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Fort Dodge’s new kingpin

Former Dodger state champion Markov rolls city-best 857 series

Submitted photo Alex Markov displays both a 300-game pin and an 857 series pin recently at Family Bowling Center.

Rick Harrington had a simple message for his son, Alex Markov, when he went to the bowling lanes recently.

“Bowl me a 300,” Harrington said.

The 22-year-old Markov did that and more last week, etching his name into city bowling history books.

The 2015 Fort Dodge Senior High graduate bowled a city-record 857 series at Family Bowling Center, which included a string of 20 straight strikes at one point.

Markov’s record night topped the old mark set by Tom Scott (279-268-299–846) in 2004.

“Tom has been very active in the Fort Dodge Bowling Association and Iowa State Bowling Association for many years,” Markov said. “So it’s an honor to be in the records with him.”

Randy Slawson, owner of the Family Bowling Center, said Scott’s record stood for 14 years.

“Tom is active in FDBA, USBC and Fort Dodge bowling,” Slawson said. “Tom still bowls in his 70s, and is still a big supporter of bowling.”

The night started with a 278, before Markov found his groove. He left the nine pin up in the fourth frame, before firing eight straight strikes to close the second game and reach 279. That momentum carried right over into the third.

Markov tallied strikes in the first nine frames, then added three in the 10th with the pressure on to secure his perfect game. He finished the effort with 20 consecutive strikes, and strikes in 33 of 36 frames overall.

“I was shocked when I found out it was the highest series every bowled in Fort Dodge,” Markov said. “I felt very nervous when everyone around on the other lanes stopped bowling to watch me throw the last ball (for the 300).”

The perfect game was his first adult 300 and first official 800 series. Markov rolled a 300 in junior league three years ago.

His previous high series was 793.

“Alex is so quiet … he didn’t even get excited after he threw the last ball,” Slawson said. “To see someone like Alex get the high serious is great. He’s put a lot of time into the sport.

“It’s nice to see youth stepping up in the bowling programs.”

Markov, who moved to Fort Dodge in September of 2005 from Russia, started bowling when he was nine years old. He’s been bowling ever since.

“I started when I first moved to Fort Dodge from Russia, so I’ve been bowling for 13 years,” Markov said. “My dad was a bowler, so he signed me up right away when I first moved here.

“I love bowling because it’s fun and competitive.”

Success has followed Markov every step of the way in his bowling career.

In his junior year at FDSH he finished second at the state competition in Des Moines. In his senior season, he claimed the 2015 state championship. He helped lead the Dodger boys to the team title, ending a 27-year drought of team titles at FDSH.

Markov, who competes weekly at the Family Bowling Center, was also part of Iowa Central’s national championship team in 2016.

The FDSH and Iowa Central Process Technology graduate is currently employed at CJ Bio America as a Research and Development Operator.

Steve Sikkema of Fulton, Ill. has the highest series ever in the state of Iowa. Sikkema bowled an 899 in 2010.

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