By BILL SNIER’
NORTH CANTON — When in doubt, play to your strength.
Chase Barstow did exactly that Saturday during the College Bowl Tournament series End-of-Season event at Park Centre Lanes.
“In practice (to start the day), I started bending it like I did the last tournament I bowled here,” the 22-year-old Louisville two-handed righty said. “But I didn’t have any success because the right was so tight.
“So I decided to square it up and do what I do best … hype it down 10 to 15 (board).”
Using his Motive Purple Tank — which essentially, Barstow said, is his spare ball — in the title match, the No. 2 seed topped No. 1 seed Alex McCourry 255-238 to claim his second CBT series title of the season.
He had stopped Dell Ray 278-232 to win a CBT singles event at Eastbury Bowling Center in March.
“I brought the ball just because they get so dry here at the end,” said Barstow, who averaged 256.25 during the four-game qualifying round using his 900 Global Wolverine Dark Moss.
“I like to play my angles a lot narrower no matter what I throw. If anything, I moved more right as we moved on.”
Barstow, with a pair of 279s in Games 2 and 3, held the lead after those two games before McCourry shot 299 in Game 4 to earn the qualifying lead by just 14 pins with 1,039 (259.75 average).
“The big thing was I was able to put the bad frames behind. In Game 1, I started with an 8-pin spare, a Greek church and a 10-pin,” said Barstow, who had 263 in Game 1. “Then I had a pocket 7-10 (split) to start Game 2 and ran off the back 11.
“I was putting those bad shots behind and getting the hits when I needed to keep putting big strings together.”
McCOURRY’S RUN
McCourry, whose last series win came in March 2023 in singles over Matt Mosser at Park Centre, was either sixth or seventh during the first three games before his 299 in Game 4, leaving a 9-pin on his final shot. It was the high game of the day.
“I had a shot all day even though I was a bit shaky to start,” said the 29-year-old Canton left-hander, who changed balls twice in Game 1 before settling on the Motiv Subzero Forge the remainder of the tournament.
“I kept my brain in it and made a good shot, followed by another good shot, followed by another good shot. That was the mantra all day.”
The big games continued in his opening match against No. 8 seed Josh Haddad, finishing with a 268-233 win.
But it was a different story in his second match against right-hander Keith Zeigler. He had four strikes in a row at one point, but also conveyed a a key 3-6-7-9 split in the sixth frame for a 221-188 win.
“I’ve learned bowling here that is you miss inside at all, it flutters when you put it right into the soup,” McCourry said. “That second match was too close for comfort.”
Barstow was able to take out right-hander Branden Ball, who converted to a two-handed delivery earlier this season, 227-207 before making a ball change in the semifinals against No. 3 seed Frank Testa.
“I started on 31-32 and it was ridiculously tight for me, and its difficult throwing a polished urethane when they’re that tight,” Barstow said. “So I went back to the Dark Moss against Frank. I got a little more left and stayed a little firmer at the bottom and stayed clean.”
Testa had a two splits to go along with a solid 9-pin as Barstow advanced with a 223-193 win.
“I really don’t like to win like that. He had that 9-pin and then a 2-10 and a 4-pin … but I have lost countless times like that so it’s nice to be on the other end for a change,” Barstow said.
TITLE MATCH
Barstow started with a double in the title match, but left a 2-4-8 in the third frame. Then, he was off to the races.
Barstown struck on his next five shots before leaving a 2-8 spare in the ninth. He then struck out for his final count.
“I missed that one out a bit and it labored to get back,” Barstow said of his miss in the third frame. “Not sure on the other one.”
McCourry had three strikes through five frames and was able to string three from the sixth through the eighth frames. But he left a 10-pin in the ninth before striking out in the 10th.
“I kind of fluffed that shot a bit and got a little quick,” McCourry said about the shot in the ninth. “It was about 50-50 whether it would carry or not. It ended jp being the difference unfortunately.
“I kind of ran out of gas there … I think we both did. We just sort of survived that match.”
After cashing in just two his six CBT series events a year ago, Barstow cashed in eight of nine this season. His lone non-cash? The Nov. 9 singles ironically at Park Centre.
“This year was pretty good compared to past years,” Barstow said.
And a solid way to end his tournament season.
NOTEBOOK: The CBT series finale had 38 players out of a possible 44 eligible to participate. Only bowlers who competed in at least four of the CBT’s eight monthly events were able to bowl. … Only three players broke 1,000 during qualifying, with Testa being the third (1,000). … The cut for the top eight was a 972, with Haddad and Ball tying for the spot. Bob Eckenrode, who led after Game 1, was five pins short along with defending finale winner Brian Ball. … The higher seed tiebreaker was the high game shot among the pair. That same method was used for the Nos. 5 and 6 seeds — Ryan Suter and Bradley Stevens. … Stevens and McCourry were the lone lefties to reach match play. … Because of the additional prize money available for the finale, the tournament paid 1-in-2, with John Price gaining the final cash spot in 19th place with 892 (223 average). … Tournament director Jeff DiMarzio said the series will return for the 2025-26 season — its ninth season — with monthly events alternating between singles and doubles and using the same three Stark County centers — Eastbury, Park Centre and AMF Hall of Fame. A schedule will be released at a later date.
COLLEGE BOWL TOURNAMENTS SERIES
END-OF-SEASON TOURNAMENT
(Saturday, at Park Centre Lanes, North Canton)
Round of 8
(Single-game elimination, seed in parenthesis; losers each receive $200)
1 Alex McCourry d. 8 Josh Haddad 268-233; 4 Keith Zeigler d. 5 Ryan Suter 245-214; 2 Chase Barstow d. 7 Branden Ball 227-207; 3 Frank Testa d. 6 Bradley Stevens 279-265
Semifinals
(Single-game elimination; losers each receive $300)
Barstow d. Testa 223-193; McCourry d. Zeigler 221-188
Championship
(Winner receives $870; loser receives $550)
Barstow d. McCourry 255-238
Other cashers
(Based on four-game qualifying pinfalls)
9 (tie), Bob Eckenrode and Brian Ball 967, $120; 11, Ryan Trowbridge 963, $120; 12, Troy Workman 961, $120; 13, Jack Wells 956, $120; 14, Tucker Robbins 945, $120; 15, Adam Kutz 919, $100; 16, Steve Hlbase 917, $100; 17, Eric Long 911, $100; 18, Brandon Leggett 895, $100; 19, John Price 892, $100
