AKRON — There was never a doubt after Game 2 of Saturday’s Akron Open night squad who was going to be the leader.
The only question was by how much?
Jean Perez, the 42-year-old left-handed native of Puerto Rico, has been rolling through Ohio amateur events with a vengeance, capturing the MEGA Doubles in Columbus with George Gohagan and reaching the finals in other major singles events.
And the surge continued Saturday as Perez, now living in Indianapolis, had a pair of 279 games early en route to 826 over his first three games to lead Squad B with 1,569 total pinfall — 109 pins ahead of his closest competitor.
“I could have led both squads. I had six stone 8-pins mixed in there,” Perez said.
A Squad leader Samuel DeWitt III will lead 53 bowlers into Sunday’s 9 a.m. casher’s round with 1,591, including a 300 in Game 3 of his qualifying block. That’s just 22 pins ahead of Perez, who literally brought a ball out of storage for this weekend.
“I brought a bowing ball that I last used like eight months ago. I was looking through some old balls and I found it,” said Perez of his Storm Hy-Road Pearl. “I wanted to give it a chance because of the conditions.
“I used it (Friday during the Akron Open Doubles) after the third game and it was working good. So today, I used it again, and it was working good.”
Perez’s low game of 238 came in Game 6, but it still widened his lead on second-place right-hander Marcus Bell, who shot 255 his final game to move into second on the squad with 1,460, placing him sixth overall in the standings despite a 188 in Game 5.
Jeffery Scott took third on the squad with 1,458, followed by Eric Emerson with 1,456.
The way Perez played the lanes made him unique among the lefties in the field.
“I didn’t notice a lot of difference even though some of the lanes were hooking earlier,” said Perez, who won the 2020 Akron Open Doubles with AJ Rice. “Most lefties were playing around 15 (board) to 10, but I was way in. I was around 30 to eight.”
DeWitt, who didn’t make the cut in last year’s event, wasn’t sure how to feel going into Sunday’s final day.
“I’ve never had this many pins before so I don’t know what to feel like,” DeWitt said. “I know where I’m at I’m going to be around at least another round so I’m very confident going in.”
Urbana left-hander Graham Fach, who owns five Professional Bowlers Association Central Region titles this season, used the new Ebonite One ball to sit third overall with 1,544.
“I was able to make it work and stay ahead of the transition most of the time,” Fach said. “I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing basically.”
Another PBA regional pro, Parma right-hander Patrick Dombrowski, sits fourth (1,485), followed by Ashland two-handed lefty Cassidy Schaub (1,485).
“I just have to keep making shots and make faster adjustments,” said Dombrowski, who finished second in the 2020 Akron Open to Kyle Mayberry. “I want to see if I can stay with one ball (Sunday) and see what happens.”
The cut for the top 53 players, one-fifth of the field, came at 1,380, with Paul Brown edging Colton Riddle by just one pin and Steve Meyer by two.
The 53 will bowl five more games, with pinfall carrying over, before the field again is cut to the top 24. That group will then bowl five more games, with pinfall again carrying over, before the final cut to the top five for the stepladder finals.
First place will pay $4,000.
“Hopefully, I can keep doing what I’m doing and go out and win it,” Perez said. “I’ve been working on a few things and they’re mixing well right now.”
NOTEBOOK: A total of 32 of the 53 qualifiers came off of Squad A, including six of the top 10. … Brian Harris had the lone 300 of the second squad, while Brandon Rusk had 299 and Chris Hankins 298. … Tournament host Jody Boyd, who bowled on A squad after a withdrawal, made the cut in 31st position with 1,419. … Also making the cut were 2001 Akron Open champion Darrel Ratliff (11th, 1,455), 2019 champion Joshua Jones (23rd, 1,430) and Mayberry (32nd, 1,416). Defending champion Dylan Dingus missed the cut, finishing 129th with 1,293. … Doubles champion Chad Roberts made the cut (28th, 1,421) while his partner Dan Higgins finished 64th (1,358). … Singles sponsors include House of LaRose and John Poling Painting. … Matthew Riddle showed up late for the B squad and had to take zero for Game 1, but didn’t finish last. … Three participants — Bobby Wenger, Matthew Fields and Shane Yesovich — withdrew during the round after completing games.
