Berger lifts Parkplace into lead

BREWER – It was a good day for Parkplace/O’Loughlin’s of Massachusetts at the World Team Candlepin Championship at the Bangor-Brewer Bowling Lanes here Wednesday.

Led by Paul Berger’s division-high series of 465 and the team’s division-high series of 2,033, Parkplace took over the top spot in the left division of the tournament with a 44-4 record.

Berger leads the tournament with a 136.2 average in 15 strings.

Parkplace/O’Loughlin’s, which includes four bowlers from the 1989 world championship team, moved three games ahead of the Maine Heat (41-7) and four games ahead of the defending champion Hanwell Bowling Center (40-8) in the left division.

Exeter (N.H.) Lanes continues to lead the right division with a 38-10 mark – good for a two-game lead over Maria’s Sub.

The Maine Heat, a collection of the state’s best bowlers, slipped a bit in the standings, despite the impressive bowling of Brewer’s James Milan, who recorded the day’s best series (434) in the final matchup of the day.

Milan put three strings together of 114-154-166 to help keep the Heat in second place. Earlier in the day, Mark Smith rolled a 455 series (the second best of the left division’s tournament) with a 174 game (third best).

Milan’s 133.40 tournament average leads the team and is fourth in the division.

Tim Matero of the Young Guns/Perfect Stitch team had a day to remember, also. He rolled a 192 game, setting the high mark for the entire tournament.