Two USBC Senior Queens rookies to bowl the title
04/29/09
Transplanted Australian Janine Primrose (pictured left) of Minden, Nev., who has never won a bowling title of consequence, will meet United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Dana Miller-Mackie of Albuquerque, N.M., Wednesday in a one-game match to determine the 2009 USBC Senior Queens title.
Primrose, competing in her first Senior Queens, rallied from a 12-pin deficit to defeat Jackie Reed of Clearfield, Utah, 563-555, to emerge as the only unbeaten player in the three-game, double-elimination match play finals at the National Bowling Stadium on Tuesday. Under the double-elimination format, Miller-Mackie will have to beat Primrose in twice in three-game matches to win the title.
For Miller-Mackie (pictured right), also a Senior Queens rookie, it was a grueling trek to reach the title match. After losing to Cindy Whiteman of Portland, Ore., 610-566, earlier in the day, Miller-Mackie had to win five consecutive matches in the contenders bracket to earn her shot at the title. She clinched her spot in the title match with a 626-532 win over Reed.
"I'm feeling great, but I'm exhausted," Miller-Mackie said. "That's cruel to make senior women go through that. I don't think I ever bowled that many games (25) in one day when I was young. But it was fun. I'm thrilled."
The most pivotal contest was a match with fellow USBC Hall of Famer and 2007 Senior Queens champion Lucy Sandelin of Tampa, Fla., which Miller-Mackie won, 210-187, in a one-game roll-off after the two tied at 603. In that match, Sandelin rallied from a 22-pin deficit late in the third game, but a six-count on her fill ball in the 10th frame sent the contest in overtime.
"It happens. Lucy's a great player and a great person," Miller-Mackie said. "But when she game me a chance, I just thought to myself, `Make better shots if you want to win, Dana.'"
Primrose, who moved to the U.S. in 1993, said she makes her living as a "key person" in a casino about 90 minutes south of Reno. Her job, she said, is paying out jackpots. "I make people happy," she grinned.
After sitting out of competitive bowling for two years because of a lingering foot injury, the 56-year-old said she took some bowling lessons, learned how to convert spares better using a hard-surfaced plastic ball, and decided to bowl the Senior Queens "because I'm 56 and I'm not competitive with the younger girls. I thought maybe I'd have a chance bowling with the seniors.
"I just wanted to make match play," she continued. "I didn't have any other expectations. But ohmygawd, ohmygawd. I get to bowl again tomorrow. Ohmygawd."
If Primrose can win the first three-game match, the traditional Senior Queens tiara will be hers. But she's going to face a battle from Miller-Mackie.
"I'm so excited," said Miller-Mackie, a 15-time women's pro tour champion. "I called my mom last night, and her message was, don't give up on your dream. This has always been one of my dreams. If it takes six games to win, that's what I've got to do."
The 2009 Senior Queens drew a field of 140 women ages 50 and older.
Dana Miller-Mackie survives upset-minded challengers in USBC Senior Queens
Lucy Sandelin paces USBC Senior Queens qualifiers
Lil Johnson chases her dream as second-round USBC Senior Queens leader
Lucy Sandelin takes first-round USBC Senior Queens qualifying lead
Sandy Postma eyes fourth USBC Senior Queens title
Three games, double-elimination match play
Janine Primrose, Gardnerville, Nev., def. Cheryl Hammitt, Union City, Calif., 565-524
Shelley West, Omaha, Neb., def. Lil Johnson, Lawton, Okla., 570-555
Cindy Whiteman, Portland, Ore., def. Dana Miller-Mackie, Albuquerque, N.M., 610-566
Jackie Reed, Clearfield, Utah, def. Cathy Smith, Richmond, Va., 581-556
Primrose def. Hammitt, 646-517
Reed def. Cindy Whiteman, 530-516
Winner advances to championship match
Primrose def. Reed, 563-555
Losers eliminated, each earned $500.
Lucy Sandelin, Tampa, Fla., def. Joan Reilly, Wilmington, Del., 589-572
Judy Vogel, Slidell, La., def. Rosanne Allen, El Paso, Texas, 587-554
Nancy Fehr, Cincinnati, def. Sharon Powers, Lakewood, Colo., 606-549
Susan George, Middle Island, N.Y., Fran Deken, Coweta, Okla., 661-526
Losers eliminated, each earned $650.
Sandelin def. Smith, 713-596
Miller-Mackie def. Vogel, 659-474
Fehr def. Johnson, 551-550
George def. Hammitt, 633-574
Losers eliminated, each earned $800.
Miller-Mackie def. Sandelin, 210-187 in one-game roll-off after a 603-603 tie.
George def. Fehr, 571-493
Losers eliminated, each earned $850.
Miller-Mackie def. Whiteman, 617-593
George def. West, 649-647
Loser eliminated, finished fourth for 1,000.
Miller-Mackie def. George, 656-558
Winner advanced to title match, loser finished third for $1,400
Miller-Mackie def. Reed, 626-532
United States
National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. (April 25-29, 2009)
Transplanted Australian Janine Primrose (pictured left) of Minden, Nev., who has never won a bowling title of consequence, will meet United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Dana Miller-Mackie of Albuquerque, N.M., Wednesday in a one-game match to determine the 2009 USBC Senior Queens title.Primrose, competing in her first Senior Queens, rallied from a 12-pin deficit to defeat Jackie Reed of Clearfield, Utah, 563-555, to emerge as the only unbeaten player in the three-game, double-elimination match play finals at the National Bowling Stadium on Tuesday. Under the double-elimination format, Miller-Mackie will have to beat Primrose in twice in three-game matches to win the title.
For Miller-Mackie (pictured right), also a Senior Queens rookie, it was a grueling trek to reach the title match. After losing to Cindy Whiteman of Portland, Ore., 610-566, earlier in the day, Miller-Mackie had to win five consecutive matches in the contenders bracket to earn her shot at the title. She clinched her spot in the title match with a 626-532 win over Reed. "I'm feeling great, but I'm exhausted," Miller-Mackie said. "That's cruel to make senior women go through that. I don't think I ever bowled that many games (25) in one day when I was young. But it was fun. I'm thrilled."
The most pivotal contest was a match with fellow USBC Hall of Famer and 2007 Senior Queens champion Lucy Sandelin of Tampa, Fla., which Miller-Mackie won, 210-187, in a one-game roll-off after the two tied at 603. In that match, Sandelin rallied from a 22-pin deficit late in the third game, but a six-count on her fill ball in the 10th frame sent the contest in overtime.
"It happens. Lucy's a great player and a great person," Miller-Mackie said. "But when she game me a chance, I just thought to myself, `Make better shots if you want to win, Dana.'"
Primrose, who moved to the U.S. in 1993, said she makes her living as a "key person" in a casino about 90 minutes south of Reno. Her job, she said, is paying out jackpots. "I make people happy," she grinned.
After sitting out of competitive bowling for two years because of a lingering foot injury, the 56-year-old said she took some bowling lessons, learned how to convert spares better using a hard-surfaced plastic ball, and decided to bowl the Senior Queens "because I'm 56 and I'm not competitive with the younger girls. I thought maybe I'd have a chance bowling with the seniors.
"I just wanted to make match play," she continued. "I didn't have any other expectations. But ohmygawd, ohmygawd. I get to bowl again tomorrow. Ohmygawd."
If Primrose can win the first three-game match, the traditional Senior Queens tiara will be hers. But she's going to face a battle from Miller-Mackie.
"I'm so excited," said Miller-Mackie, a 15-time women's pro tour champion. "I called my mom last night, and her message was, don't give up on your dream. This has always been one of my dreams. If it takes six games to win, that's what I've got to do."
The 2009 Senior Queens drew a field of 140 women ages 50 and older.
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2009 USBC Senior Queens - Match Play Results
Three games, double-elimination match play
Winners Bracket - Round 2
Janine Primrose, Gardnerville, Nev., def. Cheryl Hammitt, Union City, Calif., 565-524
Shelley West, Omaha, Neb., def. Lil Johnson, Lawton, Okla., 570-555
Cindy Whiteman, Portland, Ore., def. Dana Miller-Mackie, Albuquerque, N.M., 610-566
Jackie Reed, Clearfield, Utah, def. Cathy Smith, Richmond, Va., 581-556
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Winners Bracket - Round 3
Primrose def. Hammitt, 646-517
Reed def. Cindy Whiteman, 530-516
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Winners Bracket - Round 4
Winner advances to championship match
Primrose def. Reed, 563-555
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Contenders Bracket - Round 3
Losers eliminated, each earned $500.
Lucy Sandelin, Tampa, Fla., def. Joan Reilly, Wilmington, Del., 589-572
Judy Vogel, Slidell, La., def. Rosanne Allen, El Paso, Texas, 587-554
Nancy Fehr, Cincinnati, def. Sharon Powers, Lakewood, Colo., 606-549
Susan George, Middle Island, N.Y., Fran Deken, Coweta, Okla., 661-526
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Contenders Bracket - Round 4
Losers eliminated, each earned $650.
Sandelin def. Smith, 713-596
Miller-Mackie def. Vogel, 659-474
Fehr def. Johnson, 551-550
George def. Hammitt, 633-574
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Contenders Bracket - Round 5
Losers eliminated, each earned $800.
Miller-Mackie def. Sandelin, 210-187 in one-game roll-off after a 603-603 tie.
George def. Fehr, 571-493
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Contenders Bracket - Round 6
Losers eliminated, each earned $850.
Miller-Mackie def. Whiteman, 617-593
George def. West, 649-647
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Contenders Bracket - Round 7
Loser eliminated, finished fourth for 1,000.
Miller-Mackie def. George, 656-558
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Contenders Bracket - Round 8
Winner advanced to title match, loser finished third for $1,400
Miller-Mackie def. Reed, 626-532
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