STRUTHERS — No. 3 seed Casey Cohagan topped a 130-player field to capture the 39th annual Youngstown Masters on Sunday at Holiday Bowl.
Cohagan, a Faiport Harbor right-hander, defeated top-seeded Frank Testa 177-166 in the title match to earn $2,000.
Bowlers rolled 15 qualifying games over two days, one shift of five games each on long, short and medium oil patterns before the field was reduced to the top five for the stepladder finals.
Testa, a Massillon right-hander led the field with 3,396 total pinfall, an average of 226.4 for 15 games, to finish 62 pins ahead of qualifying runner-up Ryan Liederbach, a Northfield two-handed lefty. Testa determined the oil pattern for the stepladder finals due to topping qualifying.
During the stepladder, Newt McClellan defeated Joe Justinger 225-167 in the first match. Justinger had shot 300 during the opening game of the tournament on Saturday.
McClellan then fell to Cohagan 254-200 before the latter stopped Liederbach 207-183 in the semifinal to set up the title match against Testa.
The finals were bowled on the medium oil pattern.
“For the finals, the medium pattern was chosen and I had zero idea how to play the lanes since I was completely lost a few hours earlier,” Cohagan said in a Facebook post. “While waiting for my match I jokingly decided to throw one firm up the lane and accidentally found something that I could control the pocket with. During the stepladder I stuck with what I found on the practice pair with the (Hammer Effect) tour and was fortunate enough to come away with the win.”
Josh Hoffer earned the final cash spot in 26th place with 3,058 in a tie with Caleb Shovestull.
See qualifying results below:
OTHER EVENTS
AKRON 600 CLUB: Karlie Way finished with 737 total pinfall for three games to capture the Akron Area USBC Women’s 600 Club’s singles event Sunday at North Woods Lanes in Macedonia. She finished just two pins ahead of Rachael Harper, with Aisha Jones taking third with 725. See results below:
UPCOMING EVENTS
MARCH MADNESS: The Creative Touch March Madness tournament is set for 9 a.m. March 23 at Clutch Lanes and Sports Center. Entry fee is $100, with first place paying $2,000, based on 64 bowlers. Bowlers will roll three games to determine placement into the round of 64 for two-game bracket match play based on total pinfall. Formats will be reduced to 32, 16, eight, four and the final two for the title. For information, go to the tourney Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2300812600304962
OMT: The next Ohio Matchplay Tournaments event for bowlers ages 50 and older is the fourth annual Qubica Classic, set for 1 p.m. Jan. 25 at Columbus Square Bowling Palace. Bowlers will roll five qualifying games before the field is cut for match play. Entry fee is $110. See more at the OMT Facebook page at:
ALLIANCE MASTERS: The third annual Alliance Masters is set for 9 a.m. Feb. 23, with just two centers — Christopher Columbus Lanes and Alliance Elks Lodge — being utilized this season. Entry fee is $110, with bowlers rolling four first-round games at “The Christopher” before the field is cut in half for the second round of three more games at the Elks. After seven total games, the field will be cut to the top 16 for single-elimination bracket match play by seed. Match play will continue until two remain to bowl for the title. See entry information below:
KLONOWSKI MEMORIAL: The 33rd annual John Klonowski Memorial Scratch Singles is set for 9 a.m. Feb. 2 at Eastbury Bowling Center in Canton. Entry fee is $120 with a $10 option high-game pot. Bowlers will roll five qualifying games before the field is cut to the top 20 for two-game elimination match play by seed. Winners then advance to a second round of two-game match play before the final five bowl in a stepladder format. The event will be bowled on a house oil pattern. For information, go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/1126960489056434/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[]%7D
SNOW BOWL: The annual Snow Ball event drew 84 bowlers to Legacy Lanes and Lounge in Coshocton, with Austin Nettings earning the win. The tourney format was one game 3-6-9 strikes; one game 9-pin no-tap; third game “frost bite,” wit a split counting as a strike; and Game 4 regular bowling. Glen Johnson was second, followed by Shawn Fields.
PBA CENTRAL REGION: The annual PBA-PBA50 Doubles-Clutch Lanes Central Open is set for April 11 through 13 at Clutch Lanes in Cuyahoga Falls, which begins Tournament of Champions week at AMF Riviera Lanes in Faairlawn. Go to www.pba.com for information.