Rookie Josie Lindsey wins Women’s Masters

PRINCETON — Newcomer Josie Lindsey quickly established herself as the bowler to watch in this year’s Women’s Masters Bowling Tournament over the past two weekends at Pin Splitter Lanes in Princeton.

The rookie held off former champion Melinda Camp to capture the 2021 title, helped by a tournament-high average of 190.65, with a pins over average of 26.65.

“I went in this very scared and very nervous, but these girls helped me so much,” Lindsey said. “I usually bowl in Kewanee, but they closed the lanes there.

“I just wanted to get a 175 every game, and that’s all I focused on. I didn’t care about the wins, I just wanted to get 175 pins every game and have fun.”

Lindsey won 16 of 20 matches and collected 92.13 Petersen points over the two-weekend event.

Typical of the sportsmanship found in the women’s league, second-place finisher (and 2018 title winner) Camp was one of the first to congratulate Lindsey.

“I’m glad she did well, because it’s tough,” Camp said. “Tough coming in as the new person. You just set a goal in your head and try to bowl for yourself.”

Lindsey admitted that seeing Camp in the rear view mirror proved unsettling.

“Oh my gosh, she made me very, very nervous,” Lindsey said. “She intimidated me, but she also motivated me very much.”

“Good!” replied Camp with a smile.

Camp kept herself in the upper ranks throughout the tournament, with 16 match wins and a 183.4 average, but hit a bump in the road on the final day of competition.

“I did well on my first two games, but when I bowled my third game nothing was working right,” she said. “It’s frustrating, you get down on yourself. But I’m here to have fun, so I focus more on that.

“All these girls are great, and it’s a good time, but it’s a lot of stress that nobody realizes. You just have to listen to the music and have fun.”

Lori Smith, who finished eighth, bowled the tournament high game of 244 in her second match of day four.

Third-place finisher Sherry Allen won the Darlene Shepard Sportsmanship Award, which proved emotional in more than one way.

“It means the world to me,” Allen said. “I loved Darlene and I bowled with her for years, and with my parents passing away this past December, it just means even more.”

“Overall, I think the girls did really well,” tournament director Carol Walker said. “Four newcomers and a lot of good bowling over these two weekends. We’ll have even more rookies coming in next year.”

2021 Princeton Women’s Masters Top 10

1. Josie Lindsey (92.13)

2. Melinda Camp (89.18)

3. Sherry Allen (87.41)

4. Anna Flaig (83.46)

5. Chastidy Rotramel (83.24)

6. Kayla Hand (82.33)

7. Danielle Hoopes (82.21)

8. Lori Smith (80.28)

9. Melissa Armstrong (77.12)

10. Brenda Brokaw (76.16)