2005/04/20

Henry Gonzalez won his first career Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Senior Tour title in style Wednesday, striking nine times in a row in the deciding game to defeat Vince Mazzanti Jr., two-games-to-one, in the title match of the 2005 PBA Senior Empire State Open at Bowlers Club.

Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Col., won the first game in the best-of-three match play championship, 237-227. Mazzanti had a chance to strike out in the 10th and send the game to a roll-off, but he left a 7-pin with his second shot in the 10th.

Mazzanti, Levittown, Pa., came back to win game two, 258-198, but a determined Gonzalez came out on fire in the deciding game. After a spare in the first frame, the two-time PBA Tour titlist struck in the next nine frames on his way to the 279-246 win and his first title in four seasons on the Senior Tour.

"This was a tough one. This format is really tough and you just have to mow people down," said Gonzalez, whose previous highest finish was 2nd in the 2003 PBA Senior Epicenter Classic. "You don't get too many chances to bowl for a title so when you do you have to go for it."

Gonzalez advanced to the title match by defeating Don Sylvia, Discovery Bay, Calif., 2-0, in the semifinals, winning the two games by a total of three pins. He had a tough road to the semifinals, defeating PBA Hall of Famers George Pappas and Teata Semiz, as well as two-time PBA Senior Tour Player of the Year Robert Glass in match play.

Mazzanti defeated Hugo McGroty, Schenectady, N.Y., in the other semifinal, 2-1.

Gonzalez earns $8,000 for winning the first title of the 2005 PBA Senior Tour season, while Mazzanti takes home $4,500. McGroty, who finished 3rd, and Sylvia, who finished 4th, each take home $3,000.

2005/04/17

Chris Barnes, Flower Mound, Texas, took home the richest grand prize in PBA history, winning $200,000 by defeating Tommy Jones in the finals of the PBA Motel 6 Roll to Riches presented by GEICO Thursday night at Main Event Entertainment in Fort Worth, Texas.

The final round consisted of a Race to Six Strikes, with the first bowler striking six times taking home the title. Barnes struck in all six of his frames to defeat Jones, who failed to strike with his first two shots.

Jones, Mauldin, S.C., started the match with a nine count. Barnes struck on his first shot, and after Jones had a seven count, Barnes struck five more times to end his 2004-05 season on a high note.

"I was pretty disappointed after the World Championship because up until then I had a good chance for Player of the Year. But I made a mistake and didn't strike in the 10th to lose my round of 8 match to Brian Voss," said Barnes. "Maybe things like that had to happen for me to win today. Maybe I won't make that mistake again."

Barnes advanced to the title match by defeating Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 159-113, in the second of two elimination rounds. Jones defeated Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 146-103, to advance to the title match. The elimination rounds consisted of six-frame matches with a maximum score of 180.

The event started with the Challenge Round, where bowlers participated in one-ball roll offs with the lowest score after each frame moving into the first elimination round. Jaros had an eight count in the 1st frame and was the first bowler to move into the elimination round.

After the remaining five bowlers struck in their next two frames, Wiseman had a nine count in the 4th frame and Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., had an eight count in the 6th frame to move them into the first elimination round. With three bowlers remaining, Jones struck while Patrick Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., and Barnes had nine counts, giving Jones a bye into the second elimination round. Barnes then struck while Allen had a nine count to give Barnes the second bye into the second elimination round.

In the first elimination round, Wiseman eliminated Duke, 160-134, while Jaros eliminated Allen, 169-149.

The $200,000 Barnes won does not count toward official PBA Tour earnings, but brings his total season earnings to $394,300. Earlier this season, he captured his first career major title when he won the 62nd U.S. Open presented by Odor-Eaters.

2005/04/11

酒井武雄

優勝決定戦

○酒井武雄223-212×矢島純一

予選からトップ独走の酒井武雄対通算タイトル1位（41勝）矢島純一の永久シード同士の対戦となった豪華な優勝戦は中盤まで両者互角な戦いを見せる。しかし酒井の6フレまさかの5-7スプリットが残りカバー出来ず矢島に1マークリードを許す。そして勝負は終盤へ。10フレ先投げの酒井は9フレストライクに続き10フレ気合いのパンチアウトで矢島にプレッシャーを掛ける｡。そして矢島が1マークリードで投じた10フレ一投目は無情にも10ピンが残り万事休す。この時点で酒井のシニア初優勝が決定した。酒井は予選からトップを独走、完全優勝を果たす。今季初・算33勝目（'02のイーグルクラシック優勝以来）

３位決定戦

×貞松保行177-247○矢島純一

貞松保行・矢島純一共にシニアを2勝している両者の対戦は矢島が1フレからストライクを連発、会場がざわつき始めた8フレ、惜しくも10ピンが残り残念ながらTVパーフェクト賞のベンツ獲得ならず。しかし見せ場充分の矢島が42勝目を目指し優勝決定戦へ進出！

４位決定戦

○矢島純一234-202×鈴木鐘銀

41勝の矢島純一対初タイトルを狙う鈴木鐘銀の対戦は矢島が3フレからフォースをもってくるなど貫禄を見せ3位決定戦へ進出。鈴木は途中足がつり､思った投球が出来ず残念ながら初優勝なら。

アマ優勝決定戦

○加藤守一選手208-180×坂梨康男選手

1位通過の加藤守一選手が2位通過の坂梨康男選手をノーミス・1ダブルで引き離し昨年に続き2年連続アマの部優勝を果たす。（2回優勝は大会初）

　

　【JPBA】　日本シニアチャンピオンボウリング　【ラウンドロビン】

　

2005/04/10

One month ago, Steve Jaros was wondering if he would have to endure the 2005 PBA Tour Trials to earn an exemption for next season. Sunday, he clinched a two-season exemption when he captured the 2005 PBA Dexter Tournament of Champions, defeating Norm Duke in the title match, 248-242, at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Jaros, who finished 38th in the 2004-05 PBA World Point Rankings to barely earn a single-season exemption last week, took home this week's $100,000 top prize.

"Last week was a huge weight off my shoulders," said Jaros, who finished 22nd in last week's 2005 PBA Denny's World Championship. "I had such a weight off my shoulders and I was able to relax. That helped give me a bit of an edge this week. Coming into this week on such a big upswing really made a difference."

Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., converted a 2-pin in his first frame before striking in frames 2-7. Duke fell behind early, failing to convert a 7-10 split in the 3rd frame. He rebounded by striking on seven straight shots, forcing Jaros to mark in the 10th to win his first career major.

Duke barely advanced to the title match, knocking out PBA ESPN Color Analyst Randy Pedersen, 256-255, in the semifinals. Duke took advantage of a Pedersen open 6th frame, striking on six straight shots before converting a 10-pin to close out his game. Pedersen, who needed to strike out in the 10th to tie, doubled but left a 7-pin on his final shot.

In the first semifinal, Jaros beat non-exempt PBA member and 10-time title winner Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 247-186. Jaros bowled a clean game with eight strikes while Goebel opened twice over the first five frames.

Duke won $30,000 for his 2nd place finish while Pedersen, Clermont, Fla., and Goebel tied for 3rd and took home $10,000 apiece.

The 2005 PBA Dexter Tournament of Champions concluded the 2004-05 PBA Tour season.

　

酒井武雄

　

　【JPBA】　日本シニアチャンピオンボウリング　【予選後半】

　

2005/04/09

Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., fought back from a two game deficit to defeat Patrick Allen, three-games-to-two, in the round of 8 Saturday to advance to the championship round in the PBA Dexter Tournament of Champions at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Allen, the No. 1 ranked bowler in the world, jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with a 265-256 win in game one and 203-165 win in game two. Goebel, who has only participated in two PBA Tour events this season, started the third game with eight consecutive strikes to jump out to a 90-pin lead after eight and eventually winning game three, 267-184. After Goebel tied the match with a 224-214 win in game four, he started the fifth game with strikes in seven of the first nine frames. With a mark in the 10th frame, Goebel sealed the win, placing him in the championship round for the first time since 2002.

"Other than a very minuet change, I didn't move much throughout the match," Goebel said. "I kept my arm swing loose the entire match. I haven't been that relaxed on Tour for the last five years. There's a lot of pressure out here."

Goebel will face Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., who forced Mika Koivuniemi to double in the 10th to take the match. Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., left the 6 and 10 pins after his first shot, giving Jaros a 206-195 win in game five and a 3-2 win in the match.

Up 2-1, Randy Pedersen, Clermont, Fla., struck out in 10th frame of game four to force Ryan Shafer to strike with his first shot to keep him in the match. Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., left the 1-2-8 washout with his first shot, giving Pedersen a 3-1 win and placing him in the championship round for the first time since last season's PBA Dexter Tournament of Champions.

Pedersen will face Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla. who defeated Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 3-1. Himmler needed to mark in the 10th frame of game four but left a 2-10 split, missing both pins with his second attempt, handing the game and match to Duke.

　

酒井武雄

1日目予選前半6Gが終了しブッチギリで酒井武雄（52歳）がトップ！酒井はボールのスピード調整でストライクを連発、驚異の252AVGで明日の後半へ。2位は過去3回全て10位以内（7位・4位・6位）の大橋裕史（53歳）、3位に今年シニアデビューの西村邦彦（50歳）がつけている。

2005/04/08

Norm Duke took the first step toward capturing his third career major title, defeating Ritchie Allen, three-games-to-none, in the round of 32, best-of-five games match play Friday evening in the 2005 PBA Dexter Tournament of Champions at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Duke, who won the same event in 1994 and then won the 2000 PBA National Championship, marked in all but one frame while averaging 250.00 in his match against Allen, Tulsa, Okla.

"As old as I am, every victory is sweet...I hold our majors in high regard," said Duke, Clermont, Fla. "This year, I haven't played very well in majors. I'm disappointed in that and I've worked extra hard for this one...I live for the majors right now."

Duke, a 22-time title winner, will now face 2005 PBA Player of the Year candidate Tommy Jones in the round of 16. The four-time title winner from Mauldin, S.C., swept Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 3-0.

In other matches, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., defeated defending champion Patrick Healey Jr., Flower Mound, Texas, 3-0. Williams, who owns 40 career titles including six major PBA Tour titles, is looking for his first career Tournament of Champions win. He'll face Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., in the round of 16 after Shafer disposed of Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 3-0.

Non-exempt PBA member and 10-time title winner Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., defeated PBA Hall of Famer David Ozio, Beaumont, Texas, 3-2. Goebel took the deciding game, 204-199, and will now battle Mike DeVaney, Henderson, Nev., in the round of 16.

Notes: Norm Duke marked in 35 of 36 frames in his match against Allen.

"I was very comfortable out there today. There were three right-handers playing the same part of the lane. With the length of oil and the amount of it, the lanes changed after almost every shot," said Duke. "I had a pattern of moving left and absorbing those changes."

With a win this week, Walter Ray Williams Jr. will become just the fifth bowler to accomplish bowling's Triple Crown and just the second bowler to complete the Grand Slam and Super Slam.

The Triple Crown, which consists of victories in the Tournament of Champions, World Championship and U.S. Open, has been accomplished by Billy Hardwick, Johnny Petraglia, Pete Weber and Mike Aulby.

Only Mike Aulby has completed the Grand Slam (Triple Crown plus the ABC Masters) and the Super Slam (Grand Slam plus Touring Players Championship).

2005/04/04

2005/04/03

Patrick Allen certainly knew how to put the exclamation point on an already successful year.

The lefty claimed his third title of the season, and first career major, when he defeated the surprising Chris Loschetter, a 24-year old non-exempt PBA member, in the title match of the 2005 PBA Denny's World Championship, 235-210, Sunday at Eastern Michigan University's Convocation Center.

Allen, who captured the $120,000 top prize and a four-year Tour exemption, struck and converted a 7-pin in his first two frames before striking on his next six shots.

Loschetter struck on his first three shots before converting three consecutive single-pin conversions, putting him behind for good.

The victory puts Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., in the middle of the PBA Player of the Year Race. He captured the 2004-05 PBA World Point Rankings title this week and also leads the Tour with $344,740 in season earnings, the second-highest mark in Tour history.

"I don't think anything has really hit me yet. I was just trying to throw the best shots I could and I got some breaks," said Allen, who also finished 2nd in the first two major events on Tour this season.

Allen advanced to the title match by striking 11 times to defeat two-time title winner Mike Scroggins, 279-198, in their semifinal. Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, opened in frames 3 and 4 to open the door for Allen.

In the first semifinal, Loschetter defeated Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 231-165, as the second-year pro stuck in frames 3-8 while the PBA Hall of Famer suffered through five open frames.

Loschetter took home $50,000 for 2nd place while Voss and Scroggins tied for 3rd and won $20,000 apiece.

2005/04/02

Patrick Allen used a four-games-to-one win over Jason Couch in the round of 8 Saturday in the 2005 PBA Denny's World Championship to make his third PBA Tour major finals appearance this season.

Allen, who advanced to the title match of both the 2004 Miller High Life Masters presented by American Bowling Congress and the 62nd U.S. Open presented by Odor-Eaters earlier this season, struck twice and knocked down nine in the 10th frame of the final game to force Couch to double for the win. Couch, Clermont, Fla., left the 7 pin standing after his first shot, giving Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., a spot in the finals in a PBA World Championship for the first time in his career.

"It was a nail biter. Jason threw a great shot but match play can go either way," Allen, who averaged 226.2 in the match, said. "Tomorrow, I'll take it one game at a time and take the best shots I can. You can't give these guys two frames."

Allen will face Mike Scroggins who advanced by defeating Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., 4-2. Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, is making his first finals appearance of the season and his first since the 2004 PBA Baby Ruth Real Deal Classic in Belleville, Ill.

Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., defeated Chris Barnes, Flower Mound, Texas, 4-3, to advance to the finals of a major for the first time this season. Barnes needed to strike with his first shot in the 10th to seal the win but left two pins standing, handing Voss the game.

Chris Loschetter, West Melbourne, Fla., struck with his first shot in the 10th frame of game seven to defeat Danny Wiseman, 4-3, and advance to his first career championship round. Loschetter is the only bowler in the championship round who has not locked up an exemption for the 2005-06 PBA Tour season.

2005/04/01

One PBA Tour major title this season suits Chris Barnes just fine, but two major titles would be better.

Barnes, who won this season's 62nd U.S. Open presented by Odor-Eaters, defeated 2000 PBA Rookie of the Year Joe Ciccone, four-games-to-none, in the best-of-seven games match play round of Super 16 in the 2005 PBA Denny's World Championship Friday evening at Taylor Lanes.

Barnes, along with Patrick Allen, Danny Wiseman and Walter Ray Williams Jr., received a bye for the first six rounds of the event thanks to their top 4 ranking in the 2004-05 PBA World Point Rankings.

"After sitting for a whole week, really two weeks, I looked like I hadn't bowled for two weeks in my first few games," said Barnes, who averaged 207.00 in his first two games but 273.50 in his final two games. "It was nice to get back into a groove."

Barnes, Flower Mound, Texas, struck on 10 consecutive shots in a 289-247 game four win over Ciccone, Buffalo, and will face PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., in the round of 8. Voss defeated six-time title winner Robert Smith, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 4-3.

In other matches, left-hander Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., defeated Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 4-1. Couch will face fellow lefty, Allen, the top ranked bowler in the PBA World Point Rankings, in the round of 8. Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., averaged 225.20 in his 4-1 win over Tim Criss, Bel Air, Md.

Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., dropped PBA Hall of Famer and 40-time title winner Williams, Ocala, Fla., 4-1.

The event now moves to Eastern Michigan University's Convocation Center for Saturday's best-of-seven-games match play round of 8 beginning at 2 p.m. EST.

The final four will bowl for the $120,000 top prize and a four-year exemption through the 2008-09 PBA Tour season on Sunday, April 3, with the live ESPN telecast airing at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Notes:
Brian Kretzer needed to advance into the round of 8 to have a chance to earn an exemption via the points list this season. Unfortunately, he fell to Danny Wiseman in the round of Super 16, 4-3.

In the seventh game, Kretzer needed to strike and have a good count in the 10th frame, but left a swish 7-pin on his first shot, giving Wiseman a pass into the round of 8.

Tore Torgersen is currently on the bubble - 39th on the 2004-05 PBA World Point Rankings. The only way he can be knocked off this week is if Chris Loschetter wins the 2005 PBA Denny's World Championship.

Also, Steve Jaros is safe this week. In fact, the only way Jaros can miss out on an exemption is if non-exempt bowlers win this week's event and the 2005 PBA Dexter Tournament of Champions.

Finally, the race for the final roster spot for the 2005 Japan Cup is still up for grabs. The top 16 in the 2004-05 PBA World Point Rankings earn a trip to Japan. Currently, Patrick Healey Jr. sits 16th on the points list. If Ryan Shafer finishes 3rd or better, he'll take Healey's spot on the Japan Cup roster.