Bowling: Impellizzeri has a run worthy of dad

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Jason Impellizzeri and his family.

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After an astonishing week-long hot streak on the lanes, Jason Impellizzeri had just one regret.

“When my dad was alive, he used to ask me about my bowling all the time,” Impellizzeri said. “He’d be the first one I would tell after doing what I did this week, and we would discuss it. He loved talking about bowling,”

The 40-year-old Schenectady native, coming off surgery on his right knee on Nov. 3, put together a remarkable run over his last nine games in two different leagues at Sportsman’s Bowl. He started off with a 300 game en route to an 806 triple in the Sportsman’s Major on Nov. 27. Three days later, in the Capital District All Star league, he recorded another perfect game on the way to another 806 triple. Impellizzeri capped off his brilliant run with still one more 300 game and an 816 triple this past Monday in the Sportsman’s Major.

“I was clean for all nine games, and that doesn’t happen very often for me,” Impellizzeri said. “The strange thing is that I just purchased a new ball, but I haven’t drilled it up yet, because I’m doing so well with the ball I have right now. It’s a Hy-Wire ball. Bob Tedesco drilled it up for me. He knows my game, and whenever I need a ball, he drills one up for me. I don’t even know the name of the new ball he drilled up for me. I trust him.”

Impellizzeri now has 49 perfect games and 30 800 triples to his credit. His resume is beginning to look a lot like one compiled by his late father, Frank Impellizzeri Sr., who was a Schenectady Bowling Association Hall of Fame member and one of the city’s legendary scratch bowlers. Jason’s brother, Frank Jr., and his sister, Kristine, are also outstanding keglers from a family well known in area bowling circles.

“I don’t know why I’m bowling so well, but I do know I’m feeling much better after the knee surgery,” he said. “Before the surgery, I’d say the amount of pain I felt was either a 6 or a 7 out of 10. Now, it’s about a 1 or a 2. I still wear a knee brace, because I don’t completely trust the knee yet. The good thing is that the surgery, for a torn meniscus, was on my right knee, and not my left one, which is the knee I put more pressure on during my release.”

One slight adjustment he’s made with his game at Sportsman’s is moving slightly right on the approach. “When the oil started breaking down or moving around a little, I used to move left, but now I’m moving a little to the right, and I seem to be getting much better carry,” he said. “The other thing during this streak is that I’m making all my spares. I used to miss a few 10-pins here and there.”

The Anderson Merchandisers employee for the last 17 years does a lot of traveling in his job, so he doesn’t have much time for weekend tournaments. Besides, he prefers to spend the weekends with his family, including his wife Elizabeth, his 4-year-old daughter Camille and his 17-year-old son Benjamin.

Impellizzeri doesn’t know how long this hot streak will last, but he will enjoy the ride. His dad, nicknamed the “Iron Man” for his incredible run of consecutive tournament appearances in the now defunct Northern Bowlers Association tour, would be proud.

MAJOR EVENT SATURDAY

The New Era Senior Tournament series, for bowlers age 50 and up, will hold its third annual NEST Invitational Championship Saturday. The tournament site has been switched from Del Lanes to East Greenbush Bowling Center. Bowling begins at 1 p.m.

Forty-seven bowlers are eligible for this event, sponsored by Universal Auto Parts. Only bowlers who competed in five of the 11 tournaments scheduled this season can compete. Steve Ferrara, a regional touring pro, is the defending champion. Fifty-percent of the bowlers will cash.

Last year, the top prize was $1,000. Depending on how many of the eligible bowlers show up Saturday, a similar prize distribution is expected.

Among the top contenders are former champions Chris Fedden, Paul Dumas, Steve Gabriel, Andy Smith, Brian Boghosian, Gene Speenburgh, Steve Splain, Ron Gardner and tournament director Jim Burton. Since the NEST began in 2011, Burton and Fedden have each won seven times.

STRIKES & SPARES

On back-to-back nights, Scott Stoliker and his son, Connor, rolled 299 games at Sportsman’s Bowl this week.

Nick Galusha and Matt Sherman won the Double “J” Doubles tournament last weekend at Sportsman’s Bowl. There were 40 entries. Mike Gieseler and Mike Bellinger were second, followed by Lee and Jessica Aiezza in third.

Theo Johnson teamed up with Craig Schoonmaker to finish fourth.

Spare Time Latham’s inaugural Holiday Event, sponsored by Bob Daubney’s Bowling, Billiards and More, is scheduled for

Dec. 17 at 9:30 a.m. Handicap will be 100 percent of a 220 average, with a maximum of 90 pins a game. One in five bowlers will cash, and there will be a top prize of $600, plus a crystal award. Entry fee is $50. Included will be a holiday lunch. Call Burton (see above) for reservations.

Imperial Lanes hosts the next Capital District Youth Scholarship Tour stop at 1 p.m. Saturday. They will use a Junior Gold format.

Towne Bowling Academy’s eighth annual Team Handicap Tournament continues Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Entry fee is $160 per four-person team. Top prize is $4,000. There is also an optional singles event for $15 extra using your team scores. Call 518-355-3939 for reservations.

Reach Bob Weiner at [email protected] or @BobWeiner58 on Twitter.