CANTON — What started as a tournament concept for one former Canton bowling center during the 2019-20 season has grown into a full-season, three-center operation heading into its seventh season.
The College Bowl Tournaments series will launch its seventh season at 10 a.m. Sept. 20 at Park Centre Lanes in North Canton with its first of nine scheduled events for the 2025-26 season.
It began with a request from a person at the former College Bowl to Jeff DiMarzio about establishing some events at the center which use to house both the Copeco and Shelly Green Memorial scratch singles events.
“I don’t know how they knew I had run tournaments in the past … I hadn’t done it in about 20 years,’ DiMarzio said. “I told them I would look around and get back to them.”
During that period, DiMarzio developed the current tournament format of four qualifying games and then cutting to the top eight for single-game elimination match play. That changes to a four-team cut for doubles events, following by single-elimination match play.
The one major difference is that DiMarzio runs his events on Saturday mornings.
“I decided I was going to do it that way, and there were a lot of people out there who felt it wouldn’t work on that day,” DiMarzio said. “But it has worked and continues to do so.”
The CBT series began the first year with three events — all at College Bowl.
“The idea was to hold a tournament a month at College Bowl,” DiMarzio said. “But, the second year, the decision was made to close College Bowl around Christmas and we wanted to continue with it.”
So DiMarzio approached three other Stark County centers — AMF Hall of Fame, Park Centre and Eastbury Bowling Center — about hosting events.
“I’m really thankful that the other centers were interested in doing this. When I approached them, they all were, and that’s why we have what we have today,” said DiMarzio, who is assisted by Dawn Altimore-Eckenrode in operating the events.
From a modest start, the events now draw from 40 to 50 players for singles events and over 25 teams for doubles events, including both regular doubles and two senior (over age 50)-junior (49 and younger) events with a $65 entry fee for singles and $130 for doubles.
“The guys seem to like the short format and the high number of paid places that we have,” DiMarzio said. “I haven’t had anyone complain about winning $500 for bowling seven games.
“We looked at what other people were doing. It’s what we learned from (former Hall of Fame Lanes owner) Janet (Buehler). See what other people are doing and you need to do it better.
“Hopefully, we’ve done that.”
The complete 2025-26 CBT series schedule is listed below:
HIT DEM POCKETS EVENTS
Hit Dem Pockets has two upcoming events, including one rescheduled from earlier in the summer.
The third HDP Queens tournament is set for 10 a.m. Sept. 20 at North Woods Lanes in Macedonia with a $125 entry fee. It features a new site and new format — a one-day event. Bowlers will roll eight qualifying games before the field is cut to the top 12 for the Cashers Round, based on a 48-player field. After a short break, bowlers will bowl two rounds of single-game elimination match play, with the final three bowling in a stepladder finals format.
First place will be worth $2,000. A squad leader bonus also will be offered for a bowler bringing in five or more players. Melissa Voytko is the defending champion.
Also, HDP will be holding a Ladies Only & Seniors (55-and-older) tournament Sept 13 at North Woods.
Entry fee is $45 for this handicapped event. Bowlers will roll four games, with the low score being thrown out. For ladies competing in both divisions, there is a discounted $75 overall fee. First place in each division is $750 guaranteed. See entry information at: https://www.facebook.com/HitDemPockets
OTHER EVENTS
SURVIVAL TOURNAMENTS: Jacob Lehn captured the Survial Tournaments: Quest to Find the Gunman on Saturday at Seven Hills Lanes in Seven Hills. The tournament format is each player must hit a target score to continue to advance to the next round. The event went nine rounds, with Lehn taking honors in the quest for 240 in Game 9, shooting a 225, He was followed by Scott McIntire (216) and Cameron Touchette (213), who shot 300 earlier in the event. The next event will be Finding the Moster, at 10 a.m. Oct. 4 also at Seven Hills with a $65 entry fee. For information, go to: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571347182934
MIDWEST SCRATCH BOWLING SERIES: The Midwest Scratch Bowling Series is holding the Free Lineage Akron House Shot Baker Doubles at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 27 at Station 300 in Akron. Teams will bowl eight Baker System qualifying games before the cut to the top 16 for two-game Baker match-play rounds until a champion is determined. Entry fee is $140 per team. For information, go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/1705884480001243?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22home%22%7D%2C%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22attachment%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D
HILES TOURNAMENTS: Limited opening remain for the Castaway Trio Baker Classic at 10 a.m. Oct. 19 at Eastway Lanes in Erie, Pa. Entry fee is $300 per team, with teams bowling 18 Baker games before the field is cut to the top five for the stepladder finals. For information, go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/1852058958895514/
In addition, the fifth annual Baker Team Championship is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 27 at AMF Mt. Lebanon Lanes in Pittsburgh with limited spots remaining. Entry fee is $500 per team, with teams bowling 31 Baker System games over two shifts before the field is cut to the top five for the stepladder finals. Information on this event is at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1897079804159099?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22attachment%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D
SINGLES ELIMINATOR: Jody Boyd is promoting a $1,000 Singles Eliminator event, set for 1 p.m. Nov. 1 at Sequoia Pro Bowl in Columbus. Entry fee is $80 on a house oil pattern, with as maximum field of 120. Bowlers will bowl either four or five games (to be announced) before the field is cut to the top 24 for eliminator rounds, with the top eight receiving a first-round bye. For information, go to:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1480891892928674?active_tab=about
PORTAGE USBC: The 79th annual Portage County Open isset for Oct. 4 through 19 at Spins Bowl Kent and will be bowled on a house oil pattern. Early entry fee is $26 for the handicapped event, with option all events fees. There also is an option scratch division fee per event: team, doubles and singles. For information and shift times go to: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063470113603
BURNS MEMORIAL: Unofficial results have been posted for the Teresa J. Burns Junior-Senior Doubles Handicap Memorial held at Roseland Lanes in Oakwood. The tea of Austin Mitchell and Derick Williams took honors with 1,516 to take the team event, with Mitchell also topping both the junior handicap (817) and open scratch (796) divisions. Williams was high in senior handicap with 832. Unofficial results are posted below:
PBA REGIONALS
CENTRAL REGION: Legacy Lanes in Coshocton is hosting the PBA50 Legacy Lanes Central Open on Sept. 13 and 14. Admission is free, with bowlers rolling eight qualifying games beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday before the.cut to the top 16 (based on 48 entries or more) for bracket match play at 9 a.m. Sunday. The roster currently has nearly 30 players. The event will kick off with a pro-am at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 with a unique Baker System format. Four-person teams can enter for $200 and will bowl 10 Baker games on a house oil pattern with a different pro each game. All ages are welcome. For information, contact Legacy Lanes at i740-575-4279.
YOUTH EVENTS
JTBA: A total of 99 bowlers were spread through the field in six divisions during the Junior Tournament Bowlers Association (JTBA) Dayton Youth Open on Aug. 31 at Beaver-Vu Bowl in Beavercreek. Qualifying was five games until the respective fields were cut for two-game bracketed match-play rounds by seed. Top-seeded Ryan Carmichael topped No. 6 Brandon Staton to claim the 18U boys title, while No. 2 Dottie Sayles defeated Sara Augustitus for the 18U girls crown. Other winners included Braeden McCorkle in 16U boys; Medina’s Gracie Dunne in 16U girls; Anthony Campbell in 14U boys; and Helen Sayles in 14U girls. The next JTBA event is the JTBA Cleveland Youth Open at 9 a.m. Sept. 28 at Roseland Lanes in Oakwood. See a complete schedule at: http://www.jtba.com/schedule-25-26.html
Below are Dayton tournament results: