By BILL SNIER
FAIRLAWN — He is 71 years old, continues to battle knee problems after having arthroscopic surgery nearly two years ago and, admittedly, can’t throw the ball the way he used to.
But after completing 14 qualifying games during the PBA50 Akron Classic at AMF Riviera Lanes on Monday, Wadsworth right-hander Dale Csuhta was sitting eighth overall (3,089) after averaging 220 over the two-day span. The lone blemish was the 184 he shot in Game 14 — one of only two sub-200 games he recorded.
“Not really,” Csuhta said when asked if he had any inkling he would bowl this well. “It was a long pattern — 48 feet — and I thought I would have trouble with it hooking. Usually, on.a long pattern, I struggle. But there was hook out there if you were in the right area.
“I’ve been practicing and really throwing it like crap. But I also know there have been times when I wasn’t throw it well, but still bowled well in tournaments.”
Using just two balls — a Storm Bionic and a Radical Evil Eye — and making 2-and-1 moves when needed, Csuhta was able to navigate the 48-foot PBA50 World Championship pattern.
“I could tell when it started hooking,” said Csuhta, who owns 10 regional titles and cashed in all three PBA60 World Series of Bowling events in Columbus in the SDS (Super Duper Seniors) category.
“If I got in and it didn’t hold I knew it was time to move. If I got the hold, I knew it would go to the pocket.”
Despite the work on his left knee, he still is bothered by the pain and stiffness.
“It’s good enough where I can bowl, but it’s not like it used to be,” Csuhta said. “It’s harder to stay down on the shot. It’s not bad, but I can’t bend it as far as the other one.
“But I’m feeling pretty good. I still exercise and lift weights and do some pushups to try to keep in shape. I get tired at night, but I just go to bed earlier.”
The hook finally caught up to him during the final qualifying game after he had averaged 225 over his first six games of the shift.
“That pair was just really hooking. I moved, and it hooked. I moved again, and it hooked again,” said Csuhta of Lanes 11-12. “I finally had to go through (boards) 20 to 21 while standing on the left gutter. If I had more speed, it might have helped.”
But Csuhta also is realistic about his chances during Tuesday’s four-game Advancers Round.
“I just know the end is near as good as these guys out here are,” said Csuhta, who also plans to bowl Wednesday’s Central Region event in Lorain. “I used to be able to throw more strikes in a row … now it’s like two or three.
“Consistency and hitting the pocket are the keys for me now.”
SHAFER LEADS SHIFT
Five-time PBA Tour champion Ryan Shafer, who also owns 38 regional titles including nine as a PBA50 player, had 284 — high game of the shift — in Game 13 and finished with 214 to emerge as the squad leader for the morning shift with 3,306 total pinfall, 31 pins ahead of Michael Machuga.
He was sitting 10th after Sunday’s opening qualifying round. What changed?
“We started in the tight section of the house (Monday) and it was slicker, which makes a difference in ball choices and changes your perspective as you go,” said Shafer, who had right knee replacement surgery on July 14, 2025. “I realized it when I changed pairs and I took that into consideration.”
The 59-year-old Horseheads, N.Y., right-hander has plenty of experience bowling at AMF Riviera Lanes from his participation in the Tournament of Champions. .
“I like to bowl here and its an honor and a privilege to bowl here,” said Shafer, who took three months off of bowling before practicing again. “I love the building. It tests you a little bit in the end and it can be little tough. But I like the way the pins fall here. It’s not ridiculous where they fly all over the place, But if you get the right angle, you can get the 10 out.”
Shafer tried to overcome his knee problem with injections and therapy to avoid knee replacement.
“I kept putting it off because I am diabetic and you always worry about possible infections. They made my everyday life better, but I still couldn’t bowl,” Shafer said. “But I still wanted to bowl a bit, so I went ahead with the surgery.
“Obviously when you first start back, it’s not how you want it to be, but you can do it. I just have to get used to it again.”
NOTEBOOK: Standing behind Shafer and Machuga off of the early shift are PBA50 tour points leader Tom Hess (3,230), Bill Watson (3,225) and Craig Auerbach (3,169). …. The cut number after that first shift is at plus 171, with at least 16 players from the evening squad still among the top 37 who will make the cut for Tuesday’s Advancers Round. … The final qualifying shift begins at 3:30 p.m., with admission free for fans. That squad also will bowl seven games on fresh oil. … Coming into Monday’s action, only two left-handers were listed among the top 50 players in qualifying. Troy Lint made a run early, but shot 202 and 155 among his final three games to stand 26th heading into the second shift. … Akron’s Don Hogue went 238, 244 and 258 his final three games to move up to 18th in the standings after starting the day 55th overall. … Hall of Famer Pete Weber, a two-time TOC winner at Riviera, finished 16th with 3,062. All first shift players must wait on the second-shift scores to determine if they will advance to Tuesday. … There was one withdrawal Monday as Daniel Patterson backed out after Round 1.