LEXINGTON — The most important thing about picking a partner for a doubles event?
“You have to be smart … and you have to be fortunate,” 43-year-old Indianapolis left-hander Jean Perez, a native of Puerto Rico, said.
But having a sponsor who puts you together with the right partner after your initial choice is unable to participate also doesn’t hurt.
That’s how Perez — who has won doubles events over the past six months with George Gohagan III and Jalen Mosely — ended up with a new partner, Chillicothe 30-year-old right-hander Brandon Novak, during Saturday’s Reggie Shaw Two-Shot Doubles Marathon at Lex Lanes.
It was the first time the pair had bowled together as a team. And it was due to Jake Ciraulo, who has a sponsor relationship both present and past with the duo.
“I was supposed to bowl with someone else … I don’t even remember who, but it just didn’t happen,” said Perez, who teamed with Novak to finish with 4,026 total pinfall and claim the $2,400 first-place check by 137 pins.
“He just told me that he got me Brandon, and that was fine with me.”
Novak, who says he has bowled in about 15 of tournament promoter Jody Boyd’s events over the past seven years, admits he likes to switch partners at different events.
“I know that Dan (Higgins) and Chad (Roberts) always bowl together, but I think it’s more fun to change things up,” said Novak, who claimed just his second win in one of Boyd’s events. “Jake told me I was bowling with Jean. It’s always a plus having a lefty at Lex Lanes.”
The pairing worked to perfection. Novak had just one open through the eight-game tournament; Perez had four — all missed 7-pins. Novak finished with 2,022 total pinfall, with a 279 high; Perez had 2,004, also with a 279 high.
The tournament was divided into two four-game blocks, each on a different Lex Lanes house oil pattern — regular and so-called “senior” patterns.
“The second set was good for me. The first set wasn’t bad, but I just didn’t feel that comfortable,” said Perez, who used a combination of the Storm IQ and Phaze 2 in the early session while switching to the Match Up in the later session.
“The second set, I knew I was going to do something, just not how the scores would be.”
Novak, who used his 900 Global Reality Check for all eight games, adjusted his hand and speed to what was needed on the pairs during both shifts.
“The second shift seemed to hook more,” Novak added.
After sitting sixth following the opening four games, trailing first-shift leaders Higgins and Roberts by 88 pins, Perez (267) and Novak (279) came out smoking after the break with 546 to move into first place by 21 pins after Game 5.
They never trailed again.
A pair of left-handers — Graham Fach and Kyle Mayberry — finished second with 3,889 as the pair also shot 546 in Game 6, helped by Fach’s 300 game. The pair never led, but were in the top five all day.
“Every time there is a house shot in this building, the scores are going to be high,” Fach said. “To win, our scores have to be higher. I think the second shift was slicker. We changed equipment and adjusted, but still struck a bunch.”
The pair, who have bowled together since their college days, was hurt by a 429 to start the second block and 423 in Game 6.
“The scores were really bunched together,” Mayberry said. “A lot of teams could have jumped us. One more bad frame could have been the difference between three positions.”
With right-hander Adam Barta shooting 299 his final game, he and righty partner B.J. Moore jumped to third with a 533 game, finishing just 29 pins behind Fach and Mayberry. Nolan White and Chad Morris, who also had a 300, finished fourth and just 10 pins behind Barta and Moore.
White, a two-handed righty, and the right-handed Morris led after Games 1 and 2.
What’s next for the winners?
Perez headed for Anderson, Ind., to bowl in Sunday’s PBA Central Region event with his spot in the Regional Players Invitational in Las Vegas on the line.
“I bowl Tuesday through Thursday and all weekends, plus work in the pro shop,” Perez added. “I’m in the bowling center every day.”
Novak, who made his first appearance during the PBA League this summer, says he feels like “I’ve been bowling nonstop for 12 years.”
“I’m a weekend warrior now … bowling league three nights a week and tournaments on Saturdays and Sundays,” Novak said. “I rarely take a weekend off. If I know I can hit a shot, I’ll be there.”
What about getting drafted in the PBA League again?
“I doubt if they will pick me again,” Novak said. “I have to bowl my ass off to get picked again.”
Perez disagreed. “You’ll be there,” he added.
After all, Perez is smart when it comes to picking the right players.
NOTEBOOK: The event drew a full field of 60 teams, paying 12 spots. … Other 300 games came from Jeff Sisson and Steve Granger, with Chris Polk joining Barta with 299. … The duo of J.D. Jones and Scott Vandegrift was the lone Stark County entry to cash, finishing seventh with 3,831. Vandegrift shot 803 over games four through six to key the surge. … Roberts and Higgins, after leading at the break, shot just 1,769 during the second shift after leading the first shift with 2,027, 39 pins ahead of Fach and Mayberry. … Tournament promoter Jody Boyd and partner James Pack finished 11th to earn a cash spot. … Tyler Slaubaugh and Brandon Curtis earned the final cash spot with 3,730, 19 pins ahead of Sisson and Trent Marner. … The next major event at Lex Lanes will be the Metal Conversions $7,000 Lex Lanes Baker Five-Man, see for Jan. 14, 2023. … Fach and Mayberry also were heading for Anderson, Ind., for regional play. “At least we can sleep in our own beds tonight, but we’re heading out about 4:30 a.m.,” said Mayberry, who live in Mechanicsburg. Fach lives in Urbana. … As usual, a major thanks to tournament directors Dawn Eckenrode and Makenna Boyd for their assistance in our coverage.
REGGIE SHAW TWO-SHOT DOUBLES MARATHON
(Saturday at Lex Lanes)
Final standings (with total pinfalls, payouts): 1, Brandon Novak-Jean Perez 4,026 total pinfall, $2,400 earnings; 2, Graham Fach-Kyle Mayberry 3,889, $1,800; 3, Adam Barta-B.J. Moore 3,860, $1,400; 4, Nolan White-Chad Morris 3,850, $1,200; 5, Tyronn McKinney-Zeke Bayt 3,843, $1,000; 6, Brian Waliczek-Andre Gonzales 3,836, $800; 7, J.D. Jones-Scott Vandegrift 3,831, $700; 8, Jalen Mosely-Dell Ray 3,800, $700; 9, Chad Roberts-Dan Higgins 3,796, $500; 10, Norman Smith-Brian Harris 3,773, $500; 11, Jody Boyd-James Pack 3,746, $500; 12, Tyler Slaubaugh-Brandon Curtis 3,730, $500.
