Dave Jones was sure he blew it. He was one strike away from bowling a perfect 300 game, but the ball was headed straight for the head pin

That's a bad sign - when the ball hits the head pin straight on, it usually means a split. But the ball hit the head pin and there was no split.

"For some reason, all the pins fell," he said with a grin as he recalled the shot last week.

Jones had his first-ever 300 game, and his team, Sunday Bowlers II, went on to win the Columbia Falls City Tournament last month.

Jones has been bowling about six years. He moved to Columbia Falls in 2004 after retiring from a job with a water utility in California and started bowling in 2006.

He said he gets plenty of practice. He bowls three times a week in leagues at Glacier Lanes and normally averages 189.

He not only got a big cheer from the crowd that watched his 300 game - Glacier Lanes owner Steve Ferkovich gave him a $100 bill. It's been about six years since anyone bowled a 300 game at Glacier Lanes.