ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, February 4, 1997              TAG: 9702040105
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: B-1  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: OMAHA, NEB.
SOURCE: Associated Press

BOWLER STRIKES IT BIG, AWAITS APPROVAL OF FIRST 900 SERIES

Jeremy Sonnenfeld is back at classes at Nebraska, astounded and waiting to see if he makes the record book as the first bowler to roll three perfect games in a three-game series.

The American Bowling Congress, the sport's sanctioning body, is working to confirm the 900 series that the 20-year-old business major bowled during a tournament Sunday.

``This is totally unfathomable to me,'' Sonnenfeld said. ``I mean I hit the pocket every time, but every shot I threw wasn't perfect. I had a lot of good breaks and things like that.''

An ABC official said there have been at least four 900 series reported, but none was officially approved for various reasons, including unsanctioned tournaments and unacceptable lane conditions. ABC records show there have been three 899 series, two during the past year, and an 898 two months ago.

Only twice before have bowlers reached the 36th ball with a chance at the first sanctioned 900.

Sonnenfeld is a sophomore from Sioux Falls, S.D., who came to Nebraska in part to compete on the defending national championship bowling team. He helped the Cornhuskers repeat last year.

Sonnenfeld has had seven 300 games, although this is the first time he had consecutive perfect games. His previous series best was 826, which he had done twice.

The 900 series came during the Junior Husker Tournament, which is a fund-raiser for the Nebraska bowling team. The event was sanctioned by the American Bowling Congress and Youth American Bowling Alliance.

The format has Nebraska bowlers competing with junior bowlers and rotating lanes every game. Instead of bowling his three games on two lanes, Sonnenfeld did it over six.

``I had to go from pair to pair with each pair being a little different,'' he said. ``I had to try and figure them out and stuff like that. It was even more difficult, which makes it even more incredible.''

LENGTH: Short :   47 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  AP. Jeremy Sonnenfeld says he ``had a lot of good 
          breaks'' while rolling a 900 series. color.