Maine Heat battles to defend title

BREWER – Teams will be battling for playoff position when the World Team Candlepin Bowling Championships resume today at the Bangor-Brewer Bowling Lanes.

Each team in the two, 12-team divisions have two matches remaining to determine the playoff positions for Friday afternoon’s rolloffs.

Defending champion Maine Heat and Lucky 7, which features Massachusetts bowlers and Bangor standout Chip Carson, both have 54-18 records in the Holiday Inn Division after Thursday’s matches with the Heat taking a narrow seven-pin edge in total pinfall.

The Heat face two key matches of the tourney today, Charlie Milan III said of his team, because a first-place finish means a two-round bye to Saturday’s semifinals.

“It gives you some rest, some mental rest. You can watch and see what’s happening,” Milan said.

Lucky 7 kept the heat on the Maine bowlers with a 20-4 record Thursday, including a 6-2 victory over the Heat. The Heat compiled an 18-6 mark.

Carson paced Lucky 7 with the day’s high average of 131.08 a string.

The Heat rallied after its loss to Lucky 7 with two 8-0 sweeps.

Milan said his team of young bowlers, with veteran Russ Nealey, are on a roll and are not fazed by the pressure of being the defending champ while bowling before a big home crowd.

“We live for this from year to year. We couldn’t wait for the chance to try and win again,” Milan said. “We’ll be knocking at the door.”

Rounding out the top five in the Holiday Inn Division are Park Place of Massachusetts (46-26), Handi’s Rebels of New Brunswick (44-28), and WAFU Pirates of Nova Scotia (42-30).

A close battle has also ensued in the Varney GMC Division.

MacLaughlin Truck & Trailer of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the 1999 champ, holds a narrow lead in that division with a 60-12 record while Maria’s Sub & Pizza of Massachusetts is second at 58-14. Maria’s Sub turned in a 22-2 effort to close the gap.

Mike Cuccia paced Maria’s Sub with an average of 128.40.

Rounding out the top five in the Varney GMC Division are two ties with Lite Control of Massachusetts and Dartmouth Chrysler of Nova Scotia both at 43-29 and O’Brien’s Shooter Pub and Salisbury Big Stop, both of New Brunswick, at 40-32.

Mike Morgan of the New Hampshire All-Stars turned in the day’s high single at 181, while WAFU’s John Harrietha’s 455 claimed the high series.

The New Hampshire All-Stars notched the team high single at 706, while Lite Control totaled the high series at 1,974.