CUYAHOGA FALLS — It had been a tough start to the 2021-22 season for six-time Professional Bowlers Association champion Ryan Shafer.
The 55-year-old Horseheads, N.Y., right-hander didn’t bowl well during the Regional Players Invitational, finishing 90th, and then could complete just the opening block of the PBA Players Championship before withdrawing.
“I had to have carpal tunnel surgery, so I took three weeks off to recover,” Shafer said following the second qualifying round of the PBA/PBA50 Doubles Clutch Lanes Central Open on Saturday at Clutch Lanes. “But it has made a huge difference not to bowl in pain or with any numbness.
“I can get my hand into a position I haven’t been able to get it into for I don’t know how long.”
So when he got a call asking if he would be interested in bowling with Professional Women’s Bowling Association player Kerry Smith in an over-under doubles, he wasn’t going to say no.
“I’d always had a partner from back home to bowl in these, but when Kerry Smith calls you to bowl, you bowl,” said Shafer, who has 53 regional titles.
Smith, a 36-year-old Lititz, Pa., right-hander, began her PBA regional career when the PWBA was shut down due to the pandemic. She had combined with Shafer to capture her first PBA regional title during the PBA/PBA50 New England Over/Under Doubles in November 2020. The two combined to finish second in the same event in November 2021.
Making their second appearance together at Clutch Lanes, Shafer and Smith combined for 3,643 total pinfall to finish 11th among 48 teams and advance to Sunday’s 12-team Baker System bracket match-play rounds. They also made the cut a year ago.
“I’ve bowled a lot in the East region, but only the over-unders (doubles) in the Central,” Smith said. “I’ve got cards on both tours, but the is my first regional of the season.
“I like to bowl with the guys because it is different. If you want to bowl something before the PWBA kicks off in the summer and you’re competitive you have to do it. Anyway, when you have a good partner, you stick with that partner.”
Six-time PBA champion Ronnie Russell averaged 263.13 for his eight qualifying games in teaming with Dave Wodka to take the qualifying lead with 3,903, 115 pins ahead of PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber and Shawn Maldonado (3,788).
The top four finishers receive a first-round bye Sunday while seeds five through 12 will bowl best-of-seven Baker matches, with the winners advancing. Tournament play begins at 9 a.m.
Only three teams from the second qualifying block were among the top 12 match-play participants.
“Sure, we would prefer the scores to be a little lower. We made the cut last year when they were lower,” Shafer said.
“But we just bowl us against the pins,” Smith added. “We’re not scoreboard watching. We’re here to win a tournament and throw the best shots possible.”
Which is one aspect that Shafer respects. In fact, he tags her as “anchor girl” on Facebook after she bowled second with doubles partner Daryl Bower. Bower also made the cut with Johnathan Bower in the 12th position.
“When she needs to strike, she does it. No stone 8-pins or anything. It seemed like she was striking on every shot when she bowled with Bower,” Shafer said. “I think she’s great. You can’t find a guy out here who doesn’t respect her.”
Smith did hit one dry patch in Game 3 when, as Shafer said, she “got urethaned.”
“We hit a pair where players started with urethane. She couldn’t get the ball to back off and,, when she moved right, it just hooked right there. But I had a great look.”
But that’s where your partner comes in, said Smith, who also has teamed with Parker Bohn III and Danny Wiseman in past PBA events.
“You have to rely on your partner … that’s why it’s a team thing when you bowl over-under,” said Smith, the only woman in the field. “Today, it was trying to make my spares and move on.”
Other teams in the top four include Jason Couch and Matthew Ogle 3,778, and Tom Hess and Sean Rash at 3,726. The only other teams from the afternoon shift to reach the final 12 were Tom Adcock and Jake Peters (fifth, 3,715) and Thomas Larsen and Brad Angelo (10th, 3,644).
Did Shafer and Smith have a game plan when they saw how high the scores were in the morning shift?
“Nope. Like I said, we just bowl us and the pins,” said Smith, who averaged 216.75 for her eight qualifying games to Shafer’s 238.63.
But a win Sunday would be meaningful since it also is Smith’s 37th birthday.
“That would be great,” Smith said of a possible birthday present of another title.
NOTEBOOK: It took an average of 227.19 per player to reach the final match-play round and a mark of 221.56 per player to gain one of the 16 cash spots. … There were three 300 games. Doug Kent had the lone 300 in the morning shift while Ryan Liederbach and Chandler Stevens, who teamed with Canton’s Tony Johnson, had ones in the afternoon. Russell also shot 299. … Among others making the cut are John Shreve Jr., who has participated in many College Bowl Tournaments events, and his partner Vincent Bellar, who were ninth at 3,645. … The team of Bohn and Anthony Pepe missed the cut by 33 pins, and Chris Barnes and Tommy Jones were just 35 pins out. … Among area cashers was the team Don Hogue and Joe Bailey, which finished 15th with 3,562. See complete standings at https://www.pba.com/tournaments/2022/pbapba50-doublesclutch-lanes-central-open … First place will be worth $4,000 to the winning team in one of its strongest fields ever. … Admission to Sunday’s final rounds is free.