The view might be better at the top of the HansonRealEstate.com Scratch League, but with the entire league gunning for AutoBugPVL.com, one slip-up could mean disaster. However, without a previous champion within 40 points of the leaders, young blood will need to step up if it wants to knock AutoBugPVL.com off of the summit. Meanwhile, several teams find themselves in unfamiliar territory, with position round action starting next week.

Through the first two weeks of the season, AutoBugPVL.com had yet to lose a single team game. That changed on Monday, as second-place Photography by Victoria took game two 683-605 to claim 17 points from the leaders. Behind a solid 462 two-game set by Garth Forsberg, Photography by Victoria became the first team to expose a chink in AutoBugPVL.com's armor. The leaders did rebound, however, during the second set of the night with a 24-4 crushing of Norcal Suzuki, which dropped three spots in the league standings down to seventh.

But the damage was done, as Photography by Victoria got a boost of confidence and pulled within nine points of AutoBugPVL.com. The shot in the arm couldn't have come at a better time, either, with a rematch looming next week in the first position round of the season. AutoBugPVL.com will need to focus on throwing strikes to maintain its "Just win, baby" philosophy, as Photography by Victoria averaged a league high 648 on Monday night.

But for several teams with league titles already in their back pocket, this season has dragged them into unfamiliar territory. Despite winning 30 points on Monday, East Bay Welding Supply, which took home last winter's title, finds itself only 4.5 points out of the cellar of the league. Likewise, two-time defending champs Kinder's Meats sits in tenth place, 55 points behind AutoBugPVL.com and one spot above Smile Family Portraits, twice runner-up to champion Kinder's.

Top score honors on Monday went to Clark Walmer, captain and anchor for Dave's Pro Shop, with games of 238, 246, 268 and 211 for a 963 four-game pinfall. Walmer edged out current average leader and captain of The Right Approach, Don Sylvia, who rebounded from a 206 in game one to shoot 956 for the night. On the women's side, Kim Terrell, anchor of Brentwood Dodge, shot a league-best 839 series.

Next week begins positional round action with AutoBugPVL.com getting a rematch with Photography by Victoria. The leaders will be looking to maintain the status quo as the league hits full-stride. But for previous winners East Bay Welding Supply and Kinder's Meats, position round signals the start of a long climb up the ladder if they want to return to glory.