PBA Regional and PWBA-PBA Women’s Regional competitors are headed toward the qualifying finish line for berths in the PBA Challenge Finals qualifying events that will be held during the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VII in December in Reno, Nev.
The PBA Regional Finals will feature the 2015 competition points leader from each of the eight PBA regions (East, South, Central, Midwest, Southwest, West, Northwest and Japan) as of Sept. 30. All eight players also will receive a free entry into the WSOB. On Monday, Dec. 7, the eight PBA Regional qualifiers will bowl an eight-game round-robin match play qualifying event at the National Bowling Stadium, with the top two players advancing to the ESPN-televised PBA Regional Finals, one of four matches that make up the PBA Challenge Finals telecast.
The top eight players in points at the end of the PBA50 Tour season will bowl an identical program on Dec. 7 for two berths in the PBA50 Tour Finals.
The PBA-PWBA Women’s Regional Finals also will feature the points leaders from the eight PBA Regions, and each of them also will receive a free entry into the World Series. To avoid a conflict with the World Bowling Women’s World Championships, the PBA-PWBA Women’s Regional match play qualifying event will be held on Friday, Dec. 18.
The PBA Challenge Finals also will include a Teen Masters Grand Championship match between 2015 Teen Masters high school champions Brandon Soedarmasto of Levittown, N.Y., and Brigitte Jacobs of Freeport, Ill.
Heading into the home stretch of the PBA Regional season, here are the points leaders (and second-place in points) in the seven domestic regions as of Aug. 2. For complete schedules in each region, visit pba.com and click on the “schedules” tab. The Japan Region is just getting its 2015 season underway:
● East Region: Men – Patrick Allen, Mount Kisco, N.Y., 79,451; John Furey, Freehold, N.J., 64,684. Women – Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 19,249; Kerry Smith, Lititz, Pa., 17,490.
● South Region: Men - Jason Sterner, Covington, Ga., 67,743; Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 63,882. Women – Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., 25,597; Inngellimar Beasley, Venezuela, 25,000.
● Central Region: Men – Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 103,036; Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 76,940. Women – Rocio Restropo, Louisville, Ky., 26,985; Diana Zavjalova, Beavercreek, Ohio, 14,016.
● Midwest Region: Men – Brad Miller, St. Charles, Mo., 124,794; Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 111,995; Women – Inngellimar Beasley, Venezuela, 38,555; Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 25,000.
● Southwest Region: Men – Nathan Bohr, Austin, Texas, 94,136; Joe Findling, Mesquite, Texas, 89,725. Women – Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 37,206 points; Maria Rodriguez, Colombia, 26,924.
● West Region: Men – Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz., 148,091; Scott Norton, Mission Viejo, Calif., 137,809; Women – Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 62,270; Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 21,998.
● Northwest Region: Men – Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz., 117,096; Scott Norton, Mission Viejo, Calif., 99,712; Women – Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 37,270; April Lord Wittig, Steilacoom, Wash., 23,300.
GOT A QUESTION FOR PBA COMMISSIONER TOM CLARK? TRY FACEBOOK
PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark held an open forum on Facebook over the weekend, answering a number of questions about the PBA and why it does what it does, on his PBA Tour Commissioner page. So if you’d like to read the candid, detailed insights into the PBA, visit Clark’s Facebook page and take a look at the dozens of questions PBA fans asked. Based on the interaction with fans in his first Q&A session, Clark indicated he’ll be happy to schedule future Q&A sessions. To be continued…
In the meantime, PBA fans are encouraged to interact with PBA players through their own Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. To find out which player uses which social media outlet, visit pba.com, click on the “bowlers” drop-down menu and find the PBA Tour or PBA50 Tour player you’d like to follow.
UPCOMING ON XTRA FRAME: UNIQUE “DOUBLEHEADER” WEEKEND ON TAP
The August 6-8 Xtra Frame schedule will provide bowling fans with a bonus weekend, including doubleheader coverage of the PBA/PBA50 South Shore Doubles from Olympia Lanes in Hammond, Ind., along with the PWBA Topeka Open presented by Prairie Band Resort & Casino from West Ridge Lanes in Topeka, Kan. It’s the only weekend of the entire year that will include PBA Tour, PBA50 Tour and PWBA players on Xtra Frame – all within a 72-hour window.
Also on tap for Xtra Frame fans is the PBA50 DeHayes Insurance Group Championship presented by Pro Bowl West and Ebonite from Fort Wayne, Ind., Aug. 10-12; the PWBA Lincoln Open from Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Neb., Aug. 14-15; the PBA60 Dick Weber Super Senior Open presented by Hammer from Pro Bowl West in Fort Wayne, Ind., Aug. 14-16; the PWBA Minnesota Open from Island Xtreme Bowl in Welch, Minn., Aug. 21-22; the Xtra Frame PBA Gene Carter’s Pro Shop East Classic from Mid-County Bowling and Entertainment Center in Middletown, Del., Aug. 22-23, and the PWBA Detroit Open from Super Bowl in Canton, Mich., Aug. 28-29.
Bowling fans who want to sample Xtra Frame can subscribe on a three-day (72-hour) basis for only $3.99. Fans can lock in the entire August package with a full month Xtra Frame subscription for only $7.99. But PBA’s best package is the 12-month XF Season Ticket for $64.99, or $5.41 per month. To sign up, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame link.
PBA MODERN CLASSICS LIBRARY ADDS PDW’S HISTORIC 2013 TOC WIN
Pete Weber’s victorious performances are always emotional, but not many match his record-tying 10th major championship win over Jason Belmonte in the 2013 Barbasol PBA Tournament of Champions. That performance is the newest addition to the PBA Modern Classics library on PBA’s YouTube channel. To watch all of the classic PBA Tour championship events on YouTube, click here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwuUW8zaol88yWoNbytvj286cU8TajCgg
PBA REGIONAL UPDATE: HOHNSTEIN, VAZQUEZ WIN IN BOISE
● Amateur Lucas Hohnstein of Boise, Idaho, posted a 4-3-1 match play record and a 3,699 pinfall total to win the PBA Boise Northwest/West Open at 20th Century Lanes in Boise, Idaho, Sunday, by 13 pints over Evan Nash of Kennewick, Wash. Hohnstein earned $2,000, but doesn’t receive credit for a PBA title because he is an amateur.
In the companion PBA50 Open, Noel Vazquez of Sacramento, Calif., went 3-3 and knocked down 3,106 total pins for 14 games to top Scott Hansel of Stockton, Calif., by 39 pins for his title and a $1,500 prize. Hansel had a 4-2 match play record and 3,067 pins.
● A heavy schedule of activity in August begins with the Killeen Southwest Open at Hallmark Lanes in Killeen, Texas; the Bowlers Supply/Storm Products East Open at Colony Park Lanes North in York, Pa., and the Strike N Spare II Midwest Open presented by 900 Global in Lockport, Ill., over the Aug. 7-9 weekend. A pair of mid-week one-day, reduced entry fee PBA50 Ft. Wayne Central/Midwest Shootout events are set for Pro Bowl West in Ft. Wayne, Ind., following the PBA50 DeHayes Insurance Group Championship that concludes at Pro Bowl West on Aug. 12.
● The Aug. 14-16 PBA Regional schedule includes the Lefeld Implement Central/Midwest Classic at Pla-Mor Lanes in Coldwater, Ohio; the Dave Husted Northwest Open presented by MOTIV at Husted’s Milwaukie Bowl In Milwaukie, Ore.; the Crystal Automotive Spring Hill South Open presented by Track at Spring Hill Lanes in Spring Hill, Fla.; the Emerald Bowl Houston Southwest Challenge for non-title winners, presented by Track, in Houston, Texas, and the PBA50 Craig Mueller Memorial presented by Ebonite at Jersey Lanes in Linden, N.J.
● PBA50 Central and Midwest players will visit Bowling Green, Ohio, Aug. 17-19, for the PBA50 Progressive/German Insurance/Al Smith Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep Central/Midwest Classic at Al-Mar Lanes followed by the PBA50 Beverly Lanes Midwest/Central Open in Arlington Heights, Ill., Aug. 21-23. Also on the Aug. 21-23 schedule are the Greenville Southwest Open presented by DV8 at Shenaniganz in Greenville, Texas, and the PBA Xtra Frame Gene Carter Pro Shop East Classic at Mid-County Lanes in Middletown, Del., where a projected $15,000 first prize and a PBA Tour title will be at stake (Xtra Frame will cover the Gene Carter Pro Shop event live from start to finish).
● Closing out the August schedule over the Aug. 28-30 weekend will be the Tony Reyes Memorial Member/Non-Member Doubles presented by Brunswick at Fourth Street Bowl in San Jose, Calif.; the Grand Hotel, Casino & Resort Southwest Invitation at FireLake Bowling Center in Shawnee, Okla.; the LaFayette Lanes Fayetteville (N.C.) South Open presented by 900 Global, and the Illinois Valley Midwest/Central Open at I.V. Super Bowl in Peru, Ill.
For complete PBA Regional schedules, rules and entry information, visit pba.com, open the “schedules” tab and click on Regional Tours to find the event(s) in your area.
QUICK NOTES
● All-new line of PBA-logoed merchandise is now available from the PBA. To check out the new products, visit pba.com and click on the “shop” link.
● Remember, book a room through HotelPlanner.com’s link on pba.com and you’ll become eligible to win a $200 lodging certificate in the monthly sweepstakes sponsored by PBA’s official hotel booking partner. And subscribe to Xtra Frame (monthly plan at $7.99 or XF Season Ticket for $64.99) to automatically enter MOTIV’s monthly sweepstakes for a chance to win a new high-performance MOTIV bowling ball.
The July HotelPlanners.com winner is PBA Central Region competitor Kyle Bigelow of Troy, Ohio, and the July MOTIV bowling ball winner is Diana Walter of Bellport, N.Y.