Winners of the 2026 Altoona Mirror Senior Bowler of the Year Tournament are (from left): Jeff Karns (senior men), Patty Buchanan (senior women) and George Mielnik (70-and-older). Mirror photo by Scott Franco

George Mielnik wasn’t the only one who benefited from winning the Altoona Mirror Senior Bowler of the Year tournament on Wednesday. Mrs. Mielnik got to enjoy it, too.

“(Tuesday), I told my wife that when I win bowler of the year (Wednesday), I will take you out for dinner, so …. not too bad,” said Mielnik inside the Bavarian Hall in Altoona at the F.A. Gearhart Lanes after winning the championship.

Mielnik was one of three winners on the afternoon as an overall male and female champion were also honored — Jeff Karns and Patty Buchanan. But it was Mielnik who dominated early in the 70-and-older competition in a three-game series that it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the 78-year-old was going to wind up on top.

“I figured it would take a 700 to win this because there are a lot of good bowlers here,” he said. “I think I had maybe a 750 series but not lately. I had an injury recently, and I was kind of leery of how this day would go.”

Mielnik bowled in a group along with Karns and Margo Osterhout. He rolled a 255 in his first game, and the next closest score in his age group was Tim Loose at 214. After round 2, when Mielnik rolled a 288, he was 101 pins better than the second-place bowler, Mike Lang, at 442.

“I thought I just need to bowl a 200 and I should be alright,” Mielnik said.

He bowled a 203.

Larry Benton finished second at 702, and he caught the attention of the crowd going into his third and final game when he wound up with a 299. He threw 11 straight strikes, and on No. 12, he left the 8-pin standing even though he hit it hard.

Mielnik wound up with his second senior title.

“The first one always feels better, but this one feels good, too,” he smiled.

Karns, who led from start to finish, rolled a 255 on his first game, 31 pins better than second-place Steve Monahan, last year’s champion.

“I worked all year long toward this,” Karns, age 67, said. “I have been bowling well this year but not like this.”

After the second round, it was Karns at 470 and Monahan right there at 461.

“After round one, this became a nervous day for me and I bowled against some really good bowlers, too,” Karns said. “I bowled well the first game, and I threw a gutter ball in the second game but I survived that.”

Karns, who didn’t qualify for last year’s tournament, rolled a 220 in his third game to seal the victory at 690. Monahan finished at 687.

“I enjoy bowling up here (at the Bavarian Hall). I know everyone here and I started bowling up here,” Karns said.

Buchanan, who at 69 says she has been bowling since she was 16, started out slow with a 169 after one game. The leaders at that point were Karen Mentzer at 191, and Osterhout and LouAnn Donlan tied for second at 180.

“I really don’t think when I bowl — I just bowl,” quipped Buchanan, when asked about the slow start. “A friend of mine is always in my head who bowls, and he always says to keep your hand lifted and stand at the line when you let the ball go. Get that lift on it and that is what I kept thinking.”

After rolling a 208 in the game, Buchanan was in the lead at 377 with Ellen Kretchman right behind her at 376.

“Bowling with the people I was bowling with today (Ken Gilley, Larry Rupp, Ralph Hamilton) really brings out the best in me,” she said. “They really do. I wasn’t thinking about being up one pin. The guy beside me told me I have the split, 3 and 2. The guy says just get the most pins, and I said to him, ‘why do I need to get the most pins,’ and he says, ‘because you are in contention for this thing.’ That was when I went for the 3 instead of the 2.”

Jill Wright, who came on strong to finish with a 193 in her third game, wound up second with a 529 behind Buchanan.

“This feels wonderful,” Buchanan said. “I will remember this until the day I die.”

Tourney notes: There were 50 bowlers total in the event, 38 men, 12 women. Of that total, 23 were in the 70-plus category. There were 54 no-shows. … There were three married couples competing: Tim and Jackie Loxley, Mark and Chris Myers, and Bruce and Cathy Knisely. … There was also a father-in-son grouping of Barry and Greg Yeingst. … Last year’s 70-and-older winner, Clare Banks, competed and finished with a 569 series. Last year’s top woman, Vickie Snider, did not make the tourney.

RESULTS

SENIOR WOMEN

Patty Buchanan 169-208-173: 550; Jill Wright 160-176-193: 529; Ellen Kretchman 171-205-149: 525; Karen Mentzer 191-180-153: 524; LouAnn Donlan 180-146-193: 519; Margo Osterhout 180-161-171: 512; Cathy Knisely 172-188-144: 504; Diane Carlheim 146-181-154: 481; Chris Myers 157-128-189: 474; Susie Gonder 169-125-152: 446; Betsey Harris 124-186-123: 433; Jackie Loxley 120-134-175: 429

SENIOR MEN

Jeff Karns 255-215-220: 690; Steve Monahan 224-237-226: 687; Joe Harbula 204-235-223: 662; Doug Gayman 178-203-267: 648; Jim Moore 200-224-223: 647; Jeff Lindsey 212-214-205: 631; Monte Strassburger 200-203-196: 559; Greg Yeingst 217-205-174: 596; Tony Sobczak 183-217-196: 596; Joe Over 159-237-194: 590; Bruce Knisely 182-197-211: 590; John Stiffler 181-194-202: 577; Tim Loxley 223-173-176: 572; Gary Hribik 186-202-183: 571; Jim Shuck 210-166-172: 548; Al Miller 163-167-143: 473

SENIOR MEN-PLUS 70

George Mielnik 255-288-203: 746; Larry Benton 213-190-299: 702; Mike Lang 207-235-228: 670; Ralph Hamilton 159-277-225: 661; Bob Steinbugl 209-193-212: 614; Larry Rupp 212-171-213: 596; Greg Dempsie 203-173-206: 582; Tim Loose 214-202-163: 579; Mark Myers 212-183-183: 578; Bud Weaver 178-203-191: 572; Mike Chislock 167-207-198: 572; Clair Banks 192-192-185: 569; Charlie Becker 202-208-153: 563; Jim Eicher 205-181-172: 558; Ken Gilley 156-224-148: 528; Glenn Helsel 156-200-171: 527; Mel Edmundson 162-184-179: 525; Dave Eckels 153-180-175: 508; Harry Espenshade 167-150-184: 501; Bob Brown 147-171-181: 499; Bob Helsley 166-155-171: 492; Greg Clark 160-178-148: 486; Barry Yeingst 160-152-131: 443