Jackson Jambalaya

 300's are rare in bowling and rarer still when shot by someone who has been bowling for less than a year.  Jacob Colella managed to do it at Fanin Lanes Monday night at the ripe old age of 19. 

Jacob is the scion of the Jacobs family, the same Jacobs family known for Greenbrook Flowers. His first love was the diamond as he pitched for the Northwest Rankin High School Cougars.  He threw in the mid-80's but love to baffle batters with his knucklecurve.  However, fate intervened as it often does two years ago.

Jacob developed Alport Syndrome when he was only five years old.  The inherited disease ravages the kidneys, often resulting in their failure.  Such indeed happened to Jacob but his father donated a kidney in September 2021.  Unfortunately, his kidney problems meant he could no longer play baseball.  Young Colella explained if he got hit in the kidney, he could lose it.  Insurance companies (and probably his mother) are leery of such risks.  However, Jacob Colella is no couch potato so he went from throwing strikes on the mound to throwing strikes in the lane when he was 18.

A NWRHS email asked students to join the bowling team when Jacob was a freshman.  The lad tried out for the bowling team but did not make the cut.  He tried out again after leaving baseball and this time made the team.   The kid was a natural as he placed sixth in the state even though he had been bowling for only four months.  

Jacob soon took to life at the lanes.  "I started working here (Fanin Lanes).  It became my family, my home away from home.  He works at Mac Haik as a porter for his day job.  Ever the competitor, Jacob said "I like beating everybody and showing young people can bowl."  He has competed in only two tournaments as he prefers to participate in league and travel league bowling.

It is Metro Bowling on Lynch Street in Jackson that draws his love when he is not bowling at the Rez.  Jacob said "the lanes are really good even though they are old.  Here (Fanin) we have newer wood but its synthetic and uses different oil machines than they use at Metro where the lanes are half-wood/half-synthetic.  Metro uses a different oil machine.  Such details are important as it is the last few feet of the lane where "you get movement, the oil helps hold the trajectory."  Oil makes "a lot of difference." 

The night of August 28, 2022 is one he will never forget as he shot a perfect 300.  "It was crazy. I didn't think I would ever hit it any time soon. You get halfway through, you think I can shoot this.  What messes you up is mental.  More people started watching after I got midway through.  Everyone was quiet and respectful," said Jacob. It was probably only a matter of time before Jacob scored 300 as his next two best games are 287 and 277.  

There are few bowlers of Jacob's age.  He said "bowling lost it's mojo a few years ago but is making a comeback.  The new two-handed style is making a change in bowling.  

It would be nice to go pro but Jacob said doing so will take a great deal of work. "What we bowl here is nothing like the pros.  They have to average 230 and consistently hit the mid-200's.  Even to qualify for their tournaments, you have to shoot really well," he said.  His average is 219.