The Big 20 Bowling Center in Scarborough hosted the Maine Invitational professional bowling tournament last weekend – the third stop on the World Candlepin Bowlers Congress six-tournament series.

Nearly all the lanes at the Scarborough bowling alley were used to showcase some of the top candlepin bowlers from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The weekend-long event drew a large group of spectators.

Many of those bowling fans were there to cheer on Big 20 representatives Mike Walker of Scarborough, Brian Purdy of Buxton and Biddeford High School graduate Brooke Anton. Those three bowlers are all veterans of the Big 20 Junior Bowling program that teaches young aspiring bowlers all about candlepin bowling and how to improve their skills.

All competitors bowl 10 strings and the highest total scores win their respective male and female categories. Anton won the female portion of the event with a 1238 total for her first pro tour event win. Mark Ricci won the men’s division with a total score of 1340.

A March newsletter from the Big 20 rightfully brags about their bowlers and what they accomplished on tour in the 2006-07 season: “Brooke earned Ladies Rookie of the Year honors, combined with finishing in the top 10 for all women. Mike had some success late, placing fifth in the last event with a 10-string score of 1316. And Brian had a successful first year as well, earning his share of hi-single games during the six stops.”

All three are expected to compete in the last three tour events of the season. The next tour stop is at the Stasia Czernicki Memorial Invitational in Woburn, Mass., on Jan. 12-13.

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