Pictured Above Is Warren Eales
Warren Eales Outlast Tony Maresca, 268-212, For MMA Senior Masters Title At FlipSide Lanes.
HOF Credits Equipment Switch As His Key To Title, And Getting Good Breaks Along The Way.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg - Managing Editor thetenpinexpress.com - Director Mesa Metro Association
Gilbert - - - "Thanks for not carrying the six pin,".
When the 2016 Mesa Metropolitan Associations Senior Masters Tournament finally came to an end at 3:30 pm on Sunday Nov 6th, at FlipSide Lanes in Gilbert. That was the grattitude Warrend Eales of Chandler, expressed to Tony Maresca of Scottsdale.
After Mr.Maresca opened the championship match play double elimination finals, with a convincing 242-206 win over Mr.Eales on lanes 23 and 24. It was the pesky six pin that ended up being the difference between the thrill of victory for one, and the agony of defeat for the other.
Going into the ninth frame of their second match play game. Warren was trailing Tony, by one pin, 208-207. In order to put pressure on the Arizona legend, Mr.Eales needed to strike out in the tenth, to hopefully force a third and decisive game. He did just that. Working on a strike in the ninth himself going ino the tenth, Tony, a lefty, put his first two shots flush in the pocket for strikes. But,on his final shot of the game, was when he left the stone six.
It was the break that Warren needed to energize and carry himself to victory in game three. He wasted no time taking advantage of the big break he got at the end of game two, by stringing out eight strikes in-a-row in route to a 268-212 victory over Tony.
28 bowlers participated in the event this year. And the prize fund was increased by FlipSide proprietor Nathan Crane, who added $500 to it. This ensured that the winner of the event, was in fact guaranteed $500 for finishing in first place. Defending senior masters champion Mike Matosich, was the leading qualifier going into match play at+147. But, he would end up losing to Maresca in a losers bracket match, to finish in fifth place. Last years event was held at AMF McRay Lanes in Chandler.
Warren, ironically, was the last bowler to make the cut at+21. In his four game qualifying block, he would roll games of: 215, 223, 160, and 223 for a total pin fall of 821.
"Once I get into match play, I bowl well and got some good breaks," admits the Port Director for U.S. Customs in Las Vegas. "When I won my match by one pin, against Tony, it was the key for me to keep on going. I was fortunate I bowled well after that, because no body gave me a break."
For the first three games of his qualifying round, Warren used a Roto Grip No Rules bowling ball, but switched to a Brunswick Stradegy.
"I felt I made a really good adjustment after the third game of qualifying by switching balls," he said, of his switch. "By switching balls, I was able to move further out on the lane, and I stayed there the rest of the way.
"I liked the rotation I was getting on my ball during the fourth game of qualifying," he added. "And it was helping me find my comfort zone."
The oil pattern that the bowlers bowled on, was the 40 foot Abbey Road Kegel Challenge. No perfect games were rolled during the event. Tom Foster and Dave Inoshita shared the high game honors during qualifying with a 258 each. Warren rolled the high game of the event with a 268.
"Its always nice to be able to bowl in as many different bowling centers as you can, and be able to adjust to the pattern that is put on the lane," said Warren, of the Abbey Road pattern. "By bowling in different bowling centers and on different lane conditions, it helps you become more competitive."
The tournament also featured a winners and losers bracket. Warren defeated Tom Foster, Maresca, and Johnny Wing in route to his appearance in the finals. While Maresca came out of the losers bracket to win matches against: Matosich, Don Caron, and Wing, to set up the finals.
Warren, a Chandler native, does his league bowling at the South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas. The two leagues he does bowl in there are the: Budweiser Four Man Almost Scratch League, and the Almost Scratch Trio. He carries an average of 237 and 231 respectively in the center.
Warren attended ASU from 1978-1982, and graduated with a BS in Criminal Justice.
"I did bowl for ASU and we won the Collegiate National Championship in 1981 in St.Louis. Ironically, we were not ranked number one that year, but our team was ranked number one in 1979 and 1982," he said, of his college career. "In 1981 when we won, I was also voted to the Collegiate Nationals All-Tournament Team."
Warren has also been elected into three Arizona HOFs for performance. They are: the Arizona State HOF, the Phoenix HOF, and the MMA HOF.
"Tony Maresca drills all of my bowling balls at his AAction Bowling Supply Pro Shop at Brunswick Via Linda Lanes in Scottsdale," said the student, on defeating his coach in the championship match. "Tony was my coach at ASU, and he has remained so for the past 30 plus years."
By being coached by Tony for the last 30 years. Warren has without a doubt, soaked up a lot of knowledge of the game under his tutoring.
"I am happy that I have been bowling well, and understanding how my equipment reacts much better," he said, of the constant learning curve of bowling. "I would like to express my thanks to the MMA for holding the event, and to FlipSide for sponsoring it."
Johnny Wing placed third. Don Caron, fourth; Dave Inoshita, sixth; Ryan Isaka, seventh; and Tom Foster, eighth.
Mesa Metro News - November 30, 2016