Busy day of bowling: State meet begins at Buffalo Lanes

The 71st annual state women’s bowling tournament began at Buffalo Lanes on Saturday.

The tournament is the largest women’s event in the state with over 1,000 bowlers expected to compete in Jamestown.

The tournament runs four Saturday, with no bowling on Easter weekend.

Esther Strausburg got the festivities going by rolling the ceremonial first ball on Saturday. Strausburg, 87, is the oldest active women’s bowler in Jamestown.

The tournament features two divisions with cash and trophies at stake.

The tournament rotates between six sights — Jamestown, Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot and Dickinson.

The tournament was at its peak in the 1980s with as many as 1,000 teams competing at the state tournament.

The number has dwindled significantly in recent years. About 150 teams were expected this year, with smaller communities delivering a higher percentage of its league teams than that of larger towns.

The state senior women’s bowling tournament will be held in Harvey later in the spring.

Tags: sports, bowling