NORTH CANTON — The Northeast Ohio Travel League held its 35th annual roster draft Saturday at Park Centre Lanes with 48 total players being in the pool for the 16 team captains to select.
First-round selections were determined by the team captains’ league average from the 2024-25 NEOTL season, with the order being lowest to highest.
Second-round picks used the same format, with the combined totals of the captains and their first-round selections being added to determine the order — again lowest to highest.
Massillon right-hander Frank Testa, owner-operator of Ten Back Pro Shop, was the first overall pick, followed by TJ Charles, a Jackson Township right-hander and 2023-24 NEOTL most valuable bowler, and Green right-handed two-hander Jordan Norris.
A total of 16 applicants were not drafted in the pool, but will be put on the league’s substitute list, if they wish to do so.
The trio scratch league’s 30-week season will begin in September, with Thursday starting times between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. Centers to be used during the 2025-26 season will be announced later along with team sponsors.
Here are the 2025-26 NEOTL teams, with captains listed first:
AMERICAN EAST
Team 1: Jim Fellows, Lewis Stansbury, Lou Petit
Team 2: Bill Reese, Austin Reese, Karlie Way
Team 3: Tony Confalone, Jordan Norris, Rob Weary
Team 4: Jeff DiMarzio, Frank Testa, Cooper Smith
AMERICAN WEST
Team 5: Brett McCourry, Ryan Trowbridge, Ryan Suter
Team 6: Troy Wilt, Scott Vandegrift, Tommy Gallagher
Team 7: Joe Altimore III, TJ Charles, Jaden Hunter
Team 8: Dustin Dingler, Justin McIlvain, Adam Kutz
NATIONAL EAST
Team 9: Michael Emerick Sr., Michael Emerick Jr., Chris Mahaffey
Team 10: Jeff Mowls, Michael Thewes, Troy Workman
Team 11: Eric Randazzo, John Brockway, Scott Hopkins
Team 12: Josh Haddad, John Randolph, Jack Wells
NATIONAL WEST
Team 13: Matt Frock, Richard Elliott III, David Randazzo
Team 14: Doug Rich, Tony Wagner, Sean Rich
Team 15: Mark Suchan, Chase Barstow, Jason Gribble
Team 16: Gary Liber Jr., Alex Lincoln, Chance Mattern