Caso Sets Youth Mark

One way or another, Anthony Caso wanted to get into the county record book. This time he found a way to do it.

On Dec. 27, the 14-year-old son of Spring Hill's Chuck and Danielle Caso rolled a 300 game at Mariner Lanes.

However, he trailed friend and bowling mentor Jason Mahr, the owner of KMA Pro Shop at Mariner, for the title of the county's youngest to ever shoot a perfecto. Mahr did it at 13-years-old.

Exactly six weeks after his 300, Caso assured his place in history. On Feb. 7 in the Mighty Mites league at Mariner, Caso became the county's third youth to record an 800 series.

Michael Davidson (July 30, 2003) and Chris Polizzi (March 22, 2008) both posted 802 series at Spring Hill Lanes previously.

With games of 299, 235 and 279, Caso put together an 813, setting a new county youth mark while becoming the first youth bowler to shoot an 800 at Mariner.

"It was a surprise," Caso said. "I knew if I kept working at it I'd get higher. I didn't think I'd get to 800 this quick but I'm definitely happy about it. It's the plateau everyone wants to reach after 300.

"I knew when I was getting close to 300 I wanted to break the (youngest to 300) record with that, but Jason was younger. I want to see how long the record will stand."

New ball makes difference

Caso could give a nod to Mahr, who sold him the Brunswick Rattler ball Caso had just begun using the week of his 800.

That Wednesday, he threw a 300 in practice and a 690 series in the Young Adults league throwing the Rattler for the first time.

When Caso came in for league play that Saturday, the lefty decided to use his new equipment to his advantage.

"My game, I like to move a little left and throw hard," Caso said. "But that wasn't really doing it for me that day. I was standing on the right side and let it go and the ball hooks so much. I let the ball do the rest of the work for me."

In the first game he just missed out on his second 300, leaving the left-hander's bane, the 7-pin, on the final ball.

He had another chance at perfection in the 10th frame of the third game, but came in high on his first ball and left an 8-pin.

He already had locked up an 801, yet knowing he needed to pick up the normally pedestrian spare for the new record, Caso admitted to feeling some added pressure.

But he knocked it down, which assured no worse than 803. At that point, with one more ball to go, he just tried to pile on and finished with a strike.

"The lanes were really hooking a lot," Caso said. "I made sure I threw it far enough to the left but not too far."

Caso maintains a friendship with Polizzi, who moved up to adult leagues this season.

"Chris, he was surprised," Caso said. "He was happy I broke his record. At the same time, he wished he could go back to the youth leagues and have broken it himself."

So the only question that remains, with a 300 and 800 already under his belt and an average over 200, what goals remain for someone not even old enough to drive?

"I'd like to shoot a couple more 300s and if I can, get one of the high 800s, 850," Caso said. "That's very, very hard."

BY THE NUMBERS: HERNANDO COUNTY YOUTH 800 SERIES
Name Series Date House
Michael Davidson 802 07-30-03 Spring Hill
Chris Polizzi 802 03-22-08 Spring Hill
Anthony Caso 813 02-07-09 Mariner