By CHASE KAUFMAN
PBA Communications
Three more Regional Players Invitational qualifiers hit the books recently, which means 10 more bowlers earned themselves a spot in the 2023 RPI. Time is running out for bowlers to grab a berth via the points list, which means the RPI Qualifiers could be the way to go.
On this go-around, Rick Minier, Sean Lavery-Spahr, and Andrew Rettig earned spots in addition to their titles. Find out who else secured their spots to Las Vegas in this week’s Regional Recap.
PBA FAMILY FORD OF BLUFFTON/EZ BOWL CENTRAL OPEN (RPI QUALIFIER)
Top-seeded EJ Tackett topped Bailey Maverick 248-246 to claim honors at the RPI qualifiers at EZ Bowl in Bluffton, Ind.
Brian Robinson, the No. 3 seed, topped Zac Tackett 195-180 before falling to Mavrick 206-190 in the stepladder semifinals.
Parma’s Patrick Dombrowski, who was the leading qualifier after averaging 219.0 for eight games, finished eighth overall with 3,276 total pinfall after 16 games.
Doylestown’s Joe Bailey finished 20th with 1,581, missing the final cash spot by just two pins. Cayden Russell gained the final advancers round spot with 1,602, three pins ahead of Michael Davidson.
See complete results here:
https://www.pba.com/tournaments/2022/pba-family-ford-blufftonez-bowl-central-open-rpi-qualifier
PBA50 WAXAHACHIE SW OPEN (RPI QUALIFIER)
Fighting for one of three spots in the Regional Players Invitational, 64 bowlers took a chance at the Southwest qualifier in Waxahachie, Texas. Jeff Atkins began in the lead at +259, with Daniel Inocencio right behind at +217.
After a few advancer rounds, those two bookended the four-player stepladder, respectively, with Rick Minier and Mike Bailey at two and three. Inocencio won the first game 220-192, but Minier won the next match 248-200.
The championship match was a doozy as both players started with the front-five, and the game stayed close to the 10th frame. Atkins had the chance to shut out Minier but couldn’t convert, leaving the door open. Minier clinched it by striking out in the 10th to win 266-259. Minier, Atkins, and Bailey earned spots in the RPI at the end of the year from their performances.
PBA50 Waxahachie SW Open Final Standings
- Rick Minier, 2,500 points, $2,500
- Jeff Atkins, 1,500, $1,500
- Daniel Inocencio, $1,100
- Mike Bailey, 950, $900
PBA GREATER NASHVILLE OPEN
Smyrna Bowling Center earned a double dose of bowling as the PBA and PBA50 made their way to Tennessee for a pair of regional events. Kamron Doyle led the field of 101 bowlers on Saturday to grab the one-seed and a double-bye for the single elimination bracket on Sunday.
He won his first match to advance to the semifinals but lost to Trevor Roberts 248-210 after two splits in his first four frames. Ryan Lane took down Matt Taylor in the other semifinal matchup 241-202 after he delivered a seven-bagger late in the game.
Lane maintained his momentum, throwing the front five in the final round while Roberts split four times in the match. Lane earned his first title, winning 234-166 and taking home 2,500 points and $2,500 for his efforts.
PBA Greater Nashville Open Final Standings
- Ryan Lane, 2,500 points, $2,500
- Trevor Roberts, 1,500, $1,225
- Kamron Doyle, $1,060
- Matt Taylor 950, $1,060
PBA50 GREATER NASHVILLE OPEN
On the senior side, Gary Alstott led the way at +102, with Walter Ray Williams Jr., David Smalley, and Tony Churchey right behind to snag double-bye spots. Unfortunately for Alstott, he was the lone double-bye recipient to lose his first match.
Thanks to a late turkey, Churchey defeated Jonathan Cross 212-190 in the semifinals, while Williams Jr beat Smalley with ease 256-210 with an eight-bagger in the middle of the game. The final round was tight to the finish line as each player rolled an early double and one headed into the 10th frame. Churchey stepped up just needing the first strike and good count, and he delivered to pick up the win and $2,000.
PBA50 Greater Nashville Open Final Standings
- Tony Churchey, $2,000
- Walter Ray Williams Jr. 1,500 points, $1,155
- David Smalley, $890
- Jonathan Cross, 950, $890
PBA SUPER BOWL MW DOUBLES
Seventeen teams bowled in the Iowa doubles tournament on the Dick Weber pattern, where six advanced into the bracket round. The team of Tims qualified on top with Tim Curran and Tim Gruendler at +228. They earned a bye to start, and defeated Tom Hess and Cameron Foster 4-2 in the semifinals.
In the other semifinal, Benjamin Martinez and Collin Smith also moved onto the finals, coming back from a 3-1 deficit against Zach Wilkins and Matt Anderson. The final match went the way of the No. 1 seed as Curran and Gruendler never shot a game below 200 to win 4-1.
PBA Super Bowl MW Doubles Final Standings
- Timothy Curran/Tim Gruendler, 2,500 points, $4,000
- Benjamin Martinez/Collin Smith, 1,500, $2,400
- Zacharay Wilkins/Matthew Anderson, 1,150, $1,400
- Tom Hess/Cameron Foster 950, $1,400
PBA OKLAHOMA CITY SW OPEN (RPI QUALIFIER)
The second RPI qualifier of the last fortnight came in Oklahoma City, where 94 bowlers came out. High scores lit up the scoreboards as almost half the field found a way to go plus during qualifying. A couple of advancers round later, and it was down to eight bowlers vying for four stepladder spots in a very tight battle. In the end, Dylan Macon led the way, followed by Packy Hanrahan, Eric Jones, and Sean-Lavery Spahr.
Lavery-Spahr won the first match over Jones 236-201, then took down Hanrahan 268-213 and Dylan Macon 227-203 in the final round. Lavery-Spahr picked up his fifth career regional title and first since 2017. Macon, Jones, and Fero Williams will join Lavery-Spahr at the RPI in a few months.
PBA Oklahoma City SW Open (RPI Qualifier) Final Standings
- Sean Lavery-Spahr, 2,500 points, $2,800
- Dylan Macon, 1,500, $1,900
- Patrick Hanrahan, 1,150, $1,500
- Eric Jones, 950, $1,300
PBA50 JAN JORDAN MEMORIAL
Starting with the PBA50 tournament in Oregon, Michael Kennedy led qualifying at +152, with Stephen DeSordi right behind at +120. The next day, Kennedy still maintained the lead, but Rich Corwin moved behind him at +257.
Corwin needed a 19-pin win over Kennedy to take the title, and he came close but narrowly missed out after winning 206-191. Kennedy earned his first PBA regional title and $1,900.
PBA50 Jan Jordan Memorial Final Standings
- Michael Kennedy, 2,500 points, $1,900
- Rich Corwin, 1,500, $1,200
- Steven DeSordi, 1,150, $975
- Robert Reed Sr, 950, $850
Full tournament standings are available here.
PBA50 Northwest Region points leaders are available here.
PBA60 JAN JORDAN MEMORIAL
Ty Dawson was the lone super-senior to go plus on the Wayne Webb pattern at Linn Lanes in Oregon but superstar Ron Mohr was just 16 pins. The top eight moved into match play the following day, and there was no contest.
Mohr hit his stride midway through the day going 258-265-246 in games 3, 4 and 5, for the three highest games of the day. Dawson eventually put up a 267 in the position round to take that honor, but it didn’t matter as Mohr still won by over 200 pins for his 25th regional title.
PBA60 Jan Jordan Memorial Final Standings
- Ron Mohr, $1,200
- Ty Dawson, $900
- Mitchell Vernon, $750
- Rick Goishi, $650