By BILL SNIER
CANTON — This was a new experience for 24-year-old two-handed right-hander Joshua Parry.
The former Tallmadge High School and Walsh University bowler had never bowled for a title at any level.
“I had barely gotten to the point where I was cashing in tournaments,” said Parry, who works as a bartender at Gervasi Vineyards. “I would basically show up for qualifying and then go home.”
But things changed after he took a year-long “break” from the sport. He started to show up on some cash lists and, about a month ago after cashing in another event and getting married in June, he adopted a new mindset.
“I just decided to take it one shot at a time and don’t try to get in my own way,” Parry said. “Just let the pins fall as they may and control what I can control … just try to have fun.”
Parry’s new mindset finally produced the results he was looking for Saturday during the College Bowling Tournaments Series’ 2026-27 singles opener at AMF Hall of Fame Lanes.
Using a pair of four-strike runs, Parry stopped Willoughby right-hander Reggie Petty 242-221 in the title match to secure his first victory.
“It’s a very big confidence booster,” said Parry, who took home $500 for the win. “I never really did well in tournaments in school, college or anything. To finally get a win under my belt is a 100-percent confidence booster to continue bowling tournaments.”
Parry, the No. 7 seed entering the eight-man match-play portion of the event, was sitting 10th heading into the last of four qualifying games, 14 pins out of the cut. After shooting 210 and 232 his first two games, he bounced back with 246 and 256 to finish.
“The first game, I only shot 210, but at least it was a 200 and I gave myself some time to settle in. After the second game, I just wanted to keep my emotions and my mindset was just to get through the game and try to give myself a chance,” Parry said. “The last game, I knew I had to take a big step just to make the cut and luckily I pushed through it.
“I actually thought I had moved up to at least fifth, but I got to seventh. So that was OK … just go on to Plan B.”
Using his Storm Phaze II throughout the day, Parry made quick work of No. 2 seed Anthony Phillips 238-170 in his opening match before going on a seven-strike run in a 255-183 win over 22-year-old Streetsboro left-hander Bradley Stevens.
Stevens, who shot 276 in his win over two-handed lefty Tony Throckmorton — the only two lefties making match play — left five single-pin spares in his match with Parry.
PETTY’S RUN
Petty, a former Chicago resident who bowled at the former Notre Dame College, was never out of the top eight all day and was the cut spot heading into the final qualifying game.
Using his Hammer Obsession Tour most of the day, Petty averaged 240 over his four games, shooting 258 his final game to jump from eighth to third.
The Quest Diagnostics lab technician then rolled past Canton senior right-hander Joe Stauffer 254-210 in his quarterfinal match before using a six-strike run to get by 22-year-old Sagamore Hills two-handed righty Mark Hupcey 237-235 in the semifinals.
Hupcey had a chance to put pressure on Petty in the 10th frame following a three-strike run, but left a 10-pin on his second shot in the frame.
TITLE MATCH
Petty converted an odd 1-8 spare in the second frame during a run of five strikes in six frames to start the title match against Parry.
Parry began with four straight strikes, but then left a 10-pin spare in the fifth. He failed to convert the spare.
“It was a mistake, and I knew it as soon as it left my hand,” Parry said of the miss. “I could feel it … the ball just wasn’t sitting comfortably in my forearm. But I just decided I was mentally already into my release so I went ahead with it and that happened.”
He admittedly had to reset for his next shot, but left a 3-pin spare.
“The missed spare had something to do with that. It takes a couple of throws to get it out of your mind,” Parry said. “But once I hit that spare, I said to myself, ‘You’re still in this.’ ”
Petty, who was making just his second CBT event appearance after finishing 12th last season in a singles event at Park Centre Lanes, then left a 2-10 split in the seventh frame following a four-strike run.
Taking advice from his cousin, Dell Ray Jr., who had won the opening CBT event a year ago at Park Centre, Petty chose to go with his Obsession on the right lane and a Roto Grip Transformer Pearl on the left.
“He saw that the left lane was hooking more so we made the decision to go with one ball on each,” said Petty of Lanes 15 and 16. “I had two options there that gave me two good looks. That was the first time all day I did that, but that left lane was hooking a lot for me.”
After his spare conversion, Parry than ran off four strikes in a row into the 10th frame. With a chance to close out Petty, he left a 4-6-7-10 split on his second ball, getting three pins.
“I knew I could shut him out. The first one in the 10th was the most important, and I knew if I strike (second ball in 10th), I win,” Parry said. “I pushed it a little inside my line. I thought I might have a chance if it holds, but it checked up. I knew if I got two, it might be the reason, but then I got three and felt wouldn’t that be funny if that made the difference.”
With a chance to pull out the match with a double in the 10th frame, Petty missed the head pin to the inside to leave a 1-2-8 spare. He converted and added eight pins for the final count.
“I just threw it bad … no excuses. I just didn’t execute very well,” Petty said. “It happens … it’s bowling. It’s on to the next one.”
Petty said physical mistakes with his footwork led to his three misses in the match.
“I’ve been working on my first step all week. Every time my first step got fast, I would throw it to the right too fast,” Petty said. “They were just bad shots. It’s back to practice and getting better.”
Parry never had a chance to enjoy the win until the final shots.
“I’ve never been in the finals of anything before so it was just one of those things,” Parry said. “I knew I just had to keep grinding. He didn’t let me get comfortable at all. Luckily, it all worked out.”
Due to his work schedule, bowling night leagues is not possible at this point for Parry. But that doesn’t rule out weekend tournaments.
And with a win, just “showing up” is no longer an option.
NOTEBOOK: The initial singles event of the College Bowl Tournaments Series’ ninth season drew 42 players — the best opening turnout in the series’ history. … Hupcey shot just 184 his final game, but secured the final match-play spot with 919 (229.75 average), just seven pins ahead of Ray, who also shot 184 in Game 4. … The final cash spot went to 2024 Jackson High School graduate Alex Lovas with 893 (223.2 average), just one pin ahead of Ethan Gary. … Top-seeded Brian Esterle, another senior player, had the high game of 288 in Game 1 of qualifying. He led the event with 1,000 total pinfall (250.0 average), but fell in the first round of match play to Hupcey 235-182. … The next CBT Series event will be an over-50, under-50 doubles event at 10 a.m. Oct. 17 at Park Centre Lanes in North Canton. Entry fee is $130 per team with a four-game qualifier. For information and a complete schedule, go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1732438633645945
COLLEGE BOWL TOURNAMENTS SINGLES
(Saturday, at AMF Hall of Fame Lanes, Canton)
Quarterfinals
(Single-game elimination match play, losers each receive $120)
No. 8 Mark Hupcey d. No. 1 Brian Esterle 235-182; No. 3 Reggie Petty d. No. 6 Joe Stauffer 254-210; No. 4 Bradley Stevens d. No. 5 Tony Throckmorton 276-204; No. 7 Joshua Parry d. No. 2 Anthony Phillips 238-170
Semifinals
(Single-game elimination match play, losers each receive $200)
Petty d. Hupcey 237-235; Parry d. Stevens 255-183
Championship
(Single-game elimination match play; winner receives $500, loser receives $300)
Parry d. Petty 242-221
Other cashers
(Based on four-game pinfalls; each receives $65)
9, Del Ray 912; 10, Cooper Smith 903; 11, Tony Confalone 896; 12, Jack Wells 894; 13, Alex Lovas 893.
