MINSTER — Ryan Liederbach, a 27-year-old Northfield two-handed lefty, earned his third PBA Central Region title in a row Thursday during the PBA Kremer Roofing Central Classic at Community Lanes.
Liederbach, who claimed his previous titles in Michigan and at AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn during his streak, stopped qualifying leader Patrick Dombrowski, a 46-year-old Parma right-hander, 214-191 to claim his fourth overall regional title.
“I don’t know what to say, really,” Liederbach told pressprosmagazine.com. “Except to say this has been a dream come true. It took me four years to win one, and now I’ve won three in three events. And winning something like this means a lot…so much in terms of standings, and points, and Player of The Year status. Coming here and winning really is like a dream come true.”
Liederbach averaged 225 to sit seventh after Wednesday’s eight-game qualifying round as Dombrowski topped the field with a 236.13 mark.
Dombrowski maintained the top spot after the first four-game advancer round by averaging 238.5 in that set, but Liederbach was able to move up to second by shooting a four-game high of 1,022 (255.5). He then completed his climb to the top of the leaderboard during the second four-game semifinal round with 3,676 through 16 games (229.75) to finish just two pins ahead of Dombrowski to earn the No. 1 seed.
Indianapolis left-hander and Puerto Rico native Jean Perez, who fell to Liederbach in the Fairlawn title match, stopped Willowick right-hander Dean Vargo 236-151 in the opening stepladder match before falling to Urbana lefty Graham Fach 206-186 in Match No. 2.
Dombrowski, the No. 2 seed, stopped Fach 168-147 in the semifinals to earn the the title shot against Liederbach.
In the title match, Liederbach started with three strikes and never looked back.
“What I did today was watch and see where other bowlers were missing, left and right, and make the adjustment. I threw with a little more speed to get the ball past the ‘hook’ spot,” Liederbach told pressprosmagazine.com. “The step ladder was much different conditions than the first 16 games of the tournament. But I did just enough to make it to the No. 1 seed by just two pins, and I don’t know where I’d be without those two pins.”
Liederbach earned $4,000 for the victory — his largest pro paycheck.
Vargo earned the final stepladder spot by 27 pins over Cincinnati’s Richard McCormick. Jeffery Mann earned the final spot in the 12-bowler second advancer round with 2,604.
Among the cashers was Doylestown’s Joe Bailey, who finished 18th.
The pros now move on to Coldwater for PBA bowlerstore.com Central Classic, presented by Roxy’s Extra Pair, which opens Saturday with eight-game squads at 8 a.m., 1:30 and 7 p.m. at Play-Mor Lanes.
TOURNEYS COMING TO AREA
The PBA Central Region will be holding a pair of events in Northeast Ohio in September.
First will be the PBA50 J.D. Producing Inc.-Triway Lanes Central Open, west for Sept. 13 through 15 at Triway Lanes in Wooster.
Then, Park Centre Lanes in North Canton will play host to the PBA50-PBA60 Doubles-Park Centre Lanes Central Open, set for Sept. 20 through 22.