By BILL SNIER
NORTH CANTON — Dell Ray Jr. has a simple philosophy when it comes to facing his opponents on the lanes.
“At the end of the day, I only worry about my game. It’s like a me versus me type of thing,” the 25-year-old left-hander said. “If I make good shots that’s all I can do.”
And he made four critical ones at the end of Saturday’s College Bowl Tournaments series single title match at Park Centre Lanes to bring home a win.
Seeded No. 4 following qualifying, the Cleveland tax analyst failed to strike just once in the semifinals and then struck on five of his last seven shots to defeat Jim Fellows 229-225 in the final match to claim the victory during the CBT series kickoff event.
If came after Ray, who had a pair of second-place finishes last season in CBT events without a win, left a 3-7-9 split in the fourth frame after opening with three strikes.
“I just threw it terrible … I’m trying to find a good way to say it,” said Ray, who then followed that with a 7-pin spare in the fourth.
A messenger failed to take out the 7-pin on that shot. But that was just a preview of things to come.
SEMIFINAL RUNS
Ray, who was never lower than sixth during the four-game qualifier and averaged 236.5, opened single-game match play against another left-hander in Canton’s Michael Leggett, who tied Ray for the fourth spot.
Leggett ran off seven strikes in a row, but failed to convert a key 7-pin spare late. Ray was able to double in the 10th frame to pull out a 247-238 win.
Then, against No. 8 seed Branden Ball,, a 25-year-old Navarre two-handed righty, he failed to strike just once in a 279-211 victory
Fellows, a 57-year-old Perry Township left-hander, was the No. 3 seed following qualifying and was surprised to be in the top five after Game 3.
“I hit a bad pair (Lanes 35-36) in Game 3 and shot 190 with a lot of carry issues,” Fellows said. “I really thought I lost it there. But then I realized where I was and it was OK.”
Returning to that same end pair for his opening match, Fellows found the answer with strings of four and three strikes to stop No. 6 seed and a fellow senior, right-hander Mark Herdlick, 236-184.
Then, in the semifinals against 21-year-old Canton right-hander Brandon Leggett, Fellows was able to overcome a 6-8 split in the seventh frame en route to a 233-195 victory.
CHAMPIONSHIP
It was Fellows who came out of the gate quickly in the title match, striking on his first five shots before leaving a 7-pin spare in the sixth frame.
But after another strike in the seventh, disaster struck in the eighth when he left a 4-7-10 split.
“I was struggling getting out of the ball and I kind of hung up a little and went around it a little,” said Fellows, who said the problems began during his semifinal match with Brandon Leggett.
“I sent it left and to the wrong area of the lane.”
The second of Ray’s powerful messengers, using his Storm Physix Blackout the entire day, took out the 7-pin in the eighth frame before he left a 10-pin spare in the seventh.
Still holding a 14-pin lead, Fellows needed to strike out in the ninth and 10th to shut out Ray. After a strike in the ninth, he left a 7-pin spare on his first ball in the 10th to give Ray an opening.
“I wouldn’t change anything (about that shot),” Fellows said. “I liked it off my hand. Except for the 7-pin.”
Ray had strikes in the eighth and ninth and needed a double in the 10th frame for the win. Another powerful messenger took out the 7-pin on his second shot in the 10th to set him up. He followed with an eight-count for the win.
“I just told myself to stay aggressive, stay down and keep my eyes on my target,” said Ray, who won $420 with the win. “The same thing that I had been doing.”
Fellows, coming off a season where his team captured the Northeast Ohio Travel League title and he personally had a pair of 800 series, admitted he was physically “feeling it a little.”
“But I’m happy any time I can come out here and bowl this well for this many games,” said Fellows, who didn’t bowl during the summer months and put in just three games before the season started.
Ray was coming off a big week of league play, with a 790 series Tuesday followed by an 804 on Friday at Rollhouse Parma.
“I said I was going to bowl more this year. I like doing these series. It’s pretty fun and a different environment so I figured I would just go out and shoot my shot,” Ray said. “I want to try to bring more guys with me next time.”
Next week, it’s on to Pittsburgh for a five-man Baker System event. After that, he’s looking for more.
“I’m just looking for things to bowl every weekend,” he added.
NOTEBOOK: The opening CBT event drew 35 players, with 26 in the field averaging 200 or better on the Park Centre house oil pattern. … The CBT series began during the 2015-16 season with three events at the former College Bowl prior to its closing. It went to its current three-center schedule — Park Centre, AMF Hall of Fame, Eastbury Bowling Center — during the 2017-18 season, with the former 77 Colonial being involved during the 2016-17 season. … Brian Esterle topped qualifying with 986 (246.5 average), finishing 25 pins ahead of Brandon Leggett. Esterle fell in the opening round of match play to Ball 218-195. … The format was four qualifying games, with the cut to the top eight followed by single-game match-play elimination. … Ball shot just 210 his final game but earned the final qualifying spot by just one pin 933-932 over Akron’s Vicktor Varner, who finished with 224. Varner and Frank Kaczyński earned the finał two cash spots, with the latter finishing at 927, eight pins ahead of Tony Carson. There were four left-handers and four right-handers in the final eight. Four of them — Esterle, Fellows, Herdlick and Jeff Mowls — are senior players. … Esterle had the day’s high game of 290 in Game 2. … The next CBT series event is an over 50-under 50 doubles, set for 10 a.m. Oct. 18 at Eastbury Bowling Center. Entry fee is $130 per team. See the complete schedule at the end of this report. … Our thanks to tournament director Jeff DiMarzio and Dawn Altimore-Eckenrode for their assistance with this report.
COLLEGE BOWL TOURNAMENTS SINGLES
(Saturday, at Park Centre Lanes, North Canton)
Quarterfinals
(Single-game match play, losers each receive $125)
4 Dell Ray Jr. d. 5 Michael Leggett 247-238; 3 Jim Fellows d. 6 Mark Herdlick 236-184; 2 Brandon Leggett d. 7 Jeff Mowls 219-201; 8 Branden Ball d. 1 Scott Esterle 218-195
Semifinals
(Single-game match play; losers each receive $180)
Ray d. Ball 279-211; Fellows d. B. Leggett 233-195
Championship
(One-game match; winner receives $420, loser receives $270)
Ray d. Fellows 229-225.
Other cashers
(With four-game qualifying pinfalls)
9, Vicktor Varner 932, $65; 10, Frank Kaczyński 927, $65
