NEW PHILADELPHIA — They admittedly played the lanes completely different all day.
But both Dave Wodka and Frank Testa agreed on one point: they both saw the lanes properly.
Wodka and Testa went 1-2 individually and stormed to the lead during the early shift of the PBA Wabash Lanes Member-Non-member Doubles Central Open on Saturday. And it came after the pair shot just 385 in Game 1.
“Although we played them completely different, we saw them properly all day and were able to give each other feedback,” said Wodka, a 51-year-old Muskegon, Mich. right-hander and one of only four senior players in the field.
Testa, who admittedly rarely bowls Professional Bowlers Association events outside of this one, said Wodka makes the experience easier.
“When you bowl with someone like Dave who is super supportive, it’s easier to become more relaxed. And there was some nerves at the beginning,” said Testa, a 40-year-old Massillon right-hander and operator of Ten Back Pro Shop at Park Centre Lanes in North Canton.
“It helps when your partner is striking at the beginning. It helps to get you to relax. He was seeing the lane right away. Our moves weren’t very drastic the entire day.”
The pair combined for 3,613 total pinfall, which put them 86 pins ahead of second-place Patrick Dombrowski and Dan Higgins Jr. The father-son team of PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III and Justin Bohn was third with 3,506 after leading early.
After Saturday’s B squad, the field will be cut to the top eight for Sunday’s Baker System match-play rounds beginning at 9 a.m.
A year ago, Wodka bowled this event with Adam Barta while Testa paired with Dean Billings. Both were unavailable this weekend.
“I’ve known Frank for awhile and he’s on our staff,” said Wodka, a regional manager for Brunswick. “So I gave him a call and we hooked up. It’s worked well so far.”
Testa said it took about “two seconds” for him to accept Wodka’s offer.
“You don’t turn down an offer like that ever,” Testa added.
Wodka finished with 1,809 total pinfall, an average of 226.13, while Testa was right behind him with 1,804, a mark of 225.50. Testa also had the high game of A squad with 289.
Wodka used the Brunswick Attitude Control during all eight qualifying games; Tests used a combination of the Track Kinetic Black Ice, Brunswick Melee Jab Carbon and Ebonite Polaris Hybrid.
NOTEBOOK
FIELD: The tourney drew a 32-team field, with the cut being to the top eight for Sunday’s match play beginning at 9 a.m. … Both squads had 16 teams.
AREA PERFORMERS: The Canton team of senior Tony Johnson and Andrew Fraleigh finished 14th on A squad with 3,012 total pinfall, and the team of Perry Township’s Joe Altimore III and Ted Kays Jr. was 16th with 2,875.
SUNDAY’S FORMAT: The remaining eight teams will bowl best-of-seven Baker System matches by seed beginning at 9 a.m. The final four will then bowl the second round of best-of-seven, with the final two winners bowling for the title.
PRO-AM: Wabash Lanes owner Aaron Shanklin held a unique pro-am Friday night that included a draft of the PBA players, high school bowling teams and plenty of fans. We will have a look at this unique style for hosting a PBA event later this week.
