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| Members of the Holmes Beach Police Department bowled at the O'Connor Challenge as guests of event sponsor The Islander. Picture here among their 12 "rollers" are, left to right, Gary Stephenson, Bonnie Lalos, Lynn Luchtman, Chief Jay Romine, Jay's daughter Ashley, Myra Donnelly, Officer Vern McGowan, George O'onnor and Officer Pete Lannon. Islander Photo: Bonner Joy |
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| The team of Richard Hubbard, Dave Williams, Mike Gronow and Tony Cothron shot a 57 in windy conditions at the Bradenton Country Club to win first place in the first of what is hoped to be an annual Her-icane Golf Challenge. |
O'Connor-Islander challenge nets nearly $9,000 for Center
by Kevin Cassidy
Islander Correspondent
Once again, the O'Connor Bowling Challenge was a hit among Islanders and Bradenton area folks. Slightly more than 280 people bowled (don't tell AMF Bradenton Lanes), with at least another 75-100 spectators coming and going during the action. The O'Connors, Billy and George, and all of their cronies who really do all the work, raised $8,431.14 to help fund equipment for the sports programs at the Anna Maria Island Community Center. That brings their total in 15 years to a whopping $119,000.
Maureen Brown was the big winner at the tourney, taking home the whopper 32-inch television set donated by The Islander after publisher Bonner Joy drew her winning ticket. Donnie McGann had the high game among males with an impressive 232, while Richard Gupton captured high series with a three-game total of 604.
For the women, Lauren Robinson produced the high game with a 179, while Connie Wagner produced a 475 series to lead the pack. Collin Fairweather shot a 61 for low game and, in a great testament to consistency, backed it up with two other bad games to also capture low series with a downright awful score of 251. Beverly Mead made a strong run at Jessica Holmes' seven-year record low score of nine, but fell just short of immortality, finishing with a 13 to take home the title of Gutter Queen. Meade, along with Margarita Botero, tied for low series at 128.
Due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, Saturday, Aug. 27, produced at least two "triathletes" and several "biathletes." Triathletes Rick Lease and Matt Bowers surfed in the morning, golfed at the Her-icane Golf Challenge in the afternoon and bowled (if you call it that) the night away at the O'Connor Challenge. Biathletes, or those that golfed and bowled, included Greg Koeper, Kathy Houck, Bob Slicker, Bowers, Pat Hagerty, Jeff Marx and Wayne Wood.
Matt Welch pulled the surfing-bowling combination to earn biathlete status as well, while this writer ran the golf tournament for my girls' soccer team and managed to bowl one game in place of my wife Jennifer to keep my bowling streak alive.
Her-icane Golf Challenge gets reprieve from Katrina
The first-annual Her-icane Golf Challenge went off without a hitch during a breezy Saturday afternoon at the Bradenton Country Club. Due to Hurricane Katrina, it didn't look like the tournament would happen at all, but Mother Nature heeded some prayers and stayed far enough away - and managed to provide some relief in a steady breeze and less-than-the-normal stifling temperatures.
The tournament went smoothly and raised more than $5,000 for the Manatee Her-icane girls soccer team.
Richard Hubbard, Mike Gronow, Dave Williams and Tony Cothron shot an incredible score of 57 to claim first place. For their efforts, each top golfer received trophies donated by Trophy World, four $20 gift certificates to Grego's Almost to the Beach Tavern and a foursome of golf at Stoneybrooke Golf Club.
Second place went to the team of Dennis Morgan, Tom Myette, Josh Kitchner and Randy Hubberty with a 59, earning each person a $20 gift certificate to Cherries. Scott Paynter, Mike Chandler, Dave Calahan and Mike Melinier came in third place with a 60 and won a foursome to the Links at Greenfield Plantation.
Most honest golfers award went to the team of Mike McDowell, Craig Markgraft, Brent Markgraft and Justin Case with a 74. For their honesty, they each won a new ball retriever and a sleeve of balls along with four tickets and a parking pass for the N.Y. Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays game in St. Petersburg.
Other winners include Steve Blair, who won the straightest-drive contest, and Jack Jackson and Dennis Morgan, who each won a closest-to-the-pin contest.
A big thanks to sponsors the Bradenton Herald, the Law Offices of Brett D. McIntosh, Dr. Tom DeGroat, Jeff Watts Plastering & Stucco Inc, Artazen Construction, Christy Insurance Agency, Tom Wessel Construction Corp., Anna Maria Oyster Bar, Grego's Almost to the Beach Tavern, Ashdown Flooring Inc., Bruce Williams Homes, Wedebrock Real Estate agent Ralph Faillace, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Big League Haircuts, Deryll & Alice Gross, The Islander newspaper, Palma Sola Animal Clinic, Commercial Plastering Inc., Twin Dolphin and the Chiles Restaurant Group.
Horseshoe news
Three teams finished regular match play tied with 2-1 records, forcing a three-way playoff. Once again, due to an odd number of players, a walker was needed and once again, the walker turned out to be a winner. Tom Rhodes of Cortez, who opened match play with a 21-0 win, defeated George McKay of Anna Maria and John Johnson of Holmes Beach to advance to the finals. There he defeated the husband-and-wife team of Debbie and Bill Bartlett of Holmes Beach.
Jay Disbrow of Bradenton and Kathy Stoltzfus of Anna Maria won the Wednesday, Aug. 24, competition on by defeating the team of Ron Pepka of Bradenton and John Johnson of Holmes Beach.
Play gets under way at 9 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday at Anna Maria City Hall. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m. followed by random team selection. There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.
Center offers adult soccer play
The Anna Maria Island Community Center is offering adult soccer on Saturday mornings from 9 to 11 a.m. on the "small" field. The cost is $2 per player. For more information, contact the Center's Andy Jonatzke at 778-1908. |
