Pictured Is: Members of The Alley Cats Bowling League. At Rim Country Bowl In Payson.
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Mesa East PBA Regional News From Josh Blanchard.
**Excited to announce a great addition to my upcoming PBA Regional in November at Mesa East Bowl.
To encourage and incentivize local bowlers to bowl, I have made an agreement with Ebonite International and Adam Ishman to offer a staff position to the highest Arizona Resident finisher in the tournament who is not on staff with a bowling ball company.
If this person declines the position, we will go down one spot in the standings to the next resident and that will be it.
Thank you to EBI and Adam for making this possible and helping out the Arizona Bowling Community. Here is your chance to compete at the highest level in the state and also earn a coveted Staff position with a bowling ball company!!!
Remember we have 2 win a spots coming up in September and October at Mesa East Bowl. This is your best chance to earn a spot in the tournament for just $45. Hope to see everyone at this event supporting the bowling community and the PBA's return to Arizona annually.
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Upcoming Arizona State USBC Events.
October 5-6 AZ State USBC Senior Women's Tournament - Lakeview and Bell Lanes - Sun City.
October 11-12-13 AZ State USBC Jamboree - Hosted by Metro Phoenix.
October 19-20, 26-27 - AZ State USBC Senior Open Tournament - Mesa East.
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Tucson - - - Lucky Strike Bowl In Tucson, Earns Major Award.Tucson - - - Thank you Tucson and the Arizona Daily Star readers for voting us the Best Bowling Alley in Tucson AGAIN! We are overwhelmed with gratitude!
No Tap Saturday Nights Concludes At Tucson Bowl.
Tucson - - - No Tap Saturday Nights at Tucson Bowl, 7020 E 21st Street has concluded for the Summer of 2019. I would like to thank everyone who came out and bowled, also all those who came by and supported the bowlers. We had 37 total entries and paid out $481.00 from the prize fund, as well as $102.00 from the optional shootout. The optional Strike Pot was not hit, so we bowled off $470.00 at $25.00 a strike, and $1.00 a pin. Once again thanks to everyone for supporting No Tap Saturday Nights at Tucson Bowl, 520-747-1363.
New Rule Explained By The USBC.
Tucson Metro recommends that all adult leagues add the rule to their league rules that no one can join their league unless they are 18 years or older. It just got more complicated than it used to be with the new mandated SafeSport policy.. Tucson Metro nor USBC is responsible for this new policy. It is a new federal law. See below:
MESSAGE FROM USBC:
All those interested in the Federal Law mandating rules regarding bowlers under the age of 18 see below.
Electronic Mail Response from the USBC:
Good Morning,
This is in regards to your email below.
All of the adults (18 years of age and older) who compete in a league that also has participants who are 17 years of age or younger, must be SafeSport trained effective immediately. Attached is the SafeSport policy that states the requirement. This can also be accessed through the RVP Handbook (pg. 13) which takes you to the SafeSport website where the policy is located.
Additionally, all of the officers of a league that has participants under the age of 18, will need to be RVP compliant (SafeSport trained and background screening with the NCSI).
If a participant fails to complete the training, they are considered an ineligible bowler. Their games could be subjected to forfeiture.
Please let me know if you have further questions or concerns.
Jennifer Land
Rules Counselor
In closing, please do not blame the USBC for instituting these requirements. They are based on recently-enacted federal law.
The SafeSport mandates being put on National Governing Bodies like USBC by the United States Olympic Committee come from the federal legislation passed in early 2018 in the wake of the Larry Nassar and USA Swimming scandals.
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Monday Scratch Match Point League At Bowlero Mesa.
There is still room for additional bowlers and/or teams on the Monday Scratch Match Point League at Brunswick Zone Mesa. This league consists of 4-person teams with an 850-average cap. Any combination of adult bowlers are welcome (previous Senior/Woman stipulation has been voted out). Bowl 3 games / $25 a week, practice starts at 6:30 PM. 20K prize fund with 12 teams.
This is for all calibers of bowlers willing to challenge themselves and improve their game on Sports patterns vs the typical House shot. There are currently averages of 150 and up, so don’t think you’re not good enough to bowl. Also, we are excited to periodically have a coach available to give tips on pattern play.
Please text or call Tawna Jean at (509) 290-3966 for more information if you are interested.
Mesa Strikers Youth League Now Forming.
Mesa - - - Looking to prepare for Jr Gold. Maybe get ready for JBT, or even just wanting to up your league game.
Mesa Strikers Monday Night Sport League, might be for you. We will be bowling 35 weeks/7 different patterns, with a position round at the end of each pattern.
League meeting is on September 9th @ 6:00 pm. Start bowling @ 6:30 pm. Cost is $15 for three games.
For more information: contact mesastrikers@q.com
Mesa Metro Announces Junior Gold Qualifiers For 2019-20.
1. Bowlero Mesa 8/31.
2. AMF Mesa 10/12.
3. AMF McRay 11/16.
4. Bowlero Kyrene 2/15.
5. Mesa East 3/14.
6. AMF Chandler 4/11.
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1st Annual Maricopa Military Team Classic Tournament At Ten Pins Down In Maricopa.
Mesa - - - Uncle Sam wants you!
The Casa Grande Valley USBC wants you!
The Mesa Metro USBC wants you!
But, more importantly. Ten Pins Down at the Ultrastar Entertainment complex in Maricopa. Wants you to come out and support the 1st Annual Maricopa Military Team Classic on September 28-29.
The team and doubles tournament is open to: active duty, veterans, retired service members and guests. Each team must include at least two players with a military backround, and may include a maximum of two guests. A team will consist of four bowlers, and a doubles team of two bowlers.
Squad times on both days will be at 8:30 am, and 12:30 pm. The handicap will be 90% of 220 for the optional six game all-events division. Entry fee for each event is $30 per bowler per event, and all entries will be accepted by the MMA until September 14, 2019.
To get an entry form you may visit bowlmesa.com, or email the MMA @ bowlmesa.com. Bowlers who are bowling with a military backround, must present proof of military service at the tournament site.
The purpose of holding this tournament. Is to provide a venue to honor military service, while allowing competition for title and prize money.
Las Vegas has always ran a very successful 'Military High Rollers' tournament in August. An event in which a team from the Mesa Metro Association won two years ago.
"I have been to a military bowling tournament in Las Vegas," said MMA Vice-President Bob Schreiber, who along with board member Julie Barrett, will serve as Tournament Directors. "The military tournament is in August in Las Vegas. Ours is in September. I was looking at this, as why don't we do one in Arizona? Why should Las Vegas get all of the glory."
When the MMA, along with Casa Grande, finally sat down together to talk about it and finally decided to give this a try. The promotional work on the event began.
"One, by word of mouth," said Schreiber, of how the promotional part of this event began. "And two, get the tournament fliers out to the bases. And, to all of the American Legion Post in Arizona."
The team from the MMA that won the 'Military High Rollers' in Las Vegas two years ago. Conisted of team members: Don Caron, Eric Flick, Barry Gillitick, Joe Hart, Steve Jones, and Johnny Wing Sr. Three of them are MMA Hall of Famers, and all of them bowl in Metro 880 League on Thursday Nights at Bowlero Mesa.
Located at 16000 North Maricopa Rd., in Maricopa. 10 Pins Down is part of the UltraStar AZ. Entertainment Complex, which is adjacent to Harrahs Ak Chin Hotel and Casino.
"When I first thought of having the tournament, I wanted to have it centralized. The venue had to have a hotel, motel close by. Then if teams came with their families, we needed a place with entertainment (with both the young and the adults in mind) as well as resturaunts," added the MMA VP. "The Ak-Chin UltraStar venue made the most sense."
If you have bowled in the 'Military High Roller' in the past, in Las Vegas. Both the Casa Grande USBC and the MMA USBC have agreed that it would be ran similar in nature, and that you should not expect any surprises once you arrive at the tournament site.
"We will be similar to the tournament in Las Vegas," added the VP. "Ak Chin and Casa Grande both agreed that this was the ideal location to have the tournament."
We will continue to update this information until the week of the tournament on September 28-29.\
Stay tuned!
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SFT News, Courtesy Of The SFT.
Chandler - - - Wow! What a weekend! Another major, another major champion and another SFT AHT record! We beat our old record by over 20 entries! 277 total entries throughout the 3 days, with 183 qualifying entries and 94 economy parlays. The players bowled on a very interesting 42ft Patriot pattern that at times had low scores and at times had high scores. It was pretty clear though, that the players that had the best ball reaction were players that could get in and slow hook it a bit. Whether it was lefties or righties, the highest scores came from that kind of approach as a general rule. The average cut scores for the weekend was around +60 which is medium by most standards.
We had a lot of new bowlers again join us for their first event. Welcome Gary Somerville, Ryan Lee, Jacob Murphy, Kevin Davis, Terry Bandel, Scott Vidra, Sean Nimox, Jennifer Smith, Tyler Morgan, Tabitha Arment and Dan Friedline on being our newest members to join the SFT AHT family! We hope you all had a good time in your first event with us and we look forward to seeing you at the next event. Congrats to Terry Bandel and Tyler Morgan for being the only new bowlers to make it to the quarterfinals in their first tournament with us.
The quarterfinals were low scoring with the cuts to the first semi-final round taking around +50 on average. The A Division had the top 6 players advancing to the semi-final round. The #1 seed was Jim Montgomery (+71), #2 seed Sean Ashley (+67), #3 seed John Conaway (+62), #4 seed Jeremy Opp (+50), #5 seed Chris Allen (+50) and we would have a tie for #6 seed as Stephen Bennett and Mike Barcus would both finish at +49. This would result in a 9th and 10th frame roll off to determine who would make it into the semi-final round as the #6 seed. Stephen would get up and throw a couple of clutch shots to narrowly defeat Mike to advance as the #6 seed. So it would be Jim, Jeremy and Stephen on one pair, and Sean, John and Chris on the other with the top player advancing off each pair to the Divisional Final match. On the first pair Jim Montgomery was off the races and he never looked back as he bowled a huge 260+ game with handicap and on the other pair it was the same story with Chris Allen bowling lights out with a 260 game with handicap. Jim and Chris would move on to the A Division Finals. The scoring pace was a little lower on this pair, and the match was very close, but a double late in the match allowed Chris to get the win, 216 to 213, and he would be the A Division Champion.
The B Division cut to the top 5 players which were #1 seed Bryton Bobbitt (+119), #2 Ron McDonald (+112), #3 Michael Dragon (+99), #4 DJ Kniefel (+85), and #5 Eric Schade (+58). It would be Bryton Bobbitt vs Michael Dragon on one pair and Ron McDonald, DJ Kneifel and Eric Schade on the other pair, with the top bowler advancing to the B Division Finals. These matches were very close with all 5 players being in the hunt all the way up to the final frames. It ended in dramatic fashion with Michael Dragon finishing the match last and needing a mark to move on. He missed outside with a bit too much ball speed and left a wash out. He needed to convert and was unable to do so which allowed Bryton Bobbitt to sneak around him, 214 to 209, and into the B Division Finals match. In the other match, the top finisher was the young, upcoming superstar in DJ Kneifel who would lead the pair with a score of 224. DJ and Bryton had a good back and forth match, but a couple of missed makeable spares by Bryton allowed DJ to get out into the lead, winning the match 213 to 195, and taking home the B Division Title.
The C Division would also cut to the top 6 bowlers, which were #1 seed Tyler Morgan (+120), #2 Ron Riley (+90), #3 Luke Sullivan (+70), #4 Sam Hsu (+62), #5 Robert Smith Jr. (+56) and #6 Thomas Darnell (+45). This meant the first pair would be a match between Tyler, Sam and Thomas. The other pair would see at match with Ron, Luke and Robert Smith Jr. The first pair would be a back and forth match with Tyler eventually take a big lead in the middle of the game and winning convincingly with a huge 274 game. The other match had a very close finish with Robert Smith Jr. needing a mark to win his match, but a missed makeable spare would allow Luke Sullivan to win the match, 209 to 206 to 204, and advance to the C Division Finals. It would be Luke Sullivan vs Tyler Morgan in the C Division Finals and the Tyler Morgan show would continue with Tyler bowling a huge game again, 262 to 229, to become the C Division Champion.
The final match is a bit different at our Major events, and at this Major we use a step ladder format. The seeding is based on the quarterfinals score of each finalist. This would mean that Tyler Morgan would be the #1 seed, DJ Kniefel the #2 seed and Chris Allen the #3 seed. The first stepladder match would be between DJ and Chris. It would be another great one as they would go back and forth for quite a bit with DJ taking the lead but then missing a spare to let Chris back in the match. Chris struck out in the 10th frame to put pressure on DJ and force him to strike to win the match. DJ threw a great shot but rang a 7-pin giving Chris the win and the opportunity to bowl Tyler for title! The final match was another good one as Tyler got a string going early and got an early lead, so he didn’t need a mark in the 10th to win, but he did end up opening and only won the match by 4 pins, 240 to 236. Tyler would make a lot of friends though, as he wasn’t in the progressive pot so the extra $800.00, he didn’t win from that went back down to everyone below him. Congrats to Tyler on his first AHT SFT Title and $800.00 prize. Also, congrats to Chris Allen for 2nd place and DJ Kniefel for 3rd place.
Thanks to everyone for the support in making this such a great event! We can’t believe the fields keep getting bigger and bigger every year. It’s all because of your continued support and bringing friends with you to each event! Hope to see everyone next Sunday at AMF McRay and have a great week!
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