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There is one way to end that, Chaz Callan knows, and it’s simple: Just win, baby!
“Geno (Gene Arentz) reminds me that he was 5-0 as captain, and I’m 0-2,” said Callan, who serves as the La Crosse men’s team captain along with Scott Dunnum. “We hope to change that. I want to say it is more of a good time for people to get together than a strong rivalry.”
Maybe, but bowlers on each side of the river — Winona and La Crosse — are after bragging rights. Winona has held those rights the past two years for both men and women side. The Winona women cruised to a 201-99 win last year, while the Winona men posted a come-from-behind 162-146 win.
This year’s La Crosse team has some powerhouse bowlers once again in Arentz, Scott Curran, Andy Mills, Phil Sweeney and Callan, to name a few. Winona counters with perhaps the area’s top bowler in Geoff Schewe, along with Nick Heilman. Schewe already has thrown an 836 series this year, which included two 299 games, while Heilman has recorded an 804 this fall.
La Crosse has some red-hot bowlers, too, in Curran, who tossed an 803 in the season’s first month, along with Mills (230 average last year) and Arentz (229 average in 2007).
“The scoring pace has come up pretty high this year,” Callan said. “It’s usually the end of October before you see those big scores.”
On the women’s side, La Crosse captains Lynn Lenz and Ellyn Sosalla will need to find a way to stop Winona’s momentum.
LA CROSSE/WINONA CHALLENGE
WHAT: The eighth annual challenge between the top men’s and women’s bowlers from the two communities.
WHEN: The two-day tournament starts today in Winona, and wraps up Sunday in
La Crosse. The event is open to the public.
WHERE: The women begin at 1 p.m. today at Westgate Bowl in Winona, while the men begin at 4:30 p.m. at Winona Bowl. On Sunday, the men start at 10:30 a.m. at All Star Lanes in La Crosse. The women start at 2:30 p.m. at Pla-Mor Lanes.
DEFENDING CHAMPS: Winona swept both the men’s and women’s competition last year. Overall, the La Crosse men still lead the series 5-2, while the Winona women lead the series 4-3. Both the Winona men and women have won the past two challenges.
