to help run his parents' bowling alley.

The rest is now history. She said, "Even though I hadn't grown up bowling, Mike thought I had natural bowling form. He was amazed how quickly I caught on. I started going to tournaments and have been trying to build my endurance with weights every year.

"Every year I gave myself a goal to reach. This year, Mike suggested that I set a goal that no woman has ever done before here—bowling a 300 game. It's never something you plan for but it worked out Thursday."

Soto is looking ahead to the Wood River Bowling Association men's, women's and youth tournaments during the week of Feb. 24-March 1 in Bellevue. She is proud of the new youth program that has enrolled 33 kids ages 7-14 and will offer its own tournament Friday, Feb. 27 starting at 6 p.m. Mahoney's has offered an $100 scholarship to the handicap singles winner.

Her 300 game was great, but Soto said, "We've had quite a few big scores in the last month."

Other 2009 highlights at Mountain Sun Lanes include:

Mike Weems 807 series (238, 269, 300) Jan. 8; Alan Flinn 11 strikes in a row Jan. 26 during a 278 scratch game; Jolene Stone 757 series (233, 268, 256) Jan. 28; and Erik Bywater two 800 series in one month. The first was an 839 series (290, 259, 290) Jan. 20, the second was an 843 series (300, 256, 287) Feb. 10.




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