Jo Ann Blasingame (shown at left presenting a gold medal to a track competitor) is the winner of the 2008 Hazel Gay Memorial Award. (Click photo to enlarge image) 

Chuck and Jeri Lancaster were chosen the Athletes of the Year and Jo Ann Blasingame won the coveted Hazel Gay Award as the 16th NW La. District Senior Olympics drew to a close with an Athletes Supper at Southern Hills Recreation Center.

Jackie Conner was named Volunteer of the Year.

The Lancasters will represent the district at the Celebration of Athletes during the Louisiana Senior Olympic Games in October.  They follow Bob Taylor Jr. and Joyce Freeman in the honor.

Blasingame’s award is named for the late Hazel Gay who was instrumental in getting the district games restarted in 1996, a year after the YMCA of Shreveport-Bossier discontinued its sponsorship of the event.

Conner is a long-time competitor and coordinator of events. The marksmanship event, one of her responsibilities, had a banner year, doubling participation in 2008.

The 2008 district competition drew 411 competitors in the 22 events and that is an increase of nine over the 2007 figure. 

 Jean Lanier, wife of the late Jesse Lanier, presents the award named for her husband to Dan Ursery, chosen outstanding performer in the 2008 NW La. District Senior Olympics track and field championship (click photo to enlarge image).

Dan Ursery, who spent a full day competing in both the sprints and weight events, captured the Jesse Lanier Memorial award as the outstanding performer when the 16th NW La. District Senior Olympics drew to a close May 17 with the track and field championships.

Ursery, who has been a regular in the seniors competition for the past 10 years, won his 65-69 age bracket in the 50-meter dash (7.52), best posting of the event, regardless of age. But he matched off with two of the meet’s best entries in the rest of the sprints and weights, Larry Smith and Vince Breaux.

Smith, co-winner of the Lanier Memorial Award last year, beat Ursery in the 100 with a 12.76 time (Ursery posted a 13.44) and in the 200  with a 27.65 (Ursery ran a 28.60).

Breaux, of Lafayette, uncorked a 135-1 throw in the javelin, a 128-2 in the discus and a 39-3 in the shot put with Ursery second in each.

Top two finishers in each age group for the discus, shot  put and javelin qualify for the LSOG championships in Baton Rouge in October.

The Results
(Competitors marked OD are from outside the district.  For medal purposes, they do not  surplant a district competitor, but receive identical medals. Competitors marked 1, 2 or 3 receive corresponding medals, gold, silver and bronze.)

Claude Fiske (left) celebrates his gold medal with Bowling Coordinator Marilyn Hainey. (click photo to enlarge)

Claude Fiske, soon to celebrate his 90th birthday, rolled his way to a gold medal in the 85-90 age bracket of the NW La. District Senior Olympics singles bowling tournament at All Star Lanes May 16. 

 Friske, originally from Saganaw, MI, posted a 466 series to outdistance Wes Rance (432) for the top medal in the age bracket. The winner’s series was 133-146-153.

High women’s series came from Teri Ringey (507) in the 55-59 division. Her games were 156-204-147, with the 204 the best distaff single game effort of the day.

Curtis Drayden’s 649 in the men’s 60-64 was the best series of the day. He opened with a 232 and followed with games of 195 and 222. The 232 was high game, two better Bill Free’s top effort in the same age bracket.

The 1-2-3 finishers qualify for the LSOG meet in Baton Rouge in October as do bowlers who reached pre-determined levels in their age bracket.

Results
(G=gold, S=silver, B=bronze and Q=qualified)
Female55-59   Teri Ringey 507 G; Marlyn Salad 475 S; Kay Free 426 S. Ann Barber 379, Joyce Freeman 343.60-64   Lois Adger 486 G; Linda McCollum 477 S; Ezell Barber 463 B; Willie Joyner 453 Q; Shirley Rupert 447; Geneva Strain 427; Geneva Markray 404; Betty Short 403; Jeri Price 401; Susan Berry 385.

Ted Vascocu and Kenny Tynan kept the best for last in winning the gold medal in men’s 50-54 doubles bowling as the NW La. District Senior Olympics crowned another set of bowling stars at All Star Lanes.

Vascocu-Tynan rolled the top series, 1,289, to beat Charlie McCoy and Randy White (1,248) for the gold medal. McCoy and White made a late rush until the final games of the day, when Vascocu and Tynan combined for the highest single game (500) of the tournament. Vascocu had the high individual game of the day (288).

Kay Free and Geneva Strain walked away with the women’s 55-59 age bracket gold, rolling the top distaff series (988) and the top game (347) of the day. Margie Floyd’s 223 paced women’s high individual game.