CUYAHOGA FALLS — New partner, new division, same results.
Four-time PBA Tour champion Tom Daugherty, a 51-year-old out of Vairico, Fla., had twice previously won the Ohio Blasting-Valley Motor City Over 50-Under 50 Doubles with partner Tom Hess
But, a year ago, Daugherty moved from the junior to the senior ranks and had to find a new partner.
That turned out to be 39-year-old Houston right-hander Shawn Maldonado, a two-time PBA Tour champion.
After pairing up to lead qualifying during a PBA-PBA50 PBA Central Region doubles event a week ago, the pair returned Sunday to Clutch Lanes and Sports Center and earned a victory in another over 50-under, over-50 event, giving Daugherty his fourth title at the center overall and third in this event, which drew 20 teams.
With Maldonado shooting 257 and 267 in the title match, the top-seeded pair stopped No. 4 seed Tim Foy Jr. and PBA Hall of Famer Tim Couch 949-776 to claim the win and the $4,000 top check.
Maldonado and Daugherty led the 20-team field with 2,301 total pinfall after five qualifying games, finishing 30 pins ahead of a pair of lefties — Cuyahoga Falls two-hander and Team USA member Bryce Oliver and PBA50 pro Michael Haggitt (2,271).
The top two qualifying teams received first-round byes into the six-team match-play finals, which featured two-game, total pinfall matchups. Oliver and Haggitt were eliminated by Foy and Couch 920-890 in the semifinals.
Maldonado and Daugherty stopped No. 6 seed Chad Morris and Tyler Ring 977-888 in the other semifinal match to advance.
Ring and Morris were the cut in the event with 1,988 on the PBA50 Wayne Webb oil pattern, finishing 35 pins ahead of sixth-place Zac Abbott and Steve Hlbase and Jordan Norris and John Brockway (1,988) Jason Johnson and Dean Billings were another two pins back (1,986).
Only the six match-play qualifying teams finished plus on the day, with Maldonado and Daugherty turning in the top game with 508 in Game 1.
No. 3 seed Chris Steele and Vince Yoder along with No. 5 seed Rocio Restrepo and Don Hogue were eliminated in the Round of Six.
Maldonado and Daugherty won Game 1 of the title match 461-378 to open a cushion, as the latter also shot 204 and 221. Foy, a two-handed righty, had 192-227 whlle Couch, a left-hander, had just 186 and 171 in the title match.
Tournament director Tony Varn said the event would return next season.
OHIO BLASTING-VALLEY MOTOR CITY OVER 50-UNDER 50 DOUBLES
(Sunday, at Clutch Lanes and Sports Center, Cuyahoga Falls)
Round of Six
(Two-game match play; seed in parenthesis)
(6) Tyler Ring (239-237)— Chad Morris (192-236) d. (3) Chris Steele (269192)-Vince Yoder (204-169) 903-833; Steele-Yoder win $600
(4) Tim Foy Jr. (237-220)-Tim Couch (173-254) d. (5) Rocio Restrepo (192-211)-Don Hogue (219-169) 884-791; Restrepo-Hogue win $540
Semifinals
(1) Shawn Maldonado (225-226)-Tom Daugherty (278-248) d. Ring (221-257)-Morris (173-237) 977-888; Ring-Morris win $750
Foy (236-222)-Couch (235-227) d. (2) Bryce Oliver (234-258)-Michael Haggitt (182-216) 920-890; Oliver-Haggitt win $800
Championship
Maldonato (257-267)-Daugherty (204-221) d. Foy (192-227)-Couch (186-171) 949-776; Maldonado-Daugherty win $4,000, Foy-Couch win $1,750.
MORRIS WINS FIRST TITLE
LORAIN — Lance Morris, a 21-year-old two-hander from Beattyville, Ky., earned his first PBA regional title Sunday by topping the field at the PBA Ohio Lottery-Baldo Campana & Dave D’Entremont Memorial Central Open at Rebman Recreation.
Morris, the No. 10 qualifier in the 120-player event, stopped No. 1 seed Ryan Liederbach, a former PBA Central Region Player of the Year, 224-216 in the title match of the one-day event.
Morris needed a double in the 10th frame to secure the victory after Liederbach, a 29-year-old two-handed Northfield lefty, left four 7-pin spares — all on the right lane.
To reach the finale, Morris stopped left-hander Anthony Neuer 259-233 in the semifinals while Liederbach defeated Hayden Stippich 269-246. Neuer was seeking his second straight regional title after winning last week during a doubles event with his father, Andrew Neuer, at Clutch Lanes and Sports Center in Cuyahoga Falls.
Liederbach led qualifying with 1,713 total pinfall (245 average), finishing 32 pins ahead of nonmember Joe Justinger (1,681). Rebman held a pair of pretournament qualifiers that advanced groups of nonmembers into the field.
Cincinnati’s Richard McCormick earned the final spot in the 16-player match-play round with 1,591, finishing 19 pins ahead of nonmember Mike Williams II.
Nonmembers making the top 16 included Parma Padua High School sophomore Zachary Mayne, Luis Rodriquez and Tony Throckmorton.
The tournament was bowled on the PBA Regional 40 oil pattern. Morris won $2,700 for his first title.
The PBA50 version of this event is scheduled for July 14 through 16 at Rebman Recreation.
See complete final standings here:
https://www.leaguepals.com/league-info?id=698f4e7d8cdd91647b56e060